Healthy Orange Chicken

Dinner tonight is Healthy Orange Chicken! This high protein homemade orange chicken is made from nourishing ingredients and done in 30 minutes, making it the perfect healthy weeknight dinner for a busy night. You’ll love the combination of crispy chicken and sweet, tangy orange sauce–no deep frying required!

Depending on where you live, getting takeout isn’t always easy to navigate when you’re gluten-free. But when you’re craving some of your restaurant favorites, it’s great to know they’re easy to make at home. Take this healthy orange chicken recipe, for instance. There’s just so much to love!

• IT’S EASY! This gluten-free orange chicken recipe is made from simple, wholesome ingredients, and it’s on the table in about 30 minutes (whaaaat?!).
• IT’S DELICIOUS. Even without deep frying, the chicken is still crispy and satisfying, and the healthy orange chicken sauce is bright, tangy, and flavorful. Seriously–the sauce is good enough to eat by the spoonful!
• IT’S HEALTHIER! And, if you’re wondering “is this orange chicken really healthier than takeout?” I’ve got a nutrition comparison below. The KIND of calories are much different. Our homemade version has more protein and lower fat and carbs than the takeout version:

• PANDA EXPRESS: Calories: 380 // Fat: 18g // Protein: 13g // Carbs: 44g
• MY RECIPE: Calories: 303 // Fat: 10g // Protein: 27g // Carbs: 24g

Whether you make this for a quick weeknight dinner or a cozy date night in, this healthy orange chicken is SURE to please! Here’s what you’ll need to get started…

Gather Your Ingredients

• Chicken. Our healthy orange chicken recipe starts with boneless, skinless chicken breast (or chicken thighs), cut into small cubes for easy cooking. It’s lean, it’s high in protein, and it pairs beautifully with the yummy orange sauce. Speaking of which…
• Orange Juice. For the best flavor, choose fresh orange juice or high-quality orange juice for this tangy, sweet sauce. If the orange flavor of the juice isn’t great, the orange flavor of the sauce won’t be great.
• Rice Vinegar. For some brightness and acidity.
• Pure Maple Syrup. For a little sweetness. In a pinch, honey or agave can be used here instead.
• Tamari or Coconut Aminos. To keep this healthy orange chicken gluten-free, we recommend low sodium gluten-free tamari (gluten-free soy sauce), or coconut aminos for this recipe. If you’re not gluten-free, use low sodium soy sauce here to help moderate the salt content.
• Cornstarch & Water. You’ll need some cornstarch for coating the chicken, then some cornstarch in water to thicken the sauce.
• Garlic & Ginger. Fresh garlic and fresh ginger add a delicious savory flavor to this sauce. Don’t skip them! Feel free to use frozen garlic & ginger if it helps speed up prep.
• Avocado Oil. For cooking the chicken. You won’t be deep frying, but you’ll need a little oil to help coat the pan.
• Maybe Some Garnish. Then, to finish the dish, you can garnish with sesame seeds, orange zest, sliced green onions, minced cilantro, or red pepper flakes.

How to Make Gluten-Free Orange Chicken, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below!

1. Prepare The Chicken. In a large zip-top bag or a small bowl, combine chicken, 3 Tablespoons cornstarch and 2 Tablespoons tamari/soy sauce). Stir or mix until chicken is well coated.
2. Cook The Chicken In Batches. Heat 1 Tablespoon avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook chicken in batches, careful not to overcrowd the pan. Cook chicken in a single layer 4-5 minutes on one side, then another 3-4 minutes on the second side, or until crisped and cooked through. (The interior temperature of the chicken should reach 165 degrees F.) Remove cooked chicken to a clean plate and repeat until all chicken is cooked, adding more oil, as needed.
3. While The Chicken Cooks, Start The Sauce. In a medium bowl, whisk together orange juice, vinegar, syrup, 2 Tablespoons tamari, garlic, and ginger.
4. Make The Slurry. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 Tablespoon cornstarch with 1 Tablespoon water. Set cornstarch mixture aside.
5. Cook The Sauce. When the chicken is done cooking, pour the sauce mixture into your pan. Add cornstarch mixture. Whisk over medium heat until sauce thickens.
6. Add Chicken To Sauce. Turn off heat and stir in cooked chicken to coat with sauce.
7. Serve & Store. Garnish with your favorites and enjoy warm with veggies, rice, or cauliflower rice! Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge 2-3 days. Keep in mind the sauce will thicken when cooled. 

Make It a Meal! (Serving Suggestions)

This crispy, tender chicken is PACKED with flavor, but it’s not a whole meal on its own. Here’s how to turn this recipe into a delicious meal:

• Broccoli! We love this Air Fryer Broccoli recipe for its delicious crispy edges & tender centers, but steamed broccoli always works, too!
• Or, Another Green Veggie. We also love this easy orange chicken recipe paired with green beans or seasoned peas! 
• Rice or Cauliflower Rice. My favorite way to eat it is to serve this healthy orange chicken over a bed of fluffy white rice or brown rice, but you can also swap in cauliflower rice for a grain-free option. Every one of these ways is delicious! 
• Veggie Stir Fry. Feel free to stir-fry some veggies to serve on the side! I love a mix of carrots, broccoli, onion, bell peppers, and snow peas. Or, you can easily use a frozen mix of stir-fry veggies!
• Fresh Fruit. My kids LOVE fruit, so I usually serve this orange chicken with some orange slices or fresh pineapple to round out the meal.

FAQ + Tips For The Best Healthy Orange Chicken

LOVE LOTS OF SAUCE? READ THIS! If you REALLY love extra sauce, you may want to 1.5 or double this sauce recipe so you have plenty leftover for drizzling over your veggies or mixing into your rice/cauli rice. As it’s written, there’s plenty to coat the chicken and some to soak into your rice/cauli rice.

GOT LEFTOVERS? This gluten-free orange chicken reheats pretty well! I love packing it in meal prep containers with broccoli and rice/cauliflower rice for lunches! Keep in mind the orange sauce will thicken in the fridge!

More Homemade Takeout Dinners To Try

Paleo Chicken Lettuce Wraps (Like P.F. Chang’s!)

Healthy Beef & Broccoli

Healthy Sesame Chicken

Recipe Card

Healthy Orange Chicken (Gluten-Free, Paleo-Friendly)

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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 11 reviews

• Author: Emily Dixon, One Lovely Life
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

This high protein homemade orange chicken is made from nourishing ingredients and done in 30 minutes, making it the perfect healthy weeknight dinner for a busy night. You’ll love the combination of crispy chicken and sweet, tangy orange sauce–no deep frying required! 

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the chicken:

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1″ pieces
• 3 Tablespoons cornstarch (or arrowroot starch)
• 2 Tablespoons low sodium gluten-free tamari (or soy sauce/coconut aminos)
• 2 Tablespoons avocado oil (or other high-heat oil)

For the sauce:

• 1/3 cup orange juice (use best quality)
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar (or cider vinegar)
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup (or honey if needed)
• 2 Tablespoons low sodium gluten free tamari (or soy sauce/coconut aminos)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch (or arrowroot)
• 1 Tablespoon water

Optional Garnish:

• Sesame seeds
• Orange zest
• Sliced green onion
• Minced cilantro
• Red pepper flakes

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Instructions

1. Prepare The Chicken. In a large zip-top bag or a small bowl, combine chicken, 3 Tablespoons cornstarch and 2 Tablespoons tamari/soy sauce). Stir or mix until chicken is well coated.
2. Cook The Chicken In Batches. Heat 1 Tablespoon avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook chicken in batches, careful not to overcrowd the pan. Cook chicken 4-5 minutes on one side, then another 3-4 minutes on the second side, or until crisped and cooked through. (The interior temperature of the chicken should reach 165 degrees F.) Remove cooked chicken to a clean plate and repeat until all chicken is cooked, adding more oil, as needed.
3. While The Chicken Cooks, Start The Sauce. In a medium bowl, whisk together orange juice, vinegar, syrup, tamari, garlic, and ginger.
4. Make The Slurry. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 Tablespoon cornstarch with 1 Tablespoon water. Set cornstarch mixture aside.
5. Cook The Sauce. When the chicken is done cooking, pour the sauce mixture into your pan. Add cornstarch mixture. Whisk over medium heat until sauce thickens.
6. Add Chicken To Sauce. Turn off heat and stir in cooked chicken to coat with sauce.
7. Serve & Store. Garnish with your favorites and enjoy warm with veggies, rice, or cauliflower rice! Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge 2-3 days. Keep in mind the sauce will thicken when cooled. 

Notes

• Paleo Swaps: Use arrowroot starch in place of cornstarch, use coconut aminos in place of GF tamari/soy sauce, and use cider vinegar in place of rice vinegar
• Working With Arrowroot. I’ve been able to get a good crispy coating using arrowroot (a grain free/paleo-friendly) thickener, but I do find that I REALLY need to keep the pieces of chicken from touching in the pan so they can get a good crispy sear. Arrowroot is also a little more finicky when it comes to thickening sauces. If it boils too long, it can actually lose it’s thinking powers, so as soon as your sauce starts to thicken, be sure to take it off the heat and mix in your chicken. If it’s just not thickening, you can sometimes get away with adding a second round of arrowroot mixed with water.
• IF NOT GLUTEN FREE/PALEO: You can absolutely use soy sauce. I recommend low-sodium.

• Prep Time: 15
• Cook Time: 20
• Category: Main Dish
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1/4 recipe
• Calories: 305
• Sugar: 13.7 g
• Sodium: 545.7 mg
• Fat: 10 g
• Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
• Carbohydrates: 24.4 g
• Fiber: 0.2 g
• Protein: 26.8 g
• Cholesterol: 82.7 mg

Originally shared Jan 2018. Updated Feb 2022.