Takeout-Style Orange Chicken

• Orange sauce
• ¾ cup orange juice, from 2 to 3 oranges
• 1 tbsp orange zest
  Swaps for orange zest

  Instead of citrus zest

  • Another citrus zest: The same amount. A different citrus aroma; any of them brightens a dish.
  • Dried citrus peel: 1 tsp dried for each 1 tbsp fresh zest. Milder and a little bitter.
  • Lemon or orange extract: About ¼ tsp extract for each 1 tsp zest, to taste. Strong citrus flavor, no texture.

  More for citrus zest

• ⅓ cup sugar ≈ 67 g
  Swaps for sugar

  Instead of sugar

  • Less sugar: Up to ¼ less in cookies, muffins and quick breads. Less browning and spread, a drier, more cake-like texture, and bakes go stale sooner.
  • Brown sugar: The same amount, packed. Moister and chewier, with a caramel flavor and darker color.
  • Coconut sugar: The same amount. Darker and caramel-like, a little less sweet; cookies spread slightly less.

  All 4 swaps for sugar

• 2 tbsp soy sauce
  Swaps for soy sauce

  Instead of soy sauce

  • Tamari: The same amount. Richer and a little less salty.
  • Coconut aminos: The same amount, plus a pinch of salt. Sweeter and much less salty.

  More for soy sauce

  Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.

• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  Swaps for rice vinegar

  Instead of vinegar

  • Apple cider or white wine vinegar: About ¾ the amount, plus a pinch of sugar. Rice vinegar is milder and slightly sweet; seasoned rice vinegar also has sugar and salt.
  • Lemon or lime juice: The same amount. Fresh citrus flavor instead of vinegar's bite.

  More for vinegar

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
  Swaps for garlic

  Instead of garlic

  • Garlic powder: ⅛ tsp for each clove. Mellower and sweeter, with no bite.
  • Jarred minced garlic: ½ tsp for each clove. Milder and slightly sour from the preserving liquid.

  More for garlic

• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
  Swaps for fresh ginger

  Instead of ginger

  • Ground ginger: ¼ tsp ground for each 1 tbsp grated fresh. Warmer and less bright, with no zing.
  • Ginger paste (jar or tube): The same amount. Close; slightly salty or sour from preservatives.

  More for ginger

• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
  Swaps for red pepper flakes

  Instead of red pepper flakes

  • Cayenne: About half as much. Even heat throughout, no flakes.
  • Hot sauce or chili crisp: To taste. Hot sauce adds vinegar; chili crisp adds crunch and oil.
  • A fresh hot chile: Half a jalapeño or serrano for each ½ tsp. Fresh, green heat.

  More for red pepper flakes

• 1 tbsp cornstarch
  Swaps for cornstarch

  Instead of cornstarch

  • All-purpose flour: 2 tbsp flour for each 1 tbsp cornstarch. Sauces turn cloudy instead of glossy and a bit heavier.
  • Arrowroot: The same amount. Very clear and glossy; can turn slimy in dairy sauces.
  • Potato starch: The same amount. Thickens fast with a clear gloss; don't boil it long.

  All 4 swaps for cornstarch

  Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.

• 2 tbsp water
• Chicken
• 1 ½ lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
  Swaps for boneless skinless chicken thighs

  Instead of chicken breasts or thighs

  • Chicken breasts: The same weight. Leaner and milder; cooks faster and dries out sooner.
  • Extra-firm tofu or chickpeas: About the same weight of pressed tofu, or 1½ cups chickpeas per ½ lb chicken. A different dish, but it takes the same seasoning well.

  More for chicken breasts or thighs

  Cook all chicken to 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part, checked with a thermometer.

• 1 large egg
  Swaps for egg

  Instead of eggs

  • Flax egg: 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water for each egg. Binds well but gives less lift, so bakes are a little denser and flatter, with a mild nutty taste and brown flecks.
  • Chia egg: 1 tbsp chia seeds + 3 tbsp water for each egg. Works like a flax egg: good binding, little lift, slightly denser crumb.
  • Unsweetened applesauce: ¼ cup for each egg. Moister and denser, with a soft, slightly gummy crumb if you swap more than one egg.

  All 5 swaps for eggs

  Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.

• 1 tbsp soy sauce
  Swaps for soy sauce

  Instead of soy sauce

  • Tamari: The same amount. Richer and a little less salty.
  • Coconut aminos: The same amount, plus a pinch of salt. Sweeter and much less salty.

  More for soy sauce

  Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.

• ½ cup cornstarch ≈ 64 g
  Swaps for cornstarch

  Instead of cornstarch

  • All-purpose flour: 2 tbsp flour for each 1 tbsp cornstarch. Sauces turn cloudy instead of glossy and a bit heavier.
  • Arrowroot: The same amount. Very clear and glossy; can turn slimy in dairy sauces.
  • Potato starch: The same amount. Thickens fast with a clear gloss; don't boil it long.

  All 4 swaps for cornstarch

  Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.

• ¼ cup all-purpose flour ≈ 31 g
  Swaps for all-purpose flour

  Instead of all-purpose flour

  • Gluten-free 1:1 baking flour: The same amount, a blend that includes xanthan gum. A little grittier and more crumbly, browns faster and dries out sooner.
  • Bread flour: The same amount. More gluten: chewier cookies and bread, tougher cakes.
  • Whole wheat flour: Up to half of the flour. Nuttier, darker and denser.

  All 4 swaps for all-purpose flour

  Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.

• ½ tsp kosher salt
  Swaps for kosher salt

  Instead of salt

  • Table salt or fine sea salt: About half as much as Diamond Crystal kosher, about ¾ as much as Morton kosher. The same saltiness when measured this way.
  • Salt by weight: 1 tsp is about 6 grams of table salt, 5 grams of Morton kosher, 3 grams of Diamond Crystal kosher. The most reliable way to swap, especially in baking and brines.

  More for salt

• 1 ½ cups vegetable oil, for shallow frying
  Swaps for vegetable oil

  Instead of vegetable oil

  • Another neutral oil: The same amount. No difference.
  • Melted butter: The same amount. Richer, buttery flavor; cakes are a little less moist and firmer once cool.
  • Light olive oil: The same amount. "Light" olive oil tastes mild.

  All 4 swaps for vegetable oil

• To serve
• 2 green onions, sliced
  Swaps for green onions

  Instead of green onions

  • Chives: The same amount, for the green tops. Milder and more delicate, without crunch.
  • Shallot or red onion: Half as much, chopped fine, for the white parts. Stronger; best cooked or soaked in cold water first.
  • Leeks: The same amount, sliced thin. Milder and better cooked than raw.

  More for green onions

• 1 tsp sesame seeds (optional)
• cooked rice

Missing something? Tap Swaps next to an ingredient, or see all substitutions.

Cook to 165°F inside (check with a thermometer).