Mandarin Chicken {Super Crispy!}

This Mandarin Chicken is a healthier take on your favourite takeout dish – it has the most delicious sauce ever!

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Chicken breasts – boneless skinless chicken thighs will also work, but will increase the calorie count.
• Eggs – you’ll need the egg to coat the chicken. Alternatively, you can try using mayo or buttermilk, but it may alter the flavour.
• Cornstarch – arrowroot or potato starch will also work. Alternatively, you can just replace it with more flour.
• Flour – use your favourite gluten-free flour instead.
• Sunflower oil – swap out for another neutral cooking oil such as avocado oil.
• Green onions – leave this garnish off altogether if you don’t have any on hand.
• Sesame seeds – white or black sesame seeds would both be good. If you don’t have any on hand, feel free to leave them off altogether.

Mandarin sauce

• Orange – you can technically use orange juice, but it will increase the calorie count.
• Cornstarch – arrowroot or potato starch are good swaps for cornstarch.
• Hoisin sauce – oyster sauce is the best substitute here.
• Sweet chili sauce – make your own using 1 tbsp. hot sauce, 4 tbsp. honey and 1 tbsp. soy sauce.
• Soy sauce – tamari or coconut aminos are the best substitutes for soy sauce.
• Lemon juice – freshly squeezed or bottled lemon juice will both work.
• Garlic – freshly minced garlic is best but jarred minced garlic will work in a pinch.
• Sriracha – or another hot sauce of your choice.

Rice

• Jasmine rice – you could also serve this dish with brown rice or any rice variety you like.
• Butter – olive oil or margarine will help keep the rice nice and moist.
• Salt – to taste.

How to make mandarin chicken

Step 1: Make the rice.

Add rice, butter, salt and water to a rice cooker or pot on the stove and cook until liquid has absorbed.

Step 2: Coat the chicken.

Add eggs to a bowl, then mix cornstarch and flour together in another large bowl. Dredge chicken in egg mixture, then toss in flour mixture.

Step 3: Fry the chicken.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add sunflower oil. When lightly smoking, add chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown. 

Step 4: Drain the oil.

Add chicken to a paper-towel lined plate to drain oil. Season with salt and set aside.

Step 5: Make the mandarin sauce.

Meanwhile, whisk orange juice and cornstarch together in a large bowl until there are no lumps. Mix in hoisin sauce, sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, lemon juice, minced garlic and sriracha, stirring until well combined. Microwave, covered, for 1 minute until sauce thickens.

Step 6: Toss the chicken in the sauce.

Toss cooked chicken in the bowl with the sauce, then divide cooked rice among plates. Top with chicken, garnishing with green onions and sesame seeds. Serve and enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions

Meal prep tools for this recipe

• Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on turning this mandarin chicken into leftovers.
• A rice cooker is invaluable for saving time, and it cooks other grains, too!
• Get a meat thermometer to make sure your chicken is cooked through.
• I get all my free-range chicken from Butcher Box, conveniently delivered to me frozen.