What is the orange sauce made of in orange chicken?

The orange sauce in orange chicken is typically made of orange juice, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, and cornstarch slurry to thicken. Some variations may include additional ingredients like garlic, ginger, or chili flakes for added flavor.

How do you keep chicken meatballs from falling apart?

To keep chicken meatballs from falling apart, use a binder like egg or breadcrumbs in the mixture. Don't overmix the ingredients and be gentle when forming the meatballs. Pan-fry them until they are browned on each side before finishing cooking in the oven.

What is the secret to meatballs?

The secret to great meatballs is using a combination of ground meat, breadcrumbs, or another binder, and seasonings. Be careful not to overmix the ingredients and handle the mixture gently. Sear the meatballs on the stovetop before finishing them in the oven or adding them to a sauce.

What can I use instead of orange juice for orange chicken?

If you don't have orange juice or want to try something different, you can use other citrus juices such as lemon, lime, or grapefruit juice. You can also use fruit preserves, orange marmalade, or a combination of apple cider vinegar and sugar to create a tangy and sweet sauce similar to orange chicken.

Easy Orange Chicken Meatballs Recipe (one pan)

Name: Easy Orange Chicken Meatballs Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: asian
Ingredients: 1 lb ground chicken; ½ cup of panko breadcrumbs; 1 egg; 2 stalks of green onions (white and green part separated); 2 cloves of garlic, finely minced 2 tbsp of orange juice - just to keep the meatballs moist* (see note below); 2 tsp of grated ginger; Zest of 2 medium oranges (about 1 tbsp of zest); 1 tsp salt and black pepper; 2 tbsp of grapeseed oil; 2 cloves of smashed garlic; Cornstarch slurry (3 tbsp of water, 1 tbsp of cornstarch); Juice of 2 medium oranges (about ½ cup); 3 tbsp of kecap manis (sweet dark soy sauce)**; 1 tbsp sesame oil; 1 tbsp of honey; Pinch of salt and pepperOptional: chili crunch or chili oil; Green part of the green onion

Easy Orange Chicken Meatballs Recipe

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5 from 7 reviews

Takeout who? These Orange Chicken Meatballs will beat any takeout order any day of the week. Orange chicken meatballs are a fun twist on classic meatballs. These flavorful orange chicken balls are bursting with orange flavor and Asian seasonings. This recipe is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner, or even as a party appetizer.

Author: Carmen
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 12 meatballs
Category: mains
Method: pan fry
Cuisine: asian

Ingredients

Meatballs

1 lb ground chicken

1/2 cup of panko breadcrumbs

1 egg

2 stalks of green onions (white and green part separated)

2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
2 tbsp of orange juice - just to keep the meatballs moist* (see note below)

2 tsp of grated ginger

Zest of 2 medium oranges (about 1 tbsp of zest)

1 tsp salt and black pepper

Pan Frying

2 tbsp of grapeseed oil

2 cloves of smashed garlic

Sauce

Cornstarch slurry (3 tbsp of water, 1 tbsp of cornstarch)

Juice of 2 medium oranges (about 1/2 cup)

3 tbsp of kecap manis (sweet dark soy sauce)**

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp of honey

Pinch of salt and pepper
Optional: chili crunch or chili oil

Garnish

Green part of the green onion

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
MEATBALLS: Mince the garlic, Separate the white part and green part of the green onions. Mince the white part.
In a bowl, add the ground chicken, minced garlic, minced white part of the green onion, grated ginger, orange zest, salt and pepper, panko breadcrumbs and an egg.
Mix well. Use an ice cream scoop to form equal size meatballs. Set aside.
SAUCE: Make the cornstarch slurry. In a large bowl, mix the water and cornstarch and make sure there are no lumps. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients orange juice, sweet dark soy sauce, sesame oil, honey and a pinch of salt and pepper into the same bowl. Mix well and set aside. Optional: add chili oil or chii crunch for added flavor and heat.
PAN FRY: In an oven safe skillet or a cast iron pan, medium heat, add 2 tbsp of grapeseed oil.
In batches, sear each side of the chicken meatballs.
When all the meatballs are browned on each side, use a paper towel to get rid of excess oil. Leave 1 tbsp of oil in the pan.
Add the 2 smashed garlic cloves and white part of the green onions and saute until fragrant.
Add back the chicken meatballs and the sauce. Bring it to a boil. Once it starts to boil, turn off the heat and finish cooking in the oven for 10 minutes at 375 degrees. The sauce should be thick and glossy.
Garnish with green onions. Serve and enjoy!

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Notes

*add 2 tbsp of the orange juice from the 1/2 cup of juice from the sauce. This helps keeps the meatballs moist. No one wants a dry ball.