This one-pan tangerine chicken recipe brings together the tender, juicy chicken breast with a complex, sweet, tangy, and spicy Asian-inspired sauce that perfectly balances each flavor note. The resulting dish is reminiscent of a Chinese takeout favorite, easily replicable at home. A sticky glaze coats the chicken to perfection, while the tangerine sauce adds a fresh, tangy dimension.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This mouthwatering tangerine chicken recipe is more than just a Chinese food favorite – it’s an effortless recreation of the restaurant classic that can be enjoyed in the comfort of your own kitchen. And the best part? You’ll have seconds on demand, with no compromise on flavor or quality. The beauty of this dish lies not only in its rich and complex flavors but also in its simplicity. With just a few easy steps, you can create a perfectly balanced and delicious meal that’s sure to impress your family and friends. The harmonious combination of tangy tangerines, spicy red chili paste, and sweet brown sugar creates a flavor profile that is both addictive and hard to put down. Each bite is a masterclass in balance, with sweet, savory, and spicy notes that will leave you craving more.
How to Make Tangerine Chicken
To begin, marinate the chicken by cutting it into 1-inch pieces and immersing them in tangerine juice for a minimum of two hours. This step is crucial in infusing the meat with a harmonious blend of sweet and tangy flavors. Next, prepare the tangerine sauce by combining additional tangerine juice, soy sauce, hoisin, and red chili paste in a bowl. Allow this mixture to simmer for 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together and intensify. Season the sauce with garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes to add depth and a spicy kick. In another step, whisk together eggs, cornstarch, salt, and pepper, then add the marinated chicken and toss until it is evenly coated. This process will give the chicken a crispy exterior while keeping the interior juicy. To cook the chicken, heat a wok with hot oil and fry the coated chicken for 5 minutes or until it reaches a golden brown color and is cooked through. Remove the chicken from the oil and place it on a wire rack to drain any excess oil. Finally, thicken the tangerine sauce by creating a cornstarch slurry and adding it to the sauce. Combine everything – including the chicken, peeled tangerines, and diced bell pepper – in the tangerine sauce and toss until all components are coated in the savory sauce. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds before serving the dish over rice or your preferred gluten-free grain.
Substitutions and Variations
Customize to Suit Your Taste: This versatile tangerine chicken recipe can be adapted to suit various dietary preferences and flavor profiles. For a milder version, omit the red chili paste and red pepper flakes to reduce the spiciness. Alternatively, replace the chicken with tofu or your favorite meat substitute for a vegetarian take. If you prefer less sweetness, scale back on the brown sugar or opt for a sugar-free alternative. Need a gluten-free and soy-free option? Hoisin sauce can be substituted with tamarind or coconut aminos. Experiment with different oils like peanut oil, which pairs well in Chinese-inspired dishes, or swap out bell peppers for a pop of color and added crunch.
How to Store Spicy Tangerine Chicken
When storing leftovers from your tangerine chicken dish, you have two options: refrigeration and freezing. If you plan to consume them within three days, simply store them in the fridge at room temperature. For longer storage, you can freeze the dish for up to three months. To do so, place it in an airtight container to prevent freezer burn. When you’re ready to enjoy your frozen tangerine chicken again, remember to thaw it thoroughly in the refrigerator before reheating. You can reheat it in the microwave for two minutes or until hot and steaming, or by placing it in a preheated oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 10 minutes.
Top Tips
To elevate the flavor of your chicken, marinate it in tangerine juice for at least two hours. This step not only tenderizes the meat but also infuses it with the tangy taste of the citrus fruit. Once you’re ready to cook, ensure that the canola oil in your wok reaches a scorching 300 degrees Fahrenheit before adding the chicken pieces. The result will be a crispy exterior and juicy interior. When preparing the tangerine sauce, let it simmer for ten minutes after boiling starts. This allows the flavors to meld together seamlessly and the sauce to thicken to perfection. Finally, add some visual appeal by garnishing with diced green onions and sesame seeds just before serving. The pop of color, texture, and extra flavor this adds will surely delight your taste buds.
Chinese Tangerine Chicken FAQs
You can easily substitute bottled tangerine juice for fresh juice in this recipe, just ensure it’s 100% tangerine with no added sweeteners or preservatives to get the authentic flavor. Tangerine chicken and orange chicken recipes differ primarily in their use of fruit – this spicy and fresh-flavored dish contrasts with the sweeter, more sour taste typical of orange chicken. Additionally, while orange chicken is often crispy due to breading, tangerine chicken lacks this crunch. To adjust the spiciness level to your liking, you can add more red chili paste or red pepper flakes for an extra kick, or omit these ingredients altogether if you prefer a milder flavor.
Tangerine Chicken Recipe
Spicy Tangerine Chicken Stir Fry
Bella Bucchiotti shares her secret to an unforgettable dinner experience – a tangerine chicken recipe that harmoniously blends the tender chicken breast with a zesty and succulent sauce, perfectly balanced between spicy, sweet, and savory notes. This mouthwatering dish requires some advance preparation, but trust me, it’s well worth the 2-hour investment of time. Once you’ve got your ingredients ready, the actual cooking process is quick and easy, taking just 15 minutes to cook the chicken to perfection. And the best part? This recipe yields 6 generous servings, making it perfect for a family dinner or a gathering with friends.
Instructions
First, prepare the chicken by cutting it into 1-inch pieces and placing them in a bowl with some tangerine juice. Cover the bowl and let the mixture marinate for two hours to allow the flavors to meld together. Next, heat about 2 inches of canola oil in a wok until it reaches a temperature of around 300 degrees Fahrenheit. In a separate bowl, whisk together tangerine juice, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, red chili paste, brown sugar, garlic paste, ginger paste, and red pepper flakes to create the glaze. Pour the mixture into a saucepan and cover it with a lid. Bring the glaze to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. While the glaze is cooking, prepare the coating by whisking together eggs, cornstarch, salt, and pepper in a medium-sized bowl. Add the chicken pieces to the bowl and toss them until they are well-coated with the mixture. Then, add the coated chicken to the wok and fry it for about 5 minutes, or until it is cooked through. Remove the chicken from the oil and place it on a wire rack set over a baking sheet to allow any excess oil to drip off. To thicken the glaze, prepare a cornstarch slurry by whisking together cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Add the slurry to the saucepan with the glaze and whisk until smooth. Turn off the heat, but keep the pan on the stove top as the glaze will continue to thicken. Finally, toss the cooked chicken with peeled tangerines, diced bell peppers, and some of the prepared glaze. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds before serving over a bed of rice.
Notes
When preparing the tangerine chicken, start by marinating the meat in tangerine juice for at least two hours to achieve tenderization and optimal flavor infusion. Following this step, ensure that your wok is adequately heated, ideally reaching a temperature of around 300 degrees Fahrenheit, to produce a satisfying crispy exterior on your chicken pieces. For the sauce, allow it to simmer for approximately 10 minutes after boiling to permit the flavors to meld together and the desired thickness to be achieved. Finally, garnish your dish with diced green onions and sesame seeds before serving, as this not only adds visual appeal but also contributes to a satisfying texture and additional flavor.