Toss the chicken and cornstarch in a large bowl until the chicken is completely coated.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the ginger, garlic, dark brown sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and orange juice until well combined. Set it aside.
Shake any excess cornstarch off the chicken. Add the oil to a large pan or a wok over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and fry it for 2 to 3 minutes on all sides or until crispy and golden.
Pour the sauce into the pan and add the dried chilis if using. Stir well until the chicken is completely covered in sauce. When the sauce reduces and thickens, lower the heat to medium-low. Let the chicken simmer in the sauce for 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat.
Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds, and serve warm.
Chicken: I used chicken breasts to make this recipe, but you can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. You can also make it vegetarian and use firm tofu instead of chicken.
Oil: When frying, you want to use oil with a high smoke point, which means it can withstand high temperatures. For this reason, I suggest you use vegetable oil or peanut oil for this recipe. Don't use olive oil because it has a low smoke point.
Oyster Sauce: If you do not have oyster sauce, you can use hoisin sauce. If you're out of hoisin sauce, use more soy sauce or tamari sauce with a pinch of brown sugar.
Orange Juice: I love this recipe with freshly squeezed orange juice, but you can also use store-bought orange juice. Reach for the "no added sugar" if possible.
Dried red chilis: You can substitute with 1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon chili powder.
To Freeze: If you want to freeze this recipe, you will want to keep the chicken and sauce separate. Place the uncooked sauce in a zip-top bag and seal. Place the cooked and cooled chicken into a separate bag and seal. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Lunch/Dinner, Main, Main Course
Cuisine: Asian, Chinese
Keyword: chicken with mandarin sauce, Chinese mandarin chicken, mandarin orange chicken