3 Ingredient Orange Chicken in less than 20 minutes! Easy orange marmalade bbq sauce and crispy chicken make for a quick and tasty dinner!
From my classic Panda Express Copycat to Ground Orange Chicken, I am constantly on the hunt for new versions of this popular Chinese Recipe. This 3-ingredient-version makes the crowd-pleasing recipe easier than ever!
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Sabrina’s 3-Ingredient Orange Chicken Recipe
What do you get with 3 simple ingredients and your favorite frozen popcorn chicken? Microwave magic – also known as the easiest version of orange chicken ever. This recipe uses frozen chicken, but you could also make a big batch of Chicken Nuggets and freeze them for quick dinner recipes like this one. Note: the 3 ingredients is for the sauce, since the chicken is variable depending on if you make your own or use frozen nuggets.
One of the best parts of easy dishes like this Orange Marmalade sauce is that you can customize it to your taste. The FAQ below has some suggestions on how to alter the flavors by just swapping or adding an ingredient or two.
How to Make
Time needed: 15 minutes.
- Cook chicken:
Cook frozen chicken nuggets according to the directions on bag (or make Homemade Chicken Nuggets).
- Prepare marmalade sauce:
Mix together the bbq sauce, orange marmalade, soy sauce and sesame oil (optional) in a microwave safe bowl and cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave for 45 seconds.
- Combine:
Toss the hot, crispy, chicken nuggets with the orange bbq sauce.


Ingredients
- 5 cups chicken nuggets , precooked
- 1/2 cup BBQ Sauce , (we used Sweet Baby Ray's)
- 1 cup sweet orange marmalade
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil , optional
Instructions
- Cook the chicken nuggets according to the directions on bag.
- Mix together the bbq sauce, orange marmalade, soy sauce and sesame oil in a microwave safe bowl and cover with a damp paper towel.
- Microwave for 45 seconds.
- Toss the hot, crispy, chicken nuggets with the orange bbq sauce.
Video
Nutrition
Chef’s Note
If you’ve tried any of my other orange chicken recipes, you know I love creating zesty, sweet orange sauce with a bit of kick. If I could make this popular Chinese takeout dish every night, I absolutely would. But life gets busy and sometimes you just don’t have time to bust out the wok and gather all the ingredients to make your favorite dish. This recipe is so easy, you can even put your kids in charge of it. It makes a great after school snack that they can make on their own.
Make it a Meal
Serve this recipe as the main dish with your favorite Chinese sides like my super easy Fried Rice, for an easy weeknight meal in less than 30 minutes total!
Frequent Questions
I like to use Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue sauce, but you can substitute your favorite brand instead. Choose a spicy version for more of a kick.
If you are fan of heat, you can add a tablespoon of Garlic Chili Sauce, Sriracha, or crushed red peppers to your sauce.
Make this with fried or baked tofu for an easy vegetarian version. A tip for making tofu is to press it between two plates, with the top one weighted. Line plates with paper towels and leave in the fridge pressing for a few hours to remove liquid before baking or frying.
Try this sauce with turkey meatballs or chicken meatballs served on top of Steamed Rice and Mixed Veggies for a healthy, quick lunch or dinner.
Play around with ingredients you might have on hand like teriyaki sauce, sesame seeds, or hoisin sauce to give slightly different Asian inspired flavors. Hoisin sauce is generally regarded as an Asian bbq sauce, so swapping it in here would be a great option.
How to Store
- Serve: Orange Chicken is okay to leave at room temperature for up to 2 hours.
- Store: Keep leftovers for up to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container.
- Freeze: You can freeze your chicken for up to 2 months in an airtight container. To make ahead, mix the sauce ahead of time and freeze in airtight containers next to your frozen chicken nuggets so you can make this with no extra effort needed!
More ways to use Orange BBQ Sauce
You don’t have to stick with just traditional easy Orange Chicken with this sauce. You could also use it for:
- Shrimp: Toss some popcorn or Tempura Shrimp in the sauce for a delicious party appetizer.
- Chicken Wings: Use this easy sauce for some sticky sweet chicken wings. Mix in your favorite hot sauce for a spicy version.
- Dip: Instead of sweet and sour sauce, use this as a zesty dip for Egg Rolls or Crab Rangoons instead.
Related Recipes
More Ways to make Orange Chicken

Photo used in a previous version of this post.





I tried the recipe it tasted really good I made some rice with it I like easy recipes I am not a fan of cooking thanks
This is perfect for those nights when you don’t feel like cooking! Quick and easy and, most importantly, yummy. For our personal preference, I’ll use less BBQ sauce next time
Good to know. Thanks for the five star review Jordan!
This sauce was amazing! Spot on!!
Sabrina, you are a flavor chemist! Thank you so much for this recipe!
Aw thanks Ayaka! Thanks for the five star review.
Had this for dinner. It was incredible delicious ?. Thank you.
You’re welcome Nancy! Thank you for the five stars.
Love the sauce, even my husband loved it, and he hates orange zest which is in the marmalade.
Love hearing this. Thank you Laura!
Not 3 ingredients.
3 ingredient Sauce with one of the ingredients optional :). I’ll have to clarify.
So easy, so quick for something so so good.
This was so good and extremely easy to make as well. Definitely will be putting this on my regular rotation ?
Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe. My husband loved this recipe. The sauce is amazing! We do not need take out to enjoy orange chicken. We have made it twice in the last couple of weeks.
Glad to hear! Thanks so much for the 5 star review, Kathy 🙂