The best Orange Chicken made with just a few pantry staples. Bite-sized chicken tossed in a bright, sweet-orange glaze—ready in about 30 minutes. Serve over rice or noodles for a quick, crowd-pleasing weeknight meal.
Orange Chicken
This easy orange chicken uses frozen chicken nuggets tossed in a sticky orange glaze made from marmalade, BBQ sauce, and soy sauce. It’s a simple, budget-friendly alternative to takeout that kids and adults both enjoy. Ready in about half an hour and perfect over rice, cauliflower rice, or noodles.
Ingredients:
- Frozen chicken nuggets – a large bag of boneless, skinless chicken nuggets or bites
- Orange marmalade – found in the jam/jelly aisle
- BBQ sauce – Sweet Baby Ray’s works well; choose a less-sweet BBQ since the marmalade adds sweetness
- Soy sauce – for savory depth
- Green onion – chopped, for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven and bake the frozen chicken nuggets according to package directions. Once cooked, set them aside while you make the sauce.
2. In a medium skillet, combine orange marmalade, BBQ sauce, and soy sauce. Heat over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is warm and slightly reduced, about 5–7 minutes.
3. Pour the hot sauce over the cooked chicken nuggets and toss gently until every piece is evenly coated. Return briefly to the skillet if you prefer the sauce to caramelize slightly on the chicken.
4. Serve immediately over white or brown rice, noodles, or cauliflower rice. Garnish with sliced green onions and a pinch of red pepper flakes or orange zest if desired.
Serving Suggestions
- Garnishes: green onion, orange zest, red pepper flakes, or fresh ginger
- Serves well with white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice
- Also delicious over noodles or served alongside steamed broccoli or a simple salad
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or in a skillet—flavors deepen after resting.
Orange Chicken Recipe
Orange Chicken
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Mixing bowl
- Medium skillet
Ingredients
- 5 cups frozen chicken nuggets
- 1 cup orange marmalade
- 1/2 cup Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce (or similar)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- Green onion for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven and cook chicken nuggets according to package instructions.
- In a medium skillet, combine orange marmalade, BBQ sauce, and soy sauce.
- Warm the sauce over medium-high heat for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it’s hot and slightly thickened.
- Pour the sauce over the cooked chicken nuggets and toss until evenly coated. Optionally, return to the skillet briefly to caramelize the glaze.
- Serve over rice or noodles and garnish with green onions if desired.