Skip the takeout and make this Healthy Orange Chicken Recipe for dinner! A simple, delicious dinner that is paleo, gluten free, packed with flavor and done in under an hour! Made with just a few ingredients, it’s tasty and easy to make!
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I really don’t play favorites with my recipes.. or at least I try not to.. but whenever someone asks me what my favorite recipe from my site it, I always say it’s this Healthy Orange Chicken Recipe
(with these Healthy Chicken Tenders coming in at a close second!).
Made with minimal ingredients, full of flavor, and easy to make – this dish is one I always turn to!
Orange Chicken is one of my favorite things to order when we get takeout. But as I’m sure most of you know.. Chinese food is definitely not the healthiest dinner option (Hello MSG overload!)
Years ago when I first started eating healthy was on a mission to try to make all my favorite foods healthy, and orange chicken was one of the first things to get a makeover!
I’ll admit, there were (and still are) many concoctions that I try that come out a total mess. Muffins that are flatter than pancakes… Breads that never rise..
But THIS lighter orange chicken recipe recipe is one where all the healthy substitutions turned into something SUPER delicious!
This was one of those recipes that as I was making it I was a little skeptical.. Would the flavor be right? Would the sauce be thick enough or would I just be eating chicken coated in a weird orange juice mixture??
So many questions. Thankfully the flavor was so on point and the sauce was perfectly thick. It had the same consistency of the amazing sauce you get at a restaurant!
On top of being super delicious + beyond easy to make, this recipe is so versatile. Here are different ways to serve this Healthy Orange Chicken.
Ways to Serve this Healthy Orange Chicken
- Feeding a crowd of hungry people? Serve it over a giant bowl of brown rice/quinoa + broccoli.
- Trying to keep paleo? Skip the rice entirely or do cauliflower rice.
- Not a huge fan of cauliflower rice? Serve it over zoodles!
- Broccoli, green beans, or steamed cauliflower are great for veggie side dishes
What to do if the sauce doesn’t thicken with this Healthy Orange Chicken
Give it time, I promise. Re-read the directions listed in the recipe. The chicken needs to be completely removed from the pan, and the sauce needs to boil for 15-20 minutes. Stir the sauce every few minutes, and once the sauce starts to pull away from the pan as you scrape it back, you’ll know it’s ready!
My sauce is more brown than orange, is this ok?
Yes! This is totally fine! Your sauce might look a little dark than these photos simply due to the ingredients you use. The color won’t impact the flavor!
The next time you’re tempted to get takeout… skip the delivery service and just make it yourself!
I hope you love this amazing twist on takeout as much as we do.
Substitutions for this Healthy Orange Chicken Recipe:
- Orange Juice– you can sub regular bottled orange juice with freshly squeezed orange juice
- Ginger– you can substitute fresh ginger with 1/4 tablespoon ground ginger
- Coconut Aminos – You can sub coconut aminos with soy sauce or bragg’s liquid aminos – but the recipe will no longer be paleo.
How to make Healthy Orange Chicken:
Other healthy paleo chicken dinners you’ll love:
- Sheet Pan Lemon Rosemary Chicken Thigh Dinner
- Healthy Maple Mustard Chicken
- Whole30 Pesto Chicken Zucchini Noodles
Healthy Orange Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cleaned + cut into 1 inch cubes
- 4 cups steamed broccoli or green beans
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
Sauce
- 2.5 cups orange juice
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup coconut aminos
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger***
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- In a large frying pan, cook the cubed chicken in the toasted sesame oil until the edges are brown and slightly crispy (Approx 5-10 minutes)
- As the chicken is cooking, stir together the sauce mixture in a separate bowl
- Once the chicken is thoroughly cooked remove it from the pan and place it off to the side in a separate bowl.
- Pour the sauce mixture into the same pan you cooked the chicken in.
- Bring the sauce mixture to a boil for 15-20 minutes, stirring every minute or so until it starts to thicken. (You will know it has thickened when you scrape the pan and it pulls away from the pan)
- When the sauce thickens, add the cooked chicken back in + stir to coat the chicken
- Serve over steamed broccoli or green beans for a paleo option, or rice/quinoa.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds + enjoy!
- *** If substituting ground ginger for fresh ginger, cut the amount in 1/4 to 1/4 tablespoon.
Video
Notes
- Feeding a crowd of hungry people? Serve it over a giant bowl of brown rice/quinoa + broccoli.
- Trying to keep paleo? Skip the rice entirely or do cauliflower rice.
- Not a huge fan of cauliflower rice? Serve it over zoodles!
- Broccoli, green beans, or steamed cauliflower are great for veggie side dishes
Nutrition Facts
thetrainerlife
May 21, 2015 at 12:51 pmThe sauce sounds amazing. I will definitely give it a try this week.
Clean Eating & Focused Training
May 28, 2015 at 4:42 pmIt is ! Let me know how you like it 🙂
Wendy @ Wholistic Woman
June 11, 2015 at 11:57 amLove this! I’ve been craving Chinese food lately (the unhealthy kind) and this may do the trick.
The Clean Eating Couple
June 11, 2015 at 11:59 amIt totally will Wendy! It kicked my cravings 🙂 We also have a Pad Thai Recipe that is out of this world! https://thecleaneatingcouple.com/2014/02/15/healthy-chicken-pad-thai/
rachel @atheltic avocado
January 23, 2017 at 1:02 pmOrange chicken is one of my favorites too!Love the sound of this healthy version! The pictures are gorgeous 🙂
The Clean Eating Couple
January 23, 2017 at 3:36 pmThank you!! I so appreciate that 🙂
Sammy
January 26, 2017 at 5:12 amThe chicken looks delicious! Although it doesn’t look like there is much sauce, would eating this with brown rice make it a little dry? Can’t wait to try it!
The Clean Eating Couple
January 26, 2017 at 1:57 pmHi Sammy – If you want more sauce to put on rice you can just double the sauce ingredients!
Emily
January 28, 2017 at 12:55 amSo I can’t say that I won’t ever get take out again, but this looks like an AMAZING alternative when you want to cook something quick.
The Clean Eating Couple
January 30, 2017 at 7:01 pmI mean… Takeout is kinda amazing when you need something quick! Who could totally pass it up!? But this is waaaaay tastier 🙂
Eva Geier
February 2, 2017 at 9:10 amI can’t wait to try making this 🙂 Just read your soup post, too. Thank you for sharing!!
The Clean Eating Couple
February 2, 2017 at 1:53 pmIt’s so yummy!! I’m sure your fam will love it 🙂
Nida
April 26, 2018 at 4:21 amHi… the recipe sounds delicious, but unfortunately we don’t get coconut aminos her! Can we substitute it with something else. Thanks
The Clean Eating Couple
April 26, 2018 at 2:20 pmHi Nida,
Coconut aminos are pretty much everywhere! I would check in your grocery store near the soy sauce – you may have never noticed them before. I’d recommend a low sodium soy sauce in it’s place if you can’t find it!
CEEH
April 30, 2018 at 8:08 pmMy sauce did not thicken I had to add a thickener. Will have to make some adjustments and try again!
The Clean Eating Couple
May 2, 2018 at 3:26 pmHi There – I’m really sorry to hear this! Did you follow the directions on the time for the sauce? It needs to simmer for at least 15-20 minutes before it will thicken.
Lilajo
April 15, 2019 at 5:58 pmMine either what did u use to thicken it!!!
The Clean Eating Couple
April 16, 2019 at 7:23 amHi! Did you follow the directions on the time for the sauce? It needs to boil for at least 15-20 minutes before it will thicken. The sauce should be at a rolling boil + bubbling for it to thicken 🙂 You do not need to add thickeners to it!
Yesenia
September 4, 2018 at 6:59 pmWhat kind of orange juice was used?
The Clean Eating Couple
September 4, 2018 at 7:25 pmJust regular orange juice purchased from the store. I always look for one that is 100% real orange juice.
C
September 11, 2018 at 10:08 pmJust tried this tonight and it was great, but way too spicy for my toddler and I was nervous to eat it because I am nursing. I think maybe less pepper and omitting the red pepper flakes in the future will make it less spicy – Thoughts?
The Clean Eating Couple
September 11, 2018 at 11:01 pmHi! There’s actually a note in the recipe card right next to pepper flakes saying to omit if you like things less spicy. Next time I would omit that and if you’re serving to kids I probably would omit sriracha. Black pepper doesn’t typically make things spicy but if you want to omit that too you can and always add after.
Brian S
September 29, 2018 at 8:00 pmSuper good. Made enough for 5 meals. My first time cooking raw chicken lol. Next time I will cut it after the initial cooking while the sauce boils. Sauce didn’t thicken quite as much as I’d hoped, but still tasted great. Do I just keep the sauce on med-high the whole time? Maybe add flour if it doesn’t thicken?
Thanks for sharing this!
The Clean Eating Couple
October 3, 2018 at 4:33 pmHi Brian – Per the direction, the chicken needs to be cubed prior to cooking it. You need to keep the sauce on medium to high heat and boil it. It will thicken after 15-20 minutes. I wouldn’t add flour, just be patient 🙂
Natalia Thillet
October 23, 2018 at 6:49 pmWow! I’ve tried many healthier/paleo orange chicken recipes and they would never get even close to the main chain restaurants. After watching Liz’s Insta story about it a while back and how much she raved about how similar it was to restaurants, I had to try it. Let me tell you, she wasn’t lying! It is sooooo tasty and I love how the sauce thickens and coats the chicken. I gave it to my husband to try and he was so shocked to hear that it was all healthier ingredients. This is as close as you can get to the real thing and in my opinion better, because you feel great about what you are putting into your body! 🙂
The Clean Eating Couple
October 23, 2018 at 8:17 pmI’m so glad you like this recipe, Natalia!! It is one of my favorite dinners to make! And I totally agree- I love that you can feel better about eating this vs takeout!!
Lisa
October 26, 2018 at 9:25 pmI made this and it was yummy but my sauce is brown instead of orange – did I do something wrong? The sauce did thicken though after 20 minutes! Thanks for sharing.
The Clean Eating Couple
October 27, 2018 at 7:29 amHi Lisa -I wouldn’t worry if the sauce is more brown than orange. It could just have to do with the brand of ingredients you used. Some orange juices are lighter and some coconut aminos are browner. 🙂
Justin
November 12, 2018 at 8:52 pmIt’s good but too much pepper. I figured is follow the directions first but that’s the change I’d make.
The Clean Eating Couple
November 13, 2018 at 7:55 amHi Justin – We think the pepper gives it the right amount of kick, are you sure you put in the correct amount? Either way, we appreciate the feedback 🙂
Dawn
December 29, 2018 at 7:57 pmThe orange chicken was so good! It’s going into our monthly rotation. Thanks for sharing!
The Clean Eating Couple
December 30, 2018 at 4:18 pmI’m so glad you liked it, Dawn!! It’s one of my favorites too!
Meghan M.
December 31, 2018 at 11:45 amHas anyone tried cooking this in the instant pot?
The Clean Eating Couple
December 31, 2018 at 2:27 pmI’m sorry but I haven’t tried this in my instant pot + I haven’t heard from anyone else that has either!
Caroline
January 21, 2019 at 3:37 pmThank you for the recipe and including the Nutrition Facts. Could you possibly check the Amount Per Serving? Was it intended to be one gram? Maybe 100g?? Thank you for your time and help. It’s very appreciated!
The Clean Eating Couple
January 21, 2019 at 5:16 pmHi! This recipe serves 4, the nutrition facts are for 1 serving. I recommend making the dish and evenly portioning it out into 4 servings. Hope that helps.
Caroline
January 21, 2019 at 7:27 pmThanks!
Andrea
January 23, 2019 at 11:53 amI made this last night for dinner, with brown rice and steamed broccoli. It was amazing! I added a healthy tablespoon of sambal and about a teaspoon of rice vinegar, I like playing around with recipes, usually don’t follow them to a T, unless it’s baking. Anyway, everyone loved it, even the picky one. Thank you for sharing! Definitely will be keeping in the recipe rotation.
The Clean Eating Couple
January 23, 2019 at 7:52 pmYay!! I’m so glad you liked it, Andrea! I’m going to try your twist on it – that sounds yummy 🙂
Alyssa
February 8, 2019 at 1:11 pmI usually do all of the cooking and rarely actually follow a recipe. Sometimes I need my husband to step in and make dinner during the week. But if I don’t want one of the same 3 healthy dishes he knows how to make, he needs a simple and easy to follow recipe. It’s hard to find one though that’s not only easy, but tastes good and is healthy.
Well, I was pleasantly surprised yesterday when he was the one who found this recipe. And it was so good! It was perfect to satisfy my chinese craving but was so fresh tasting and not disgustingly sweet (and no ketchup!). If my husband successfully follow this recipe, almost anyone can! The only alterations made were that he used fresh garlic and fresh oranges for the juice.
I’m happy to say that my husband now has 4 healthy meals he can make, and I will definitely be requesting this from him again!
The Clean Eating Couple
February 9, 2019 at 10:12 amI’m so glad you liked it, Alyssa!! If you are looking for another yummy takeout-fakeout recipe, try this Healthy Chicken Pad Thai – I bet your husband can master this one too!!
Madison
February 19, 2019 at 10:35 amWe make this recipe multiples times a month!! It is seriously one of our favorites. If I’m in a big hurry and need the sauce to thicken up quicker, I’ll add a teaspoon or so of cornstarch once it’s been bubbling for a while. It’s 100% worth the time waiting for it to thicken on its own though!
The Clean Eating Couple
February 19, 2019 at 11:49 amThanks Madison!! The cornstarch trick is perfect because I know a lot of people don’t like to wait 🙂
Kelly
March 14, 2019 at 10:21 pmIf using ground ginger vs fresh, would you still use a full tbsp?
The Clean Eating Couple
March 15, 2019 at 7:17 amIf using ground ginger I would cut it down to 1/4, so 1/4 tbsp ground ginger or 1 tbsp fresh ginger. Let me know if you try it!
Kelly
March 18, 2019 at 3:00 pmThank you for the reply. I did make it and it was awesome!
The Clean Eating Couple
March 18, 2019 at 3:11 pmI’m so glad you liked it!!
Nancy
March 18, 2019 at 1:20 amI haven’t made this dish but I will soon! Can I replace the coconut aminos with coconut water or would it give the sauce a totally different flavor?
The Clean Eating Couple
March 18, 2019 at 1:47 pmHi Nancy – No you can’t replace coconut aminos with coconut water. It would make the sauce too sweet + it wouldn’t thicken correctly. Per the notes under substitutions – you can sub it with soy sauce or bragg’s liquid aminos but then the recipe will not be paleo. You can get coconut aminos for pretty cheap at trader joes- they’re totally worth buying!
Katie Mehaffey
March 19, 2019 at 7:24 pmOne of our household favorites! Easy, delicious, and healthy!
The Clean Eating Couple
March 20, 2019 at 9:25 amI’m so glad you like it, Katie! It’s one of my favorites too 🙂
Kira
March 26, 2019 at 9:18 pmJust made this and it was so good! Thanks for sharing 🙂 Did just want to let you know that the recipe says 1 tbsp fresh or ground ginger. It was only after I put in 1 tbsp of GROUND ginger that I read the comment where you mentioned using 1/4th. Luckily, I love love love ginger, but it’d be very helpful if that was in the recipe just in case some people (read: me) don’t read the comments! Otherwise can’t wait to make this again!
The Clean Eating Couple
March 27, 2019 at 9:26 amHi Kira – I’m so sorry that happened and thank you for pointing it out. I just updated the recipe card because you’re totally right – that is not as clear as it could be. Either way though – I’m so glad you liked it!! 🙂
Pam S.
April 2, 2019 at 2:41 pmhaven’t tried it yet because was concerned about the high sugar content. 27 grams is a lot! Is there a way to cut that down?
The Clean Eating Couple
April 2, 2019 at 2:51 pmHi Pam – the sugar comes from 100% pure orange juice and honey. Unfortunately you can’t leave either of those out because as those natural sugars cook, that is what makes the sauce thicken. Despite being higher in natural sugars, it’s still infinitely more healthy than takeout!
Lucy
April 21, 2019 at 9:39 amThis is totally one of my favorite recipes from now on! Thank you so much for sharing it, I love this kind of food.
The Clean Eating Couple
April 21, 2019 at 8:40 pmThank you so much, Lucy! I’m so glad you like it!
Emma
May 12, 2019 at 9:47 pmI tried this recipe twice with sugar free honey and low sodium chicken broth and it did not thicken? Is it because I used these ingredients? I boiled it for quite a while and it did not get any thicker.
The Clean Eating Couple
May 13, 2019 at 7:50 amHi Emma – I’ve never heard of sugar free honey, but I would guess that is why it didn’t thicken. The natural sugars in honey + orange juice are what allow the sauce to thicken!
Ben Davis
May 23, 2019 at 8:06 pmThis is amazing…
A few points:
1). Unless you have a giant skillet, divide the sesame oil and chicken between two pans. Otherwise, it’s difficult to brown the chicken (especially with today’s water-added chicken breasts) without overcooking. The pan is too crowded with all in one.
2). Add 1/4 to 1/2 a teaspoon of red Chile (I used the slightly dried red chile, depending on taste. Most orange chicken recipes in restaurants contain some, and the heat is a good counterpoint to the rich sweetness of the orange sauce.
But overall, a great healthy recipe.
The Clean Eating Couple
May 24, 2019 at 10:45 amHi Ben – Glad you liked it! I cook this in a pretty standard size pan and don’t seem to have a problem with browning it! This recipe used to have 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, but I removed it because many people commented that it was a little to spicy for their family/kids. I like the addition of that as well!
kira
May 28, 2019 at 9:34 pmIf your sauce won’t thicken, try adding in corn starch and let it continue to boil.
The Clean Eating Couple
May 29, 2019 at 9:16 amHi Kira – You could do this, but if you just follow the directions and let it boil for 15-20 minutes it will naturally thicken on it’s own from the natural sugars in the orange juice/honey!
Jeannie
June 2, 2019 at 10:32 pmThis was delicious!!! 5 Stars!! Thank you!!
The Clean Eating Couple
June 3, 2019 at 10:55 amI’m so glad you liked it, Jeannie! It’s one of my favorites too! 🙂
Jodi
June 4, 2019 at 11:38 pmThank you for this recipe! It was easy & delicious! I followed the exact recipe & boiled the sauce for 20 plus minutes but did not thicken. Still tasted delicious but would like to figure out how to thicken the sauce…maybe boiler it for longer?
The Clean Eating Couple
June 5, 2019 at 8:00 amHi Jodi – Was the sauce at a rolling boil (bubbling) for the full time? That’s what it needs to thicken!
Jo Eppa
June 10, 2019 at 10:21 pmWOW! This was amazing! This was an all time favorite and it will be repeated often! YUM!
The Clean Eating Couple
June 12, 2019 at 8:30 amGlad to hear it, Jo! It’s on repeat in our house too:)
Kyle Miller
June 11, 2019 at 9:06 pmI’ve been waiting for a suitable meal to leave a review for on this website and so; here I am. If it is an orange chicken, take-out heart warming meal you’re craving, this is easily the correct choice. The greatest flavor without an excessive amount of ingredients and the absence of an unwelcome aftertaste. I decided to go prepare this meal tonight but rather coconut amino I opted for Soy sauce. This added a bit saltier taste than some may prefer so keep that in mind. Thank you for sharing this dish with us!
The Clean Eating Couple
June 12, 2019 at 8:30 amI’m so glad you liked it, Kyle! Soy sauce is an easy sub in this recipe and definitely gives it more of a saltier takeout feel 🙂
Erin
June 12, 2019 at 9:17 pmWhenever I crave Chinese food I dread the gross/sick feeling I get afterwards but this cleaner ingredient orange chicken never makes me feel like crap. Love this recipe!! ❤️
The Clean Eating Couple
June 13, 2019 at 8:22 amThis makes me so happy to hear, Erin!! That’s exactly why I created this recipe 🙂 I’m so glad you like it!!