Quick and easy roasted chicken legs glazed in Chinese aromatic sticky and sweet orange sauce.
Recipe Intro
Oranges are commonly used in southern Chinese cuisine, where their sweet and tangy flavour enhances dishes like orange chicken, duck with orange sauce, and other citrus-infused marinades, glazes, and sauces. While citrus is a staple in the south, it is less prominent in northern Chinese cooking.
Both duck and chicken are commonly paired with citrus sauces in Chinese cuisine. Some dishes feature fried meat served in a sauce, similar to sweet and sour styles, while others involve boiled, sliced meat accompanied by a dipping sauce served on the side.
A few years ago, I had the chance to attend a culinary presentation focused on blending flavours from different regions of China. One of the dishes mentioned and presented was a traditional orange sauce served with duck. Inspired by the experience, I recreated the dish replacing the duck meat with chicken legs while preserving the bold flavours of the sauce.
Essential Ingredients for Chinese Chicken and Orange Sauce
- chicken – You can use drumsticks, thighs, breast meat, or a mix of cuts, depending on your preference.
- oranges – Choose a good quality sweet variety, both the slices and juice is used.
- soy sauce – Light soy sauce.
- rice wine – Shaoxing wine.
- ginger– Use fresh.
- spices – star anise, cinnamon,
- sugar – Use white or brown
- honey
- oyster sauce
🇨🇳 While here, check out these delicious Chinese dishes
🐔 Traditional chicken and egg soup 🍲🥚
🌱 Vegetarian Buddha’s Delight 🧘♂️
🐷 Sweet pork belly 🍖
Chinese Dumplings Potstickers 🥟
How to make Chinese Sticky Chicken with Orange Sauce
- Rinse the meat under cold water and pat it dry. Rub it with salt, ginger, and garlic, then brush it with oil.
- In a roasting pan, layer orange slices on the bottom, then pour just enough water to cover them. Place the meat over the oranges, drizzle more oil, and cover everything with foil. Roast at 180°C for 45 minutes. In the last 10 minutes, remove the foil to let the meat turn golden and crispy.
Orange sauce
- In a small pot, combine all the sauce ingredients with any leftover roasting juices. Heat the mixture until it comes to a boil, then reduce the temperature and let it simmer gently until the sauce thickens. If the sauce is too thick, add a bit more orange juice or water to get the consistency you like.
- Once the sauce is ready, add a few fresh orange slices and continue simmering for an additional 2-3 minutes. This step enhances the flavour and adds a beautiful burst of colour to the sauce.
For a complete meal, I served the dish with Chinese Buddha’s Delight noodles, a vegetable-packed accompaniment that pairs perfectly with the rich and tangy orange sauce.
Recipe Card
Chinese sticky chicken drumsticks with orange sauce
Ingredients
- 400-500 g chicken
- 3 oranges - for slicing and juice
- oil
- salt, pepper - to taste
ORANGE SAUCE
- 250 ml orange juice
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 5 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 star anise
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 4 tbsp rice wine
- 1 tbsp ginger
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- roasting juices
Instructions
- Rinse and pat dry the meat, then rub with salt, ginger, garlic, and a light brush of oil.
- In a roasting pan, layer orange slices, pour a little bit of water to cover them, place the meat on top, drizzle with oil, and cover with foil. Roast at 180°C for 45 minutes, uncover for the last 10 minutes to brown the meat.
- The sauce: Add all the sauce ingredients and roasting juices in a pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer until thickened. Add fresh orange slices and simmer for 2-3 more minutes.