Microwave Orange Chicken (4 ingredients) Recipe - Dorm Room Cook (2024)

Microwave Orange Chicken takes just 4 ingredients including chicken nuggets, soy sauce, bbq sauce and orange marmalade and just 2 minutes in the microwave!

Come on, we all know that famous and addicting orange chicken isn’t doing any favors for your budget. Make this Orange Chicken at home with a side of Microwave Egg Fried Rice.

Microwave Orange Chicken (4 ingredients) Recipe - Dorm Room Cook (1)

MICROWAVE ORANGE CHICKEN

Microwave Orange Chicken lets you skip the take-out line byturningordinary chicken nuggets into atasty dinner that doesn’t cost you halfyour tip money.

You can only eat chicken nuggets the same way for so long before you lose your mind and start to throw frozen nuggets at your roommate just to pass the time. Don’t let it get to that point, try this hack first.

Grab some orange marmalade, some BBQ sauce, and some frozen nuggets (or other chicken) and prepare to say see ya later long food court lines. All you need is a microwave safe bowl that won’t explode in the microwave (read: glass or microwave safe plastic. Please no metal!), and you’re good to go*.

*Chopsticks optional. Making eating fun andchallenging is up to you.

Microwave Orange Chicken (4 ingredients) Recipe - Dorm Room Cook (2)

Not that you need to be told how to eat orange chicken nuggets, but you can top them with goodies to add a little flair (AKA garnish your chicken like you’re a Top Chef). Add some chopped nuts (AKA put some peanuts into a freezer bag and stomp on it a few times) or some finely crushed gourmet red pepper (AKA the red pepper packets from the last pizza you ordered).

WHAT TO SERVE WITH MICROWAVE ORANGE CHICKEN

Try serving your nuggets with Fried Rice or our Microwave Steamed Rice for that full take-out experience in less than 10 minutes. It’s like Panda in your dorm room and you don’t have to interrupt your Netflix binge. You can also serve this with leftovers from the last time you braved the food court (as long as it was within a week). In case no one told you yet, do not reheat leftovers in the styrofoam box they came in.

Microwave Egg Fried Rice
Microwave Philly Cheesesteak Mac and Cheese
Microwave Crispy Grilled Cheese Sandwich (Legit Magic)
Microwave Cheeseburger Mac and Cheese

HOW TO MAKE MICROWAVE ORANGE CHICKEN

  • Toss all the ingredients together in a microwave safe bowl.
  • Cover with wet paper towel.
  • Microwave for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Microwave Orange Chicken (4 ingredients) Recipe - Dorm Room Cook (7)

VARIATIONS

  • Hot sauce:Sriracha is amazing on Orange Chicken, and it gives it a little bit of a feisty kick to keep things interesting. Don’t make things TOO interesting, start small.
  • Chicken: You don’t have to just use chicken nuggets in this recipe. Use leftover chicken strips, pre-grilled chicken pieces, that rotisserie chicken you’ve been munching on the last 2 days, or even canned chicken.
  • Tofu:Swap out baked Tofu for the chicken nuggets. Make sure you get the baked kind, regular tofu will turn into Orange “Chicken” Scramble. (Find it in the produce section.)

SAVE SOME FOR LATER

If you made waaaaay too much Orange Chicken and you regret your decision, you can always save some for lunch tomorrow. Just cover the bowl in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge. It will stay good for about 3 days. So don’t eat until you get sick, you can save it for later.

COST FACTOR

$: You really don’t need very much for this recipe, and all of it is fairly inexpensive. Which means you get to eat delicious take-out style food for almost no money, which is the dream.

MICROWAVE TABLE

  • 1,000 watts or higher: Higher wattage, lower cook time. Our microwave is about 1,250 watts, but if you have one with about 1,000 watts you will want to cook for 3:36.
  • 700 watts: Microwaves under about 900 don’t heat things evenly or consistently, so don’t go anywhere while you’re cooking. Cook for 5:09 but keep an eye on it.

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Microwave Orange Chicken

Microwave Orange Chicken is a way to take ordinary chicken nuggets and make them into a thing of beauty.

Prep Time2 mins

Cook Time3 mins

Total Time5 mins

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Asian inspired

Keyword: Microwave Orange Chicken

Servings: 2 Serving

Calories: 262kcal

Author: Dorm Room Cook Staff

Ingredients

  • 8 chicken nuggets , frozen
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons BBQ Sauce
  • 3 tablespoons sweet orange marmalade
  • 1 tablespoon Soy Sauce

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Toss all the ingredients together in a microwave safe bowl.

  • Cover with a wet paper towel.

  • Microwave 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Nutrition

Calories: 262kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 991mg | Potassium: 417mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 106IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg

Microwave Orange Chicken (4 ingredients) Recipe - Dorm Room Cook (10)

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Microwave Orange Chicken (4 ingredients) Recipe - Dorm Room Cook (2024)

FAQs

Can you microwave orange chicken? ›

If you're thinking about how to reheat orange chicken quickly, using the microwave is often a go-to method. First, place the orange chicken in a microwave-compatible dish. If your chicken is frozen, you can microwave it for 20 minutes on a medium setting, checking at intervals.

How do you reheat Panda Express orange chicken in the microwave? ›

Instructions:
  1. Place the chicken in a microwave-safe container and cover with a damp paper towel.
  2. Place it in the microwave a heat for 1 minute.
  3. Take the container out and stir or shake the chicken around the bowl to redistribute the pieces.
  4. Put the container back in the microwave for another 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Oct 12, 2023

How long should I heat up orange chicken? ›

Storage and Reheating

Air fry at 350°F for 6-8 minutes or until warmed through and crispy. Alternatively, reheat in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes until warmed through.

How long should I microwave orange chicken? ›

Step 3: Microwave the Chicken

Put the cubed chicken into the container and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave until cooked through, about 6 minutes. Stir the chicken halfway through cooking.

How long do you microwave orange chicken? ›

Microwave. Place bag of sauce in a bowl of warm water to thaw. Open bag of chicken and empty into a microwave-safe container. Microwave on HIGH, uncovered for 3 minutes.

Is it better to reheat Chinese food in the oven or microwave? ›

Oven method: For larger dishes or items that may become soggy in the microwave, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and reheat the food in a covered oven-safe dish until it reaches the desired temperature.

How do you cook frozen orange chicken? ›

Preheat to 400 °F. * Place frozen chicken pieces on a foil-lined baking sheet. * Heat 15 to 20 minutes or until heated through. * Thaw sauce under warm running water.

How long should I microwave leftover Chinese food? ›

take a big enough paper towel to cover the microwave safe dish, wet it with water and cover the dish. heat it in the mircrowave for 3 minutes. take it out of the microwave, stir the food to make sure it is heated evenly. If not, re-cover it with the same wet paper towel and heat for another 1 - 2 mintues.

Why is my orange chicken soggy? ›

Whether Orange Chicken is baked or fried, it can get soggy if left to sit for too long once combined. To prevent soggy chicken, serve immediately or store the chicken and sauce separately, then combine when reheating.

How long can orange chicken sit out before it goes bad? ›

Unless the cooked chicken is kept warm, above 140°F, the general rule of thumb for cooked chicken is that it should not sit out on your kitchen table or buffet for more than two hours. Any cooked chicken left at room temperature for more than two hours should probably be thrown out.

Is Costco orange chicken precooked? ›

Whether you need to whip up dinner fast or just want to quickly add flavorful chicken to your meal, each $17.99 box of this new Costco addition is “fully cooked, family size” and ready to “heat and serve.”

Can you microwave fake chicken? ›

You can reheat vegan chicken nuggets by microwaving, baking, or air frying. Each method has its own advantages.

Why can't you microwave cooked chicken? ›

“How long the product has been stored in the refrigerator before reheating tends to be the driving factor affecting oxidation.” But pairing a rubbery texture with an unavoidable off flavor is double the reason not to microwave cooked chicken leftovers.

Is it OK to microwave chicken? ›

Information. Meat can be cooked safely in a microwave oven, but it can cook unevenly and leave cold spots where harmful bacteria can survive. For this reason, it is important to cover the food, rotate or stir it once or twice during cooking, and make sure the meat reaches a safe internal temperature throughout.

Can oranges be cooked in the microwave? ›

Put oranges in a large microwavable bowl. Pierce them few times with the knife/fork or cut a small cross on the top of each orange. Pour in tap water half way up the oranges and microwave (covered) for 10 min on high until soft and knife goes in easily.

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