This Orange Ginger Chicken recipe takes a whole chicken and some oranges and with a few simple steps transforms it into a lovely roast dinner, complete with the most flavorful sauce. With sweetness from oranges, a kick from ginger, and a salty tang from dark soy sauce this is a perfect dinner any night of the week.
As you might know, I come from a family of serious food lovers and avid home cooks. And so does this Orange Ginger Chicken.
This one is all Dad, and I don't even think I've added a twist this time. It's just one of those amazing recipes that's been tried and tested over and over and there really isn't any way of making it more awesome. (Or is there?! Let me know if you find one!)
This Orange Ginger Chicken was one of my favorites growing up - and the only reason my 18-year-old self decided to learn how to cook a whole chicken. It's easy to make with few ingredients, deliciously comforting to eat, and full of some of the best flavors (soy sauce! ginger! oranges!) - and not to mention, it makes the best lunch box leftovers.
It's a winner, and I think you deserve a winner.
Why you will love this recipe
- It's pretty quick and all done in just over an hour - but you're just cooking for 15-20 minutes
- It's super easy to make with just a few simple steps
- Few ingredients and no fine chopping
- The best flavor combo: orange, ginger, soy sauce... in the chicken, on the chicken, and in the sauce!
- Yummy crispy skin from cooking the chicken uncovered and basting
- A lot of sauce which is always a plus in my book
- Cooking a whole chicken is FUN and a great skill to have in your arsenal
- A great weeknight meal and a perfect Sunday night dinner for the whole family
What You Need To Make It
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Butter can be swapped for canola oil or olive oil, but if using oil use just enough to grease the pan
- Corn starch can be swapped for instant roux mix (in which case you just follow the instructions on the box, and can usually skip the cold water)
- Milk can be swapped for cream or half and half
- Oranges: one of them will be juiced, and you can use orange juice instead of this one (but fresh oranges are always the best). If using orange juice, swap one orange for 5 tablespoons of juice and try to find one without added sugar.
- Yellow onion can be swapped for red onion or shallots
How to Make It
- Start by mixing together all the ingredients for the marinade in a large bowl
- Place the chicken in the bowl
- Turn it to cover with the marinade on all sides
- Bring out a roasting pan and place pieces of butter in the bottom, followed by most of the orange and onion pieces - save some for stuffing inside the chicken
- Place chicken on top of the butter, onion and orange
- Stuff the chicken with the remaining onion and orange pieces
- Stick a meat thermometer in the chicken and pour over any remaining marinade. Then roast for 50-60 minutes at 390°F (200°C), until the inner temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C). Baste the chicken every 10 minutes or so.
- When done, bring out the chicken and make the sauce from the drippings, milk and corn starch (see detailed instructions in the recipe card below). Serve your Orange Ginger Chicken with a side of rice, and lots of sauce!
Tips & tricks
- Make your own orange juice for the Orange Ginger Chicken marinade - it adds so much more flavor than using the storebought kind
- Baste the chicken every 10 minutes or so, to ensure it doesn't dry out and to help create that deliciously crispy skin
- Cooking time will vary depending on your oven and the size of the chicken
- Use a kitchen thermometer to ensure the chicken is cooked through, but not dry
- Store leftover Orange Ginger Chicken in the fridge in an air tight container for up to 4 days
- Freeze leftover Orange Ginger Chicken to keep them it for up to 3 months - I recommend freezing it without rice, but you can freeze with rice as well
Recipe FAQ
How long your chicken will take to cook depends on your oven and how big the chicken is. In my oven, a 2 lb (900 g) chicken takes about 50 minutes to cook and a 3 lb (1350 g) chicken takes about 1h 15 minutes.
It's done when all parts are cooked through. The recommended temperature varies, but the US FDA recommends cooking it to at least 165°F (74°C), and that is what I follow.
If you don't have a kitchen thermometer you'll need to cut into the chicken to check it. The general rule is that if you cut the chicken and the liquid coming out is clear, then the chicken is done.
With a whole chicken I do however recommend to double check that it is actually cooked through to the bone - do this by slicing all the way through the thigh and/or filet and make sure the meat is white all the way.
More easy chicken dinner recipes
Love easy recipes, like this Orange Ginger Chicken? Then you need to check out these recipes!
- Easy Lemon Chicken Marinade
- Spicy Chicken Soup
- Massaman Chicken Curry
- Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks
- Chicken Broccoli Pasta Bake
Recipe
Orange Chicken Chicken
Print RateIngredients
- 1 whole chicken
- 2 oranges cut in 8 pieces each
- 2 yellow onions each cut in 8 pieces
- ¼ cup butter
Marinade
- 3 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 orange juice only
Sauce
- ½ cup milk
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- ¼ cup cold water
To serve
- 4 servings cooked white rice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C).
- Make the marinade by mixing together soy sauce, ginger powder, black pepper and the juice from one of the oranges in a bowl large enough to fit the whole chicken.3 tablespoon dark soy sauce, 1 tablespoon ground ginger, 1 orange, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Place the chicken in the bowl and turn it so it gets entirely covered in the marinade. Set aside for now.1 whole chicken
- Bring out a roasting pan. Cut the butter in pieces and place in the bottom of the pan. Cut the onions and the two remaining oranges in 8 pieces each and place most of them in the pan on top of the butter. Save some for stuffing inside the chicken.2 oranges, ¼ cup butter, 2 yellow onions
- Stuff the chicken with the remaining pieces of onion and orange and place on top of the butter, onion and orange in the pan. Pour over the remaining marinade.
- Stick an oven thermometer in the chicken, close to the bone. Roast at 390°F (200°C) for 50-60 minutes, until the inner temperature of the chicken close to the bone is 165°F (74°C). Baste once every 10 minutes while cooking for best results.
- Once the chicken is done, bring it out of the oven and transfer chicken to serving plate. Cover with aluminium foil to keep it warm.
- To make the sauce, place a strainer over a sauce pan. Pour the sauce from the roasting pan into the strainer together with the onions and oranges from beneath the chicken. Smash them a bit to allow for more juice to be released. Then remove the strainer and place the sauce pan over medium-high heat. Once it starts to boil, add in the milk and bring back to a simmer. Mix the corn starch with the cold water and add to the sauce. Let simmer for about a minute while stirring, until the sauce has reached desired consistency½ cup milk, 1 tablespoon corn starch, ¼ cup cold water
- Serve the chicken with rice and the sauce.4 servings cooked white rice
Equipment (may contain affiliate links)
- 1 Large bowl Large enough to fit the whole chicken
- Measuring cups (metric or US)*
- 1 Roasting pan Large enough to fit the whole chicken
- Aluminium foil optional
Video
Notes
Ingredient notes & substitutions
- Corn starch can be swapped for instant roux mix (in which case you just follow the instructions on the box, and can usually skip the cold water)
- Milk can be swapped for cream or half and half
- Oranges: one of them will be juiced, and you can use orange juice instead of this one (but fresh oranges are always the best). If using orange juice, swap one orange for 5 tablespoons of juice and try to find one without added sugar.
- Yellow onions can be swapped for red onions or shallots
Tips & tricks
- Make your own orange juice for the marinade - it adds so much more flavor than using the storebought kind
- Baste the chicken every 10 minutes or so, to ensure it doesn't dry out and to help create that deliciously crispy skin
- Cooking time will vary depending on your oven and the size of the chicken
- Use a kitchen thermometer to ensure the chicken is cooked through, but not dry
- Store leftovers in the fridge in an air tight container for up to 4 days
- Freeze leftovers to keep them for up to 3 months - I recommend freezing it without rice, but you can freeze with rice as well
What if I don't have a kitchen thermometer?
If you don't have a kitchen thermometer you'll need to cut into the chicken to check it. The general rule is that if you cut the chicken and the liquid coming out is clear, then the chicken is done. With a whole chicken I do however recommend to double check that it is actually cooked through to the bone - do this by slicing all the way through the thigh and/or filet and make sure the meat is white all the way. Nutritional information refers to just chicken and sauce, without rice.Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.
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