Light Modern Tangerine Chicken

Tangerine chicken brings the familiar sweet-savoury character of a citrus stir-fry into a lighter, fresher setting. Instead of a heavy coating, bite-sized chicken breast is tossed through a glossy sauce made from reduced tangerine juice, light soy, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger and honey, giving it bright acidity, gentle sweetness and a clean savoury finish. Cornflour helps the sauce cling without becoming sticky or dense, while spring onion and roasted sesame seeds add freshness and nuttiness. Serve it with jasmine rice and greens for a quick dinner that feels crisp, balanced and easy to adapt.
Recipe by JustRecipes Editorial Team
Content validated: August 2026 How we create recipes
Made this recipe? Rate it
Cuisine style Chinese-inspired citrus stir-fry
Flavor profile Bright citrus • Tangy-savoury • Lightly sweet
Techniques Reducing • Stir-frying • Cornflour thickening
Key equipment Wok or large frying pan • Saucepan
Cooking style Meal prep friendly
Time commitment Under 1 hour

Why this recipe works

  • Bright, balanced sauce: Tangerine juice brings natural sweetness, while rice vinegar and light soy sauce keep the glaze sharp and savoury.
  • Weeknight-friendly timing: The sauce reduces while the chicken is prepared, keeping the overall cooking time practical.
  • Fresh aromatics: Garlic and ginger give the citrus sauce depth without needing a long marinade or heavy seasoning.

Get the most out of this recipe

Ingredient notes

  • Choose juicy tangerines: Ripe, fragrant tangerines give the sauce its clean citrus character. If the fruit is very tart, adjust the final seasoning with a little extra sweetness to taste.
  • Whisk the slurry smooth: Cornflour should be mixed with cold water before it goes into the hot sauce; this helps it thicken evenly without clumps.
  • Use light soy sauce: Light soy sauce seasons the glaze without making it too dark or heavy, which suits the fresh tangerine flavour.

Texture tips

  • Keep the chicken juicy: Slice the chicken into even pieces so it cooks quickly and consistently in the wok or frying pan.
  • Aim for a glossy glaze: Once the sauce is added to the chicken, toss briefly until it clings rather than continuing to boil it down aggressively.

Common mistakes

  • Boiling the citrus too hard: Reduce the tangerine sauce at a gentle simmer; harsh boiling can dull the fresh flavour and make the sauce taste bitter.
  • Overcrowding the chicken: Give the chicken enough space to sear lightly. If the pan is too crowded, it will steam and release more liquid.
  • Over-thickening the sauce: The glaze should coat the chicken lightly. If it tightens too much, loosen it with a splash of water while reheating or tossing.

Make-ahead tips

  • Make the sauce ahead: The tangerine sauce can be prepared in advance and chilled, then reheated gently before tossing with freshly cooked chicken.
  • Good for packed meals: Cooked leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days and pair easily with rice or greens.
  • Reheat gently: Warm in a wok or saucepan over medium heat with a splash of water, stirring often until the chicken is piping hot and the sauce is glossy again.

Equipment you'll need

Large frying pan Mixing bowl Saucepan Tongs Whisk Wok
Ingredients
Instructions
Print
  1. Juice the tangerines to get about 300 ml juice, and finely grate the garlic and ginger. Thinly slice the spring onions, keeping a small handful of the green tops aside for finishing.
  2. In a saucepan, combine the tangerine juice, light soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, garlic and ginger. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until reduced slightly and smelling fragrant.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk the cornflour with 2 tbsp cold water until smooth. Whisk the slurry into the simmering sauce and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until glossy and lightly thickened; take off the heat.
  4. Slice the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat, then stir-fry the chicken for 5 to 7 minutes until lightly golden and cooked through.
  5. Pour the tangerine sauce into the wok and toss for 1 to 2 minutes until the chicken is evenly coated and the sauce clings. Stir through most of the spring onion, then serve topped with the reserved green tops and roasted sesame seeds.

Made this recipe? Rate it — a comment is optional.

Recipe notes

Serving suggestions

This recipe pairs well with:

Steamed jasmine rice Stir-fried greens

Tips

  • Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer when reducing so it stays bright and does not turn bitter.
  • If you are serving anyone who is vulnerable, make sure the chicken is cooked until piping hot all the way through.

Substitutions

  • Replace rice vinegar with apple-cider-vinegar for a slightly fruitier tang.
  • Replace honey with agave-syrup for a similar sweetness with a lighter finish.

Storage

  • Refrigerate up to 3 days
  • Cool quickly, then refrigerate in a sealed container. Reheat in a wok or saucepan over medium heat with a splash of water until piping hot, stirring often so the sauce loosens and stays glossy.

Ratings & reviews

Liked this recipe? Share your feedback to support our cooking community.

Tried this recipe?

Choose 1–5 stars. A comment is optional.

If you leave a comment, use 10–500 characters.

Stay inspired

Discover new recipes, seasonal favourites and cooking inspiration every day. Follow JustRecipes on Pinterest and Spillt.

Pinterest

Recipe overview

  • Servings: 4 servings
  • Total time: 45min (30min active)
  • Difficulty: Medium
  • Cuisine: Chinese
  • Allergens:
    Sesame Soybeans
With serving suggestions Kid friendly
Signal WhatsApp

Plan your meals and get a complete grocery list automatically.

Add to meal planner

Equipment you'll need

Large frying pan Mixing bowl Saucepan Tongs Whisk Wok
Advertisement

Recommended tools for this recipe

Best overall

Misen Carbon Steel Nonstick Frying Pan 12 Inch

Versatile induction-ready pan
  • Works on all stovetops
  • Naturally nonstick when seasoned
  • Requires seasoning and maintenance

Got ingredients left?

Find recipes using ingredients from this recipe or what you already have at home.

Find recipes with these ingredients →

More variations

View all

More from this course

View all

Cook with these ingredients

Cornflour

1 cup ≈ 128 g
Convert ingredient→

Honey

1 cup ≈ 340 g
Convert ingredient→

Light soy sauce

1 cup ≈ 240 ml
Convert ingredient→

Rice vinegar

1 cup ≈ 240 ml
Convert ingredient→

Roasted sesame seeds

1 cup ≈ 128 g
Convert ingredient→

Vegetable oil

1 cup ≈ 240 ml
Convert ingredient→

More with similar ingredients

View all

You might also like

Make this recipe easier next time

Advertisement

These tools help you get better results with less effort.

Best overall

Misen Carbon Steel Nonstick Frying Pan 12 Inch

Versatile induction-ready pan
  • Works on all stovetops
  • Naturally nonstick when seasoned
  • Requires seasoning and maintenance
Best value

Pyrex Glass Mixing Bowls with Lids

Microwave-safe glass
  • Microwave safe
  • BPA-free lids
  • Glass is heavier
Top quality

All-Clad Tri-Ply Stainless Steel Saucepan

Professional-grade tri-ply saucepan
  • Excellent heat control
  • Premium build quality
  • Expensive
Best overall

KitchenAid Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls

Non-slip steel set
  • Non-slip base
  • Stainless steel
  • Not microwave safe

Browse alphabetically

Looking for a specific recipe? Choose a letter below to jump directly to recipes starting with that letter or number.

Explore the Recipe Index

Enjoy cooking with JustRecipes?

Add JustRecipes as one of your preferred Google sources to discover our recipes more easily across Google Search.

Add JustRecipes to Google

Every recipe on JustRecipes follows the same structured editorial process. Learn how recipes are created, validated, translated, illustrated, and continuously improved across the platform. How we create recipes.