This sticky orange chicken is the kind of recipe that earns its place in the regular rotation. It's cheap, genuinely easy, and produces drumsticks glossed in a sweet, sticky, slightly spicy sauce that clings to every bit of meat. It also happens to be a very good thing to eat when your team have lost in the afternoon.

The sauce is built from scratch with fresh orange, soy, ginger, garlic, and a splash of rice wine — nothing from a jar. Drying the orange zest in the microwave is a two-minute step that concentrates the citrus flavour and stops the peel going bitter in the pan. Don't skip it.

Serve over vegetable couscous — the one in the photo is loaded with red pepper, spring onion, and carrot — or steamed rice if that's what you have. Either works well, and the sauce soaks into both beautifully.

The marinade

• 6–8 chicken drumsticks, skinned, thick parts slashed
• A good glug of soy sauce
• A good glug of Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

Put the drumsticks in a bowl, pour over the soy and rice wine, turn to coat, and set aside while you make the sauce.

The sticky orange sauce

• 1 large orange
• 2 tsp cornflour
• 2 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed and finely chopped
• 1cm piece fresh root ginger, finely chopped
• A big pinch of dried red chilli flakes
• A splash of soy sauce
• A good glug of Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• A splash of cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp soft brown sugar, plus more to taste
• A good grind of black pepper

Peel 4 strips of zest from the orange. Lay them between sheets of kitchen paper and microwave on high in three or four 20-second bursts until the peel is dry and brittle. Allow to cool, then chop finely. Squeeze the orange juice into a bowl and whisk in the cornflour until fully dissolved — no lumps.

Set a pan over medium heat and add the oil. When hot, add the garlic, ginger, chilli flakes, and dried orange zest. Stir for 30 seconds. Add the soy, rice wine, cider vinegar, brown sugar, and black pepper. Stir for another 5 seconds — taste and add more sugar if needed. Pour in the orange juice and cornflour mixture, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for a minute or two until the sauce thickens to a glossy, sticky consistency. Set aside.

To cook

Fry the marinated drumsticks in a little oil in a wide frying pan, turning regularly, until cooked through and well browned all over — around 25–30 minutes on a medium heat. Pour over the orange sauce and turn the drumsticks to coat. Simmer for a few minutes more until the sauce clings and everything is glossed.

Serve over vegetable couscous or steamed rice, scattered with sesame seeds and fresh coriander.

If you enjoyed this sticky orange chicken, you'll find plenty more ideas in my Chicken Hub — everything from quick weeknight suppers to slow-cooked weekend dishes. The orange sauce itself is a good one to have in your repertoire, and there are plenty more sauces, dressings, and condiments to explore in the Sauces, Salsas & Dressings Hub.

Photos taken in 2015 — wonky, slightly dark, and very much of their time. The chicken, however, is as good as it ever was. The Flexible Chef.