Empress Chicken vs. Orange Chicken: Differences
Walking into a Chinese restaurant, a wide array of dishes can be overwhelming. Ask for empress chicken, and you’ll get something entirely different than if you asked for orange chicken. But what is the difference between empress chicken and orange chicken?
Empress chicken is a Chinese dish made with a lighter and less sweet, lightly spiced sauce than its orange counterpart, while orange chicken is a more Americanized version. Orange chicken features vibrant orange color, while empress chicken has more of a yellow hue.
Though they both rely on the same base ingredients – namely chicken and vegetables – the nuances between empress chicken and orange chicken are much more complex than they appear at first glance. In this article, I’ll give an in-depth breakdown of the two dishes, from the flavor to the preparation methods and more. So let’s get started!
Ingredients & Preparation
When comparing empress chicken and orange chicken, it’s essential to consider the ingredients used and preparation differences.
Empress chicken is traditionally made with a mix of soy and oyster sauces, while orange chicken has a mixture of orange zest, honey, and garlic.
From a culinary perspective, the difference in ingredients creates two distinct flavor profiles that appeal to different palates.
For empress chicken, the soy and oyster sauces are mixed into a marinade and then brushed onto the cooked version of the dish. This marinade helps to add depth to the flavor profile. On the other hand, orange chicken is usually served sauce-less due to its distinctive sweet taste.
When it comes to preparation, empress chicken is usually deep-fried before being lightly finished in a saucepan with some additional herbs and spices. Orange chicken is given an added crunch by being fried in a light batter coating before being coated with an orange glaze.
Both dishes are then sprinkled with sesame seeds before being served for optimal visual appeal.
Taste & Appearance
When it comes to taste and appearance, the differences between the two are quite striking.
Orange chicken is a classic American-Chinese dish typically fried to golden perfection in a sweet-and-sour sauce made of chili sauce, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and of course – oranges! The sweetness of the oranges compliments the spiciness of the chili sauce perfectly. Since its vibrant orange color is a visual showstopper, I often serve it at family meals or special occasions.
Empress chicken is an iconic Chinese dish that’s known for its flavor combinations and presentation. It’s made from marinated and battered chicken with bell peppers (red, yellow, or green), onion strips, mushrooms, and zucchini in a lightly browned garlic spring onion sauce.
It’s less sweet than orange chicken, with an earthier and spicier taste from the bell peppers and other veggies – all working together to create a complex flavor explosion. And with its vibrant yellow hue from ginger, garlic, and spring onions – every bite packs an extra punch not found in orange chicken!
Regional Variations of the Dishes
Empress chicken and orange chicken are two different dishes with numerous variations from region to region.
In the United States, empress chicken is often served with a sweet sauce made of soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sugar, ketchup, and garlic. In other parts of the world, empress chicken has taken on more local flavors as ingredients like honey, garlic chili paste, and various spices are used to create different sauces and glazes.
Similarly, you can find orange chicken in many forms around the world. In some countries, it can have a deep-fried batter that is lacquered with a sweet-tangy sauce blend that includes orange zest, soy sauce, and garlic. Elsewhere, the batter may be tossed or lightly dusted with cornstarch to give it a nice crunch before it’s coated in a spicy orange marinade.
No matter how you prefer your empress or orange chicken dish prepared, though, there’s no doubt that both offer delicious flavors to tantalize your taste buds!
