Cheesecake Factory Orange Chicken Copycat Recipe (2024)

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This post is all about how to make a copycat version of the Cheesecake Factory orange chicken. One of the most popular dishes that this restaurant serves, you can now make this dish at home in just 30 minutes! Plus it’s even tastier 🙂

Cheesecake Factory Orange Chicken Copycat Recipe (1)

My copycat Cheesecake Factory Orange Chicken is sweet and tangy with a strong orange-essence that derives from the zest and juice of fresh oranges.

In this recipe, I’ll show you my tips and tricks to get an extra crunchy puffy batter to ensure a stay-crisp coating, just like we experience at the restaurant.

This addictively delicious crowd-favorite tastes just like the Orange Chicken that’s served up at the Cheesecake Factory (and better than any takeout restaurants for that matter).

This post is all about how to make the perfect copycat recipe for Cheesecake Factory Orange Chicken

Cheesecake Factory Orange Chicken Copycat Recipe (2)

Is the Cheesecake Factory Orange Chicken any good?

Why am I making an Orange Chicken Copycat Recipe from The Cheesecake Factory of all places? I realize it’s a bit random to be sharing an orange chicken recipe from the Cheesecake Factory. After all, it’s not an authentic Chinese restaurant or even a Chinese restaurant for that matter. But they do have a really good version that’s widely adored.

Consistently delicious from location to location. Their chicken is always super crispy and hot, the sauce is tangy, sweet, with a kick of spice and has a strong real orange scent that permeates from the plate. So although this is certainly an americanized dish, it’s one that is exceptionally delicious and crave-able.

So I decided to create a recipe for this dish so I can help all the people that LOVE this dish (myself included) make this at home!

Cheesecake Factory Orange Chicken Copycat Recipe (3)

The Key To Extra Crispy Cheesecake Factory Orange Chicken:

To get the ultimate crispiness on your chicken pieces for this dish and others, the key is a double deep fry. There is nothing worse than breaded, fried chicken pieces that turns mushy after it’s coated in sauce. You want that chicken coating to withstand the saucy moisture and still keep a crunch.

You’ll fry the chicken in round 1, then remove the chicken and let it cool for several minutes on a cooling rack. Once the oil reaches the proper temperature, we’ll place it back into the hot oil for an addition minute. Frying twice gets the chicken twice as crispy!

Cheesecake Factory Orange Chicken Copycat Recipe (4)

Looking for another great Asian-inspired chicken recipe?

Try my Sesame Chicken Recipe that was inspired by a local Mandarin/Cantonese restaurant in my hometown in Oregon.

Chinese Takeout Sesame Chicken

Sticky Chili Apricot Chicken

The Best Crispy General Tso’s Chicken

PF Changs Crispy Honey Chicken

Mom’s Famous Egg Rolls

I look forward to your comments and any questions you may have! Please feel free to list them below and don’t forget to tag me on social media if you make this recipe @BadBatchBaking and use #BadBatchBaking.

Cheesecake Factory Orange Chicken Copycat Recipe (5)

Print Recipe

Cheesecake Factory Orange Chicken Copycat Recipe

Sticky coated orange chicken with an ultra crispy batter served over a bed of rice.

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Mallory Austin

Ingredients

  • 4 chicken breasts cut into bite sized pieces
  • Oil for frying about 2-3 cups

Orange Chicken Sauce

  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup orange juice
  • 1/4 cup chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice fresh squeezed
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tsp ginger grated
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • Zest from 1 orange avoid the white part
  • Slurry- 2 tbsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water

Dredging

  • 1/2 cup cornstarch

Wet Batter

  • 6 tbsp cornstarch
  • 4 tbsp flour
  • 7-8 tbsp cold soda water
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2-3 cups vegetable oil
  • prepared rice for serving (optional)
  • Garnish - orange zest and sliced green onions

Instructions

  • Preheat oil to 350 degrees in a fry safe skillet. For best results, use a thermometer to maintain accurate oil temperature. Nearby, place a cooling rack atop of baking sheet as a landing space for cooked chicken.

  • Prepare sauce by combining all sauce ingredients into a saucepan (withholding cornstarch slurry). Bring to a simmering boil until sugar dissolves. Combine the cornstarch+water slurry and add to the sauce, whisk to incorporate and simmer until thickened. Keep warm while preparing the chicken.

  • Dust Chicken: Place 1/2 cup of cornstarch into a medium bowl and toss chicken chunks in the cornstarch to coat.

  • Make cold batter by whisking together flour, salt, cornstarch and baking powder in a separate medium bowl. Pour in about ~7 tablespoons of COLD soda water then whisk just a few times until combined, a few lumps are ok - don’t overmix.

  • 1st Fry: dunk a handful of chicken pieces into the batter, turning to coat each piece, place one at a time into the oil. Fry for 3 minutes until light golden brown, remove them and drain on a cooling rack. Repeat with remaining chicken.

  • 2nd Fry: bring oil back to temperature (this takes about 5 minutes or so) and again working in batches, add the chicken back into the oil to fry 90 seconds or until medium-golden brown and return to cooling rack to drain excess oil.

  • Add handfuls of fully coated chicken into prepared warm sauce, tumbling around quickly to coat, repeating with remaining chicken.

  • Serve over a bed of warm rice and top with grated orange peel and diced green onions and a few spoonfuls of extra sauce.

Notes

For best results, use a thermometer when frying to maintain accurate temperature as the oil with fluctuate.

This calls for a double fry method to ensure maximum crispiness.

It’s imperative to use cold soda water in order to ensure to proper crisp texture of the chicken pieces.

Double the sauce recipe if you tend to like extra sauce to drizzle over the rice when serving.

More from my site

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  • The BEST Crispy General Tso’s Chicken Recipe
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Cheesecake Factory Orange Chicken Copycat Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the orange chicken sauce made of? ›

How to make the orange chicken sauce. The orange sauce is made from a mixture of the orange juice and zest, sugar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and rice vinegar. This is bubbled up in the wok until slightly thickened. The chicken is then added back in, and tossed in the sauce until fully coated.

What is the most popular chicken dish at Cheesecake Factory? ›

Their Chicken Madeira is one of those fan favorites, making it the Cheesecake Factory's most popular chicken dish. What makes the CF's Chicken Madeira different, in my opinion, is the slices of Mozzarella cheese that is broiled over the chicken breast before smothering it with the Madeira sauce.

What is a substitute for orange juice in orange chicken? ›

The most commonsubstitutes for orange juice are lemon, lime, apple, and pineapplejuice. Sometimes you can use orange extract as well to keep the orange flavor. But for some recipes you may also need to add something acidic as well, such as pineapple juiceor citric acid.

Is General Tso chicken the same as orange chicken? ›

What is the difference between orange chicken and General Tso? Orange chicken is crispy fried with a fruity, sweet, and tangy sauce that's caramelized into a glaze. General Tso is stir-fried in a sweet, sour, and spicy umami sauce.

What is the original orange chicken? ›

The original “Orange Chicken” had no breading around each piece of chicken and the sauce was made of leftover orange or lemon peels cooked with soy sauce, chilis and garlic. The sauce had a citrus element, but it wasn't as pronounced or sweet like you would think of today.

Why is my orange chicken sauce not thickening? ›

Sauce is like gravy in that if it's not thickening as much as you want after you've added the cornstarch, turn the heat up a little and continue to cook. Keep an eye on it though, as it can thicken quickly.

What is the most ordered cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory? ›

Fresh Strawberry Cheesecake - $9.95

According to The Cheesecake Factory, this has been the most popular cheesecake on its menu for over 40 years. The simple dish consisted of a thick slice of the restaurant's Original Cheesecake topped with glazed strawberries.

What is The Cheesecake Factory most known for? ›

The Cheesecake Factory is a popular restaurant destination known for its extensive menu and delectable desserts.

What is the most famous cheesecake in Cheesecake Factory? ›

The Original Topped with Glazed Fresh Strawberries. Our Most Popular Flavor for over 40 Years!

Is orange chicken the same as orange-flavored chicken? ›

In most countries in the western hemisphere, the names "orange chicken", "orange peel chicken", "orange-flavored chicken", and "tangerine chicken" are typically used for this particular dish. This dish may have originally come from the "tangerine chicken" dish from Hunan, China.

Can you use orange juice instead of orange extract? ›

Orange juice is a great substitute for orange extract.

Why does orange chicken taste like orange? ›

The orange sauce is sweet with a little tang and a hint of spice. It's mainly known for its orange flavor (as you can guess from the name). It's typically made with orange juice and orange zest to achieve the citrus flavor.

What Chinese dish is similar to orange chicken? ›

Both General Tso and orange chicken are typically prepared using similar cooking methods. The chicken is usually battered and deep-fried before being coated in the respective sauces, giving them their signature crispy texture.

Which is hotter General Tso or orange chicken? ›

General Tso's chicken is typically spicier and has a more complex flavor profile, with a sauce that includes soy sauce, vinegar, and chili peppers. Orange chicken, on the other hand, has a sweeter and tangier sauce made with orange juice and zest.

Why is orange chicken so high in calories? ›

The chicken in many orange chicken recipes is usually battered and fried before adding the sauce. So you end up having a dish that is high in calories, fat, and sugar. It gets worse when you insist on eating it with sauce drippings and rice, which itself is highly caloric as well.

What is the orange sauce at Chinese restaurants? ›

Duck sauce (or orange sauce) is a condiment with a sweet and sour flavor and a translucent orange appearance similar to a thin jelly. Offered at American Chinese restaurants, it is used as a dip for deep-fried dishes such as wonton strips, spring rolls, egg rolls, duck, chicken, fish, or with rice or noodles.

What is Panda Express orange chicken made of? ›

Ingredients: dark meat chicken, water, sugar, distilled vinegar, modified food starch, corn starch, potato starch, contains less than 2% of: wheat, orange extract, caramel color, salt, garlic, phosphoric acid, rice wine, sesame oil. *The dish uses a proprietary batter and sauce.

What does orange chicken sauce taste like? ›

Orange chicken is a popular item at Chinese restaurants. It consists of small cubes of chicken that are breaded, pan-fried, and coated in an orange sauce. The orange sauce is sweet with a little tang and a hint of spice. It's mainly known for its orange flavor (as you can guess from the name).

Is orange chicken same as sweet and sour? ›

Basically, the sauce is what distinguishes one flavor from the others, so when making orange chicken, the sauce base is orange juice, with lemon, lemonade, pineapple, pineapple juice, and sweet and sour is tomato sauce or juice and vinegar and sugar or honey.

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