Looking for quick meal using orange chicken from Trader Joe’s? Sweet sauce, tender chicken, and crispy breading, Trader Joe’s orange chicken is better than leftover Chinese takeout.
It pairs well with Trader Joe’s fried rice or a healthier side of brown rice, choice is yours. Simply pop in microwave for a couple minutes for a tasty meal prep to enjoy at any time..
How do you microwave Trader Joe’s orange chicken? Remove the plastic package and place orange chicken sauce in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave the sauce only for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce becomes hot. Set it on a side.
The chicken pieces are already precooked, so start them at room temperature for best results. Place on a microwave-safe plate with a tablespoon of water, cover with a damp paper towel and microwave for 2 minutes.
If needed flip the pieces and heat again with 30 second intervals until the inside of each chicken pieces reaches 165 degree Fahrenheit.
Lastly, combine both sauce and chicken to mix well and serve.
Trader Joe’s orange chicken can be microwaved without destroying its crispy texture. However, it’s not recommended to microwave the orange chicken sauce and chicken mixed together at the same time; instead, it’s better off to heat them separately then combine when serving.
Add the orange chicken and some red-pepper flakes to its sauce to make it spicier. Then, served in about two cups of steamed rice that you can make right in the microwave.
Trader Joe’s orange chicken is already precooked. Therefore, you can quickly and easily microwave it instead of baking or pan-frying in a skillet.
In this article, you will learn microwave tips to reheat Trader Joe’s orange chicken in just a few minutes. Answered below are frequently asked questions about microwaving Trader Joe’s orange chicken instead of cooking it in a pan or oven.
Can you microwave Trader Joe’s orange chicken?
Yes, nothing wrong with microwaving Trader Joe’s orange chicken when following the right technique. However, the manufacturer does recommend to microwave its sauce, and not the chicken.
Due to the short time orange chicken takes in the microwave, Trader Joe’s orange chicken is already precooked. Therefore, you only need to reheat the chicken to an internal temperature of 74°C or 165°F so that it is safe to consume.
Is it safe to microwave Trader Joe’s orange chicken?
Yes, there is no harm is associated with microwaving Trader Joe’s orange chicken. For food safety, the orange chicken needs to be reheated to an internal temperature of 74 degrees Celsius or 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
However, the microwaving instructions outline indicate that you shouldn’t microwave the orange chicken but rather only its sauce. But despite this, it is safe to microwave orange chicken and sauce separately.
As a result, you can have nice hot sauce drizzled over crunchy chicken pieces. To enhance the texture, use a microwave crisper pan to make the outside breading even crunchier.
How do you microwave Trader Joe’s orange chicken?
In order to microwave Trader Joe’s orange chicken all together, you do need to follow the precautions to get fully cooked without ruining the taste or texture. The process of microwaving Trader Joe’s orange chicken is as follows:
Open the package and take out the sauce package and pour into a microwave-safe bowl. Nuke the sauce for 1 to 2 minutes and stir well to eliminate any cold spots, then remove the sauce once it is hot and set aside.
Defrost the chicken pieces in microwave first. Next, place the defrosted chicken onto a microwave safe plate, add a tablespoon of water and cover with damp paper towel. This will help to keep the chicken soft and juicy.
If you prefer crispy chicken, then place them on a crisper pan instead to get the crunchy texture. Flip halfway through microwaving to add crunch to the other side.
Microwave the chicken pieces for 2 minutes and evaluate them. Use meat thermometer and see if the internal of chicken pieces reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
If not, turn the chicken to the other side and add 30 seconds to reheat again until it is fully heated.
Remove the crunchy chicken and toss with the hot orange sauce to serve.
How long do you microwave Trader joe’s orange chicken?
The sauce itself should be microwaved in a microwave-safe bowl for 1 to 2 minutes before the orange chicken sauce is mixed with the hot Trader Joe’s orange chicken.
The chicken pieces does take about 2 to 3 minutes to fully heat to the proper internal temperature, it should not exceed 4 minutes to avoid overcooking the orange chicken making its texture rubbery and dried out.
However, the microwave wattage and number of chicken pieces will determine how long to microwave them properly. Start with short intervals and flip after each duration to avoid burning and overcooking.
Tips to microwave Trader Joe’s orange chicken
The manufacture’s cooking instruction recommend to only microwave the orange sauce and cook the crispy chicken in the oven or skillet. However, with proper microwaving tips, Trader Joe’s orange chicken can be prepared with crispy and juicy results.
The following precautions should be adhered to when microwaving Joe’s orange chicken:
- The sauce should be placed in a microwave-safe bowl while heating for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Trader Joe’s orange chicken should be defrosted first, and reheated in the microwave afterwards.
- A crisper pan will make the chicken crispy and crunchy, just like if it was pan fried or oven roasted.
- Both orange chicken and sauce should be covered with a damp paper towel inside the microwave-safe bowl to prevent splatter.
- The chicken should not be microwaved with the sauce as it will make the texture spongy and soggy.
- When microwaving chicken, make sure to check that the internal temperature reaches 74°C or 165°F for safety reason.
Best way to microwave Trader Joe’s orange chicken
There are various ways to make Trader Joe’s orange chicken, however microwaving is the quickest and easiest. If you are short on time or taking this to office for lunch, microwave is an effective and safe way to get your meal prep ready in a couple minutes.
The best way to microwave Trader Joe’s orange chicken is by first microwaving its sauce in a microwave-safe bowl for 1 to 2 minutes.
Then, defrost the chicken to bring it to room temperature.
Afterwards, place chicken pieces spreading equal distance apart and sprinkle with water. Cover the plate with damp paper towel and microwave on high for 2 minutes.
Continue to monitor the temperature of chicken and repeat the process with 30 second intervals if needed. Once the chicken is at a safe internal temperature, remove them from microwave, transfer into a bowl to mix chicken and sauce well to serve.
Microwaving Trader Joe’s Orange Chicken: Conclusion
Trader Joe’s orange chicken is great lunch and dinner meal prep. The goopy sweet sauce with juicy tender chicken pieces covered with crispy breading exceeds the expectation of your tastebuds compared to Chinese togo food.
Simply adding a side of microwaved broccoli and cauliflower rice can make a full nutritious and delicious meal in a a few minutes.
Microwaving Trader Joe’s orange chicken can safely heat both the sauce and the crispy chicken. However, it is recommended to heat them separately due to the soggy result or explosion of uneven heat pocket that the sauce create while microwaving.
Place the sauce in a microwave-safe bowl and heat it for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir the sauce well to make sure it is completely hot.
Toss the chicken pieces on a microwave-safe plate and heat for 2 minutes. If you see any ice particles or that the breaded chicken is completely frozen, defrost them in microwave before reheating.
After defrosting, add a tablespoon of water while heating chicken to help keep the pieces moist and juicy. Also, covering with damp paper towel can prevent the chicken from drying out.
If you are looking to have crispy chicken instead of moist and soft, consider using crisper pan to add crunch to the breaded crust before mixing with the sauce.
Ensure the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 74 degrees Celsius or 165 degrees Fahrenheit so it is safe to consume. Once the Trader Joe’s orange chicken is fully microwaved, transfer into a bowl and drizzle the hot sauce over the top to mix well and enjoy.