3 Ingredient Orange Chicken
This post may contain affiliate links, read our disclosure policy.
3-ingredient orange chicken is a quick & flavorful dish that combines a simple sauce with crispy chicken to make an easy and delicious dinner.
This quick three ingredient orange chicken recipe is a favorite quick dinner idea at our house. Serve it with cauliflower rice and egg roll in a bowl for a full Asian inspired meal.
Save this recipe!
Save this recipe! Enter your email below and we’ll shoot it straight to ya!
I consent to receive email from this site 💌
3 Ingredient Orange Chicken
3 Ingredient Orange Chicken
Click the button above to save this recipe!
Why you’ll love this quick chicken recipe!
📌 Bursting with bright and delicious flavors.
📌 The perfect easy to make weeknight dinner.
📌 A great yummy appetizer option.
3 Ingredient Orange Chicken Ingredients
- Chicken – Cut into bite sized pieces. Pictured is chicken breast meat, but dark meat is also delicious. We love to use thigh meat.
- Eggs – Large, whisked.
- Flour – All purpose flour.
- Oil – Mild vegetable oil.
- Sauce – Sweet orange marmalade, BBQ sauce, soy sauce.
- Optional – Red pepper flakes or sriracha sauce.
How do you make chicken with 3 ingredient sauce? (step-by-step directions)
⭐ First, whisk together the orange marmalade, bbq sauce and soy sauce in a medium sized pan. Heat over low, and simmer, stirring occasionally.
⭐ Next, while the sauce is simmering, coat the chicken in the egg and then toss to coat in the flour.
⭐ Then, working in batches, add the coated chicken to a pan with hot oil and cook until the chicken is done and the outside is a golden color, Set aside on a paper towel lined plate.
⭐ Finally, pour the sauce over the chicken and toss well to fully coat.
Scroll down to the printable recipe card toward the bottom of this article for ingredient measurements and detailed cooking instructions.
Preparation
What is 3 ingredient orange chicken sauce made of?
The sauce a delicious sweet and tangy sauce made with just orange marmalade, barbecue sauce, and soy sauce.
Can you make this recipe with chicken nuggets?
Absolutely, make this a super easy dinner by buying a bag of frozen chicken nuggets, chicken tenders or popcorn chicken.
Prepare the chicken per package directions and then toss it with your 3 ingredient sauce!
Leftovers and storage
How long does leftover 3 ingredient orange chicken last?
This will keep in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to four days, or longer if frozen. Reheat in the oven or air fryer to re-crisp.
Can you freeze 3 ingredient orange chicken?
Yes. You’ll want to freeze before tossing in the sauce (sauce can be frozen separately). Allow chicken to cool to room temperature, then place on a baking sheet in a single layer. Place entire baking sheet in the freezer and allow chicken to freeze completely (about 3 hours).
Transfer chicken from baking sheet to a freezer bag or other freezer safe storage. Freeze the sauce in a smaller bag or container and keep it with the chicken.
Tips and tricks
Use high-quality marmalade: The flavor of your dishwill heavily rely on the quality of the orange marmalade you choose. Opt for a marmalade made with real oranges for the best taste.
Adjust the flavor: Taste your orange marmalade before using it. If it’s too sweet, you can balance it by adding more soy sauce or a splash of rice vinegar. If it’s not sweet enough, you can add a touch of honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar to sweeten it up.
Add a kick of heat: If you enjoy a bit of spice, consider adding red pepper flakes, sriracha sauce, or using a spicy bbq sauce.
Marinate the chicken: For a more flavorful dish, you can marinate the chicken in a mixture of soy sauce, garlic, and ginger for up to an hour before cooking.
Fry in small batches: When frying the chicken, make sure not to overcrowd the pan. Fry the chicken in small batches to ensure that each piece has enough space and can cook evenly.
Drain excess oil: After frying the chicken, place it on a paper towel-lined plate to remove any excess oil.
Frequently asked questions
Why is it called 3 ingredient chicken?
While the recipe itself technically calls for more than three ingredients, the orange sauce is made with just marmalade, bbq sauce, and soy sauce, giving it the name 3 ingredient chicken!
Is 3 ingredient orange chicken spicy?
There is no spice to this recipe as written, but if you like it spicy absolutely go for it. Try using spicy barbecue sauce, adding sriracha sauce, or sprinkling in some red pepper flakes.
What cut of chicken should I use?
Chicken breast meat or chicken thigh meat can be used. I am personally partial to thigh meat, but most of my family prefers breast meat so that’s what we used in the pictured recipe.
Is 3 ingredient orange chicken the same as Panda Express Orange Chicken?
This is similar, but without the spice. Use our tips above to make it spicy and taste more like the Panda Express version.
What to eat with three ingredient orange chicken? (serving suggestions)
We love this over instant pot rice or coconut rice. It’s also great with vegetable stir fry noodles or our easy fried rice recipe.
More delicious chicken recipes
- Bourbon chicken
- Caprese chicken
- Air fryer bbq chicken tacos
- White chicken enchiladas
- Chicken pot pie
- See all our easy chicken recipe ideas!
Other easy Asian inspired recipes
- Peanut butter ramen
- Crispy tofu recipe
- Sesame noodles
- Bang bang chicken
- Chicken fried rice
- Teriyaki chicken wings
- See all our yummy Asian inspired recipe ideas!
Tools we love
- Silicone baking mats – Nothing sticks to these! Whaaaa?! Perfect for baking sugary cookies, or cheesy croissants. You know why? Because nothing sticks to these!!!
- Bakers half sheet – These are good for absolutely everything. Cookies? Yes! Steak? Yes! Cake? Oh yeh! Roasted veggies? Uhhhh huh!
- Digital air fryer – We have (pictured) this Cosori 5.8 quart air fryer. It’s great!
Get our FREE Easy Casseroles Ebook!
Follow us below!Use #mamalovesfood on Instagram!
How to Make 3 Ingredient Orange Chicken
3 Ingredient Orange Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 - 2 pounds chicken cut into bite size pieces
- 2 large eggs whisked
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- vegetable oil for frying
- 1 cup sweet orange marmalade
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
Instructions
- Whisk together the orange marmalade, BBQ sauce and soy sauce in a medium sized pan. Heat over low, and simmer, stirring occasionally.
- While the sauce is simmering, coat the chicken in the egg and then toss to coat in the flour.
- Heat about a ½" of oil in a frying pan on medium-high heat, and, working in batches, add the coated chicken to a pan with hot oil and cook until the chicken is done and the outside is a golden color.
- Turn chicken about half way through to brown evenly on all sides. Set cooked chicken aside on a paper towel lined plate.
- Remove sauce from heat, and add chicken. Toss to coat.
Notes
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
Share it with me on Instagram and use the hashtag #mamalovesfood and follow on Pinterest for even more!
⭐Save This Recipe⭐ Send it to your email!
[ninja_form id=5]I consent to receive email from this site 💌
3 Ingredient Orange Chicken
Click the button above to save this recipe!
3-ingredient orange chicken is a quick and flavorful dish that combines a three ingredient sauce with crispy chicken to create a simple and delicious dinner.
Get Our Free Easy Casseroles ebook!
Recipes in your inbox
(your email will never be sold!)
Let’s Connect!
Tag #mamalovesfood on Instagram!
This orange chicken is way better than the restaurant-bought! It is bursting with flavors that are scrumptious and addicting. Must-try!
Never thought to use marmalade in orange chicken, what a great idea! Orange juice often makes the sauce too runny for me so hopefully this will do the trick! Thanks for the recipe.
So easy to throw together, and everyone loves it!
April, how many servings are in your Orange Chicken recipe. I want to give it a try, but there’s just the two of us and it’s hard to cook for just two people. Most recipes make much more food than we can possibly eat.
Thanks,
Judy
The general rule of thumb is 1/2 a pound of chicken per person for a serving, so if you make this with 1 pound of chicken it will be about 2 servings. Hope that helps!