Claire Thompson
Orange chicken and orange peel chicken are two similar dishes with some key differences. Orange chicken is an American Chinese dish of battered and fried chicken coated in a sweet orange-flavored chili sauce. It is the signature dish of the American fast-food chain Panda Express, which sells over 100 million pounds of it every year. The dish is rarely found in Chinese restaurants in China. Orange peel chicken, on the other hand, is typically made with chicken pieces coated in cornstarch and cooked in a wok with orange peel strips, resulting in a crispy texture. The sauce for this dish may include ingredients such as soy sauce, honey, lime juice, garlic, and sugar. While the names orange chicken and orange peel chicken are often used interchangeably in Western countries, the recipes and tastes of these dishes can vary due to cultural and geographical factors.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Origin | Orange chicken is an American Chinese dish, rarely found in Chinese restaurants in China. Orange peel chicken is a Hunan dish. |
| Taste | Orange chicken is sweet and sour. Orange peel chicken is sweet and tangy with a little bit of spice. |
| Ingredients | Both dishes use chicken, orange juice, and orange peel. Orange chicken uses a sweet orange-flavored chili sauce. Orange peel chicken uses a spicy, sweet sauce with orange flavor. |
| Preparation | Orange chicken is made by chopping, battering, and frying chicken pieces, then coating them in sauce. Orange peel chicken involves stir-frying chicken and orange peel strips in a wok. |
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What You'll Learn
Orange chicken's origin and evolution
While orange chicken is an American Chinese dish, it may have originated from the Hunan, China dish "tangerine chicken" or "\u9673\u76ae\u96de" (陳皮雞 in traditional Chinese), which translates to "dried citrus peel chicken". In most Western countries, the names "orange chicken", "orange peel chicken", "orange-flavoured chicken", and "tangerine chicken" are used interchangeably for the same dish. However, the taste and recipes of these dishes differ due to cultural and geographical factors.
In American Chinese restaurants, the use of tangerine was swapped for fresh orange peel or sometimes no orange at all. Tangerine is used in traditional Chinese medicine and cooking, and tangerine chicken has a fresh and spicy taste, while orange chicken is sweet and sour. Orange chicken is rarely found in Chinese restaurants in China, and it is considered a variation of General Tso's chicken, another dish that is almost unknown in China.
Chef Andy Kao claims to have developed the original Chinese-American orange chicken recipe at a Panda Express in Hawaii in 1987. Panda Express is closely associated with this dish, selling over 100 million pounds of it every year and using orange chicken as a promotional tool. The variety of orange chicken most commonly found at North American Chinese restaurants consists of chopped, battered, and fried chicken pieces coated in a sweet orange-flavoured chilli sauce glaze.
To make orange chicken, chicken pieces are dredged in cornstarch and fried until golden. The sauce is made by combining orange juice, chicken stock, sugar, rice vinegar, oyster sauce, and salt to taste. Aromatics such as dried chilli peppers, star anise, and dried tangerine or orange peels are also added to enhance the flavour. The chicken is then tossed in the sauce and served.
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Orange peel chicken's cooking method
Orange peel chicken and orange chicken are the same dishes, with the latter being the more commonly used name. This dish is called "陳皮雞" in Chinese, which literally translates to "dried citrus peel chicken". However, the taste and recipes of this dish differ due to cultural and geographical factors.
Now, let's talk about the cooking method for orange peel chicken. This dish can be made in one pan, without any deep-frying or special methods, making it a healthier alternative to takeout. The chicken is typically cut into pieces and coated in cornstarch, which gives it a crispy texture. This coating step can be done by adding the cornstarch and chicken pieces to a ziplock bag and shaking to evenly coat the chicken.
Next, the chicken is fried in oil until golden brown and cooked through. This can be done in batches to ensure even cooking. Aromatics such as dried hot chili peppers, star anise, and dried tangerine peels are toasted in the oil to enhance the flavor of the sauce. The sauce itself is a sweet and tangy orange-flavored chili sauce, made with ingredients such as orange juice, chicken stock, sugar, rice vinegar, oyster sauce, and salt. The sauce is then thickened to create a glaze, which coats the chicken pieces.
Additionally, vegetables such as snow peas, garlic, scallions, and mushrooms can be added to the dish. The chicken is typically served over steamed rice, with optional toppings such as green onions, sesame seeds, and grated ginger. It is a popular dish that can be easily made at home and customized to one's taste preferences.
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Orange chicken's recipe
Orange chicken and orange peel chicken are very similar, with the key difference being that orange chicken is made with fresh orange juice, while orange peel chicken uses dried orange peel to achieve its citrus flavour. In Chinese, the dish is known as "陳皮雞", which literally translates to "dried citrus peel chicken", indicating that the original dish uses dried orange or tangerine peel.
Orange chicken is an American Chinese dish of fried chicken in a sweet orange-flavoured chilli sauce glaze. The chicken is chopped, battered, and fried, then coated in a sweet orange-flavoured chilli sauce. This dish is commonly found at North American Chinese restaurants and is rarely found in Chinese restaurants in China.
Ingredients:
- Chicken breasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs
- Neutral oil (canola, peanut, or vegetable oil)
- Cornstarch
- Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
- Sesame oil
- White pepper
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Dried chilli peppers
- Star anise
- Dried tangerine peels
- Chicken stock
- Sugar
- Rice vinegar
- Oyster sauce
- Soy sauce
- Scallions
- Ginger
Method:
First, prepare the chicken by cutting it into bite-sized pieces. Add the chicken to a dish and add water, Shaoxing wine, salt, garlic powder, sesame oil, and white pepper. Toss to combine and set aside for at least 20 minutes, or cover and refrigerate overnight.
Next, heat oil in a small pot until it reaches 350 degrees F. Put cornstarch in a shallow bowl and dredge the chicken pieces in the cornstarch until evenly coated. Fry the chicken pieces until golden and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
In a separate wok or large skillet, heat a tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add the dried chilli peppers, tangerine peel, and star anise and toast for about 20 seconds. Be careful not to burn the aromatics.
Now, add the orange juice, chicken stock, vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce to the wok. Bring the sauce to a simmer and gradually add cornstarch slurry, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens.
Finally, add the chicken and scallions to the wok and toss to coat. Serve immediately.
Variations:
Some recipes suggest adding sliced mushrooms, snow peas, garlic, and scallions to the dish, stir-frying them in a separate skillet before adding to the chicken. You can also make a candied orange peel to garnish the dish by bringing three small pots of water to a boil, dividing the orange skins between them, and cooking for four minutes. This process removes the bitterness from the skin. Then, combine sugar, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, and water in one of the pots and submerge the blanched orange skins. Bring to a simmer and cook over medium-low heat for 45 minutes. Drain the skins of excess syrup and cut them into strips.
Additionally, some recipes suggest creating a dry coat for the chicken by combining flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk until homogeneous, then add the reserved marinade and whisk until the mixture is coarse and mealy.
For a spicier dish, add dried chilli peppers or sriracha to taste.
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Orange peel chicken's ingredients
Orange peel chicken and orange chicken are the same dishes, with the latter being more commonly found in North American Chinese restaurants. The dish consists of chopped, battered, and fried chicken pieces coated in a sweet orange-flavoured chilli sauce. The sauce is thickened or caramelised to form a glaze.
The ingredients for orange peel chicken are:
Chicken and Battering Ingredients
- Chicken (boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken breast)
- Cornstarch
- Oil (neutral oil such as canola, peanut, or vegetable oil for frying)
Sauce Ingredients
- Orange juice
- Chicken stock
- Sugar
- Rice vinegar
- Oyster sauce
- Salt
- Soy sauce
- Dried tangerine peels
- Whole dried chilli peppers
- Star anise
- Sesame seed oil
- Wine (Shaoxing wine or Chinese rice wine)
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Scallions
Optional Ingredients
Some recipes suggest adding the following ingredients to enhance the flavour of the sauce:
- Cinnamon
- Cloves
- Peppercorns
- Red pepper flakes
- Sriracha
- Snow peas
- Mushrooms
- White pepper
- Garlic powder
- Sesame oil
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Orange chicken vs tangerine chicken
Orange chicken and tangerine chicken are two similar dishes that differ in their ingredients and cultural significance.
Orange Chicken
Orange chicken is an American Chinese dish that originated in the late 20th century. It is commonly found in North American Chinese restaurants and is rarely seen in Chinese restaurants in China. The dish consists of chopped, battered, and fried chicken pieces coated in a sweet orange-flavored chili sauce, which thickens or caramelizes to form a glaze. The sauce is made using a combination of orange juice, chicken stock, sugar, rice vinegar, oyster sauce, and salt, with additional ingredients such as dried tangerine peels, dried chili peppers, and star anise to enhance the flavor. The chicken is typically dredged in cornstarch before frying to create a crispy coating.
Tangerine Chicken
Tangerine chicken, on the other hand, is believed to have originated in Hunan, China, and is known as "陳皮雞" (chen pi ji) in Chinese, which translates to "dried citrus peel chicken". The dish uses tangerine, which is a type of citrus fruit, in its traditional preparation. Tangerine is commonly used in Chinese cooking and medicine. Unlike orange chicken, tangerine chicken has a fresh and spicy taste. The use of tangerines in the dish may vary due to cultural and geographical factors, and it may be substituted with fresh orange peel or omitted altogether in some regions.
Comparison
Both orange chicken and tangerine chicken share similarities in their use of citrus fruits and fried chicken pieces. However, the key difference lies in the type of citrus fruit used and the resulting taste profiles. Orange chicken uses oranges and has a sweet and sour flavor profile, while tangerine chicken uses tangerines and offers a fresh and spicy taste experience. The recipes for these dishes may vary across different regions, with some adaptations made to suit local palates and ingredient availability.
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Frequently asked questions
Orange chicken is an American Chinese dish of fried chicken in a sweet orange-flavoured chilli sauce glaze. It is commonly found at North American Chinese restaurants.
Orange peel chicken is a variation of orange chicken. It is made with dried orange or tangerine peel, fresh orange zest, and orange juice. It is typically cooked in a wok over high heat.
Orange chicken is made with fresh orange juice, whereas orange peel chicken is made with dried orange or tangerine peel. Orange chicken is also more commonly found in North American Chinese restaurants, whereas orange peel chicken is less common.
Yes, there are a few variations of orange chicken, including sesame chicken and General Tso's chicken. The key difference between these dishes is the sauce that is used.
