Effortless Orange Chicken Thighs (Print Version)

Oven-baked chicken gets golden and crunchy, then covered in homemade orange sauce for a punchy, easy meal.

# Ingredients:

→ Chicken

01 - Cooking spray or a light coat of veggie oil
02 - 60 g everyday flour
03 - 120 g panko (crunchy style breadcrumbs)
04 - 2 large eggs, already whisked
05 - 900 g chicken thighs without skin or bones, chopped into 2.5 cm cubes

→ Orange Sauce

06 - Zest from one big orange
07 - 133 ml white vinegar
08 - 133 g white sugar
09 - 45 ml soy sauce (lower sodium works great)
10 - 5 ml sesame oil
11 - 60 ml orange juice, freshly squeezed
12 - 30 ml rice wine or a splash of dry white wine
13 - 8 g cornstarch (to help thicken the sauce)
14 - 1 g crushed red chili flakes
15 - 6 g garlic, chopped tiny
16 - 22 g ginger, peeled and minced up
17 - 15 ml veggie oil

# Instructions:

01 - Toss hot chicken pieces in a roomy bowl with the warmed orange sauce. Mix everything gently so the pieces all get covered. Eat right away for the best flavor.
02 - Dump in soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, orange zest, vinegar, orange juice, sesame oil, and cornstarch. Whisk till it's all smooth. Get it bubbling, then let it quietly cook for a couple minutes so it thickens and sticks to a spoon. Take off the heat when you're happy with the thickness.
03 - While the chicken's baking, get a medium pot over medium heat and pour in the veggie oil. Add the ginger, garlic, and some chili flakes. Stir well for half a minute until your kitchen smells awesome.
04 - Spritz or brush the coated chicken with oil. Bake at 200°C for about 20–25 minutes. Flip each piece halfway so nothing sticks and the color's even. Chicken's ready when it's golden and reaches 74°C inside.
05 - Take a few chicken chunks at a time. Dip into flour, shake off what won’t stick. Dunk into the egg bowl. Roll 'em in panko crumbs so they're well covered. Lay them apart on your lined baking tray.
06 - Grab four bowls. Put flour (season with a bit of salt and pepper) in one. Second one gets eggs. Third is for the crushed panko. Last bowl is where your cut chicken goes.
07 - Switch on your oven to 200°C. Line your big baking pan with parchment or that nonstick mat. Pour panko into your food processor—let it run a few times so they're crushed up like regular crumbs.

# Notes:

01 - Space the chicken pieces out and coat them well with breadcrumbs for crispier bites.
02 - Whip up the orange sauce ahead of time if you want—just warm it gently before tossing with chicken.

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