Orange Marmalade Chicken
Whenever I buy marmalade, I can never finish the whole jar. I crave marmalade for toast, but after a couple mornings, I get bored because I'm the kind of person who doesn't want to eat the same thing every day. So the other day I was wondering if I could use it for savory cooking, and Panda Express's orange chicken immediately came to mind. It's not exactly like Panda Express's version, but it was really good. It's sweet and sour, and the touch of bitterness from the marmalade gives a nice kick to the dish. If you have orange marmalade sleeping in your fridge, give it a try!
For the chicken
I used skinless, boneless chicken thighs. I like chicken thighs over chicken breast, because it is juicier, but if you want to use chicken breast, it is totally fine too. Cut it to 1”x1” cubes. Don’t cut it too big because it will be coated with batter, and if you cut it too big, it ends up quite big after you fry them up. Cutting it evenly also means everything cooks at the same rate, so you don’t end up with a few pieces that are done before the rest.
For the batter
Mix everything and mix until the batter is pancake batter consistency, then rest the batter at least 30 minutes to relax the gluten so the batter won’t be too tough. If it is too thick, adjust the consistency by adding a tablespoon of water at a time. If it is too loose, add a tablespoon of flour at a time. This resting step is easy to skip when you’re hungry and want to fry right away, but it really does make a difference in how light the coating turns out.
Prepping the sauce
While you are resting the batter, prepare the sauce. Mix soy sauce and marmalade, grate ginger, and mince garlic. I use sake for deglazing, but you can use white wine as well. I often get asked about substituting sake for water, but the taste won’t be the same, because sake gives sweetness and umami to the dish. This is one of those ingredients that seems small on paper but actually carries a lot of the flavor, so I wouldn’t skip it.
Timing the vinegar
Add apple cider vinegar toward the end. If you add it too early, the sour note won’t be as punchy. I used apple cider vinegar because it is slightly milder than distilled vinegar. You can use rice vinegar as a substitute. The timing matters more than people expect. Vinegar added early tends to mellow out and lose its edge as it simmers, so holding it back until the last couple minutes keeps that brightness intact.
Thickening with slurry
Mix cornstarch or potato starch with an equal amount of water to make a slurry. Slurry is often used in Asian cooking to thicken sauce without reducing it for hours. The key is, once you add the slurry, simmer for at least 2 minutes to activate it. Otherwise the sauce won’t thicken. Also make sure the starch is completely dissolved in the water. If there are lumps, you’ll end up with starch lumps in your sauce.
Bringing it all together
Once your chicken is fried up golden and crispy, toss it in the sauce while it’s still hot so the coating soaks up all that sticky marmalade glaze without going soggy. Serve it right away over rice, or on its own with toothpicks if you’re setting it out for a party. Either way, this is one of those dishes that disappears fast.
Orange Marmalade Chicken
Prep time 30 minutes
Rest time 20 minutes (or more)
Total time 50 min
Serves 4
Chicken
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch bite size cubes
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup cornstarch
1 ½ cups flour
1 egg
1 cup water
1 tablespoons oil
Oil for frying
Orange Marmalade Sauce
3 tablespoons orange marmalade
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ tablespoon neutral oil
¼ teaspoon chili flake
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon grated ginger
¼ cup sake or white wine
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Slurry
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Topping
Toasted sesame seeds, as needed
Preparation
In a medium mixing bowl, combine cornstarch, and flour. Whisk to combine.
Add the egg, water, and oil, and mix well.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and add to the batter. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
While the chicken is resting, make the marmalade sauce and slurry. In a small bowl, combine soy sauce and marmalade. Set aside. In a separate bowl or ramekin, combine water and cornstarch. Mix well and set aside.
In a heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven, add the oil for frying. Heat oil to 350˚F (180˚C).
Gently add the chicken and cook for 5-6 minutes until lightly golden brown.
Remove the chicken from the pot and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. Add the ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
Add the sake and simmer until reduced by half, about 3-4 minutes. Add the marmalade sauce and stir to combine.
Add in the vinegar and sesame oil. Add the slurry and stir to combine. Continue to cook the sauce until it thickens, about 2 minutes.
Add in the fried chicken and stir until completely coated in the sauce.
Top with sesame seeds.