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Healthy Orange Chicken

Dairy FreeGluten FreeInstant PotPaleo
|
WW Freestyle Points 9
|
Calories 474kcal

Last updated on 614 Comments

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Skip the takeout & make this Healthy Orange Chicken Recipe for dinner! Paleo, gluten free + delicious – it’s one of the best healthy chicken recipes! Made with just a few ingredients, it’s tasty and easy to make!

Healthy Orange Chicken

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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 this Healthy Sweet and Sour Chicken 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!

Healthy Orange Chicken

Orange Chicken is one of my favorite things to order when we get takeout.

But as I’m sure most of you know.. takeout is definitely not the healthiest dinner option. Most takeout restaurant food is loaded with sodium, sugar, and mystery ingredients which can make it tough for people with food allergies to enjoy!

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!

This is not an authentic orange chicken recipe, but a lighter version of one of my favorites foods that has been made paleo, gluten free, dairy free, nut free and plant based for everyone to enjoy.

Healthy Orange Chicken

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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!

It’s seriously one of the best healthy chicken recipes.

Healthy Orange Chicken

This holds a close second to my Healthy Chicken Pad Thai for best ‘takeout fakeout’ recipe… (Lighter Chicken Fried Rice is up there too, and so is this Spicy Ground Turkey Stir Fry!)

It’s so simple and delicious, here’s what you’ll need to make it:

Ingredients for healthy orange chicken:

To make healthy orange chicken you’ll need:

Ingredients for Healthy Orange Chicken in small white bowls on a grey background. Green beans, chicken, orange juice, honey, toasted sesame oil, coconut aminos and spices

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.

How to make Healthy Orange Chicken:

Making orange chicken requires a little bit more steps than many of our recipes, but it’s SO worth it!

  1. Heat oil in pan and cook until browned. While chicken is cooking, whisk together sauce ingredients
  2. When chicken is cooked, remove from pan and set aside in a bowl. 
  3. Add sauce ingredients to the pot and bring to a boil.
  4. The sauce should be bubbling and actively boiling for 15 minutes or so until it thickens. Make sure to constantly stir so that it doesn’t burn.
  5. You’ll know the sauce is thickened when it coats the back of a spoon.
  6. Once the sauce is thickened, add the chicken back to the pan and toss until coated. 
A collage with step by step instructions showing how to make 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!

Veggies: 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!

Pin this recipe for later

Healthy Orange Chicken

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. It’s a delicious healthy chicken recipe I think you’ll love!

Substitutions for this Healthy Orange Chicken Recipe:

Orange Juice– you can sub regular bottled orange juice with freshly squeezed orange juice. We don’t recommend low calorie or low sugar orange juice in this recipe

Chicken- You can substitute chicken breasts with chopped chicken tenders or boneless skinless chicken thighs

Vegan/Vegetarian: You can sub chicken with cooked tofu, or try our Vegan Orange Chicken

Ginger– you can substitute fresh ginger with 1/2 tablespoon ground ginger

Honey– You can sub honey with maple syrup

Coconut Aminos – You can sub coconut aminos with soy sauce or bragg’s liquid aminos – but the recipe will no longer be paleo. If using Bragg’s Liquid Aminos, use HALF the amount – bragg’s is much saltier.

Healthy Orange Chicken

Storing/Serving Healthy Orange Chicken:

Storing: I keep this healthy orange chicken in the refrigerator for up to 4 days

Reheating: You can reheat this healthy orange chicken in a pan or in the microwave.

Freezing: We have not tried freezing this healthy orange chicken but I think it would work!

Healthy Orange Chicken
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4.7 from 374 votes

Healthy Orange Chicken

Skip the takeout & make this Healthy Orange Chicken Recipe for dinner! Paleo, gluten free + delicious – it's one of the best healthy chicken recipes!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Chinese
Keyword lighter orange chicken, paleo orange chicken
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 474kcal
9
WW Freestyle Points 9
Author The Clean Eating Couple

Ingredients

Sauce

Instructions

  • Clean + cut chicken into 1 inch cubes.
  • In a large frying pan, heat sesame oil. Cook the chicken until the edges are brown and slightly crispy (Approx 12-15 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) The sauce should be bubbling the entire time.
  • 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 to 1/2 teaspoon

Instant Pot Instructions

  • IMPORTANT: If making this recipe in the instant pot you will need 3 teaspoons of cornstarch or arrowroot powder. You also must use 1/2 the amount of ingredients in the sauce recipe, except for chicken stock. Ex: Orange Juice: 2 cups = 1 cup
  • Mix together 1/2 the amount called for in the recipe for the orange juice, coconut aminos, honey, garlic powder, ginger, orange zest and pepper. Set aside.
  • Turn the Instant Pot to sauté on the highest heat setting. Drizzle in 2 tablespoons of sesame oil and allow it to heat up. The Instant Pot will display the word “hot” when it’s ready.
  • Trim the chicken breasts and dry them off with paper towels. When the Instant Pot is hot place the chicken breasts in the oil. You’ll need to do 2 at a time so you do not crowd the pot. Sear them on each side for 2 minutes then flip just to get a golden color. You’re not trying to cook them through.
  • Pull them out and set them on a cutting board. Dice them into 1 inch pieces. 
  • Put the diced chicken back into the Instant Pot and pour the sauce mixture over. Close the lid and put the vent to sealing. Set it to Manual High Pressure for 3 minutes.  Note that pot will take 3-5 minutes to come to pressure before the display starts counting down the 3 minutes you’ve set.
  • When it’s finished quick release the steam by setting the valve to venting. Be sure to use a towel or pot holder to do this so you don’t get burned.
  • When the Instant Pot releases all the steam the button will lower down and you’ll be able to safely open the lid.  
  • Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and place on a plate. Mix together the chicken broth and corn starch.
  • Turn the Instant Pot back to sauté choosing the highest heat setting again. Your sauce should begin to bubble.  Stream in the corn starch slurry and whisk. Allow the mixture to boil for 7-9 minutes until it’s nice and thick.
  • Return the chicken to the sauce and select the “Keep Warm” setting on the Instant Pot. Serve over steamed broccoli or green beans for a paleo option, or rice/quinoa. 

Video

Notes

Instant Pot Instructions Notes:
 
  • To get your sauté on highest setting, Press sauté then hit the adjust button and choose “more” to set it to the highest setting.
  • It’s very important that they are dried off before you put them in the hot oil so they will brown.
  • It’s very important to brown the chicken breasts whole prior to dicing them. This ensures that maximum surface area makes contact with the pan and the chicken actually browns. Browning the chicken is an important step. This seals the juices in and ensures the chicken doesn’t release too much liquid while being pressure cooked. This additional liquid effects the consistency of the sauce.
  • The sauce will seem thin until you add the corn starch slurry and reduce it down. This is normal.
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!

Nutrition Facts

Nutrition Facts
Healthy Orange Chicken
Amount Per Serving (1.5 cups chicken + veggies (approx) does not include rice)
Calories 474 Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 145mg48%
Sodium 596mg26%
Potassium 1395mg40%
Carbohydrates 36g12%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 25g28%
Protein 52g104%
Vitamin A 883IU18%
Vitamin C 148mg179%
Calcium 68mg7%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. This is an estimate and can vary pending your ingredients
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Comments

    • Deanna Boehmer

      5 stars
      The only thing that I would suggest is draining your chicken before tossing in the sauce.
      I Cooke my sauce down to a thick consistency and it was delicious. Very “orangy” says my 10 year old but she ate every bite!

      Reply

      • The Clean Eating Couple

        Glad you liked it, Deanna! When you remove the chicken from the pan, you’re leaving the oil in the pan for the sauce to help cook. We use a slotted spoon to remove the chicken!

        Reply

  2. Sammy

    The 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!

    Reply

  3. Emily

    So 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.

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      I mean… Takeout is kinda amazing when you need something quick! Who could totally pass it up!? But this is waaaaay tastier 🙂

      Reply

  5. Nida

    Hi… the recipe sounds delicious, but unfortunately we don’t get coconut aminos her! Can we substitute it with something else. Thanks

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      Hi 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!

      Reply

      • Bridget Mahoney

        Sometimes (and depending on where you live)they are labelled “Soy Sauce Substitute”

        This recipe looks amazing! I am going to try it for sure. Was thinking of using thighs though as they are just so juicy,

        Reply

        • Ramona

          Sounds yummy. Our chicken breasts were a bit dry. But next time we will lessen the cook time. It was sooooo tasty though.

          Reply

          • The Clean Eating Couple

            Thanks Ramona! Every stove is a little different so you probably just need to reduce the cook time.

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      Hi 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.

      Reply

      • The Clean Eating Couple

        Hi! 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!

        Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      Just regular orange juice purchased from the store. I always look for one that is 100% real orange juice.

      Reply

  8. C

    5 stars
    Just 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?

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      Hi! 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.

      Reply

        • The Clean Eating Couple

          Red pepper flakes and sriracha used to be in this recipe, but people didn’t like the spice so we removed them. Feel free to add some to your taste!

          Reply

          • The Clean Eating Couple

            Hi Corbin – You can add it to your taste after cooking. We like a drizzle of sriracha at the end.

  9. Brian S

    5 stars
    Super 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!

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      Hi 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 🙂

      Reply

  10. Natalia Thillet

    Wow! 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! 🙂

    Reply

  11. Lisa

    5 stars
    I 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.

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      Hi 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. 🙂

      Reply

      • Eunice

        This was good! Taste wise🤤
        However, my sauace didn’t thicken either :-/
        Yes I did let it simmer for 20 minutes actually it was more like 25 for me. I ended up adding corn starch; which I mixed with some water in a cup 2 tbs than added to my sauce it thicken within minutes! I would recommend doing this, it cuts down on cutting time (15-20 min simmer) unless you have 15-20 min to spare (if lucky ) than go head 😉

        Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      Hi 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 🙂

      Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      I’m sorry but I haven’t tried this in my instant pot + I haven’t heard from anyone else that has either!

      Reply

  15. Caroline

    Thank 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!

    Reply

  16. Andrea

    5 stars
    I 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.

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      Yay!! I’m so glad you liked it, Andrea! I’m going to try your twist on it – that sounds yummy 🙂

      Reply

    • Misty

      My sauce did not thicken 🙁 I followed the recipe to a T. I did use 50 calorie orange juice and reduced sodium chicken broth and the Bragg’s liquid aminos. I ended up having to add cornstarch and it still didn’t thicken that much, so I’m wondering if it had something to do with those ingredients? However the sauce did taste really good! 🙂 I noticed you told someone rolling boil for 20 minutes and you said simmer to another person. We did the rolling boil for 20. But we’ll give it another try with other ingredients next time!

      Reply

      • The Clean Eating Couple

        Hi Misty – This likely didn’t work because of the orange juice. You need to use regular orange juice because of the sugar content. The naturally occurring sugar in orange juice is a large part of what makes the sauce thicken because as the sugars break down they become syrup-y. It might also have to do with the Bragg’s liquid aminos.. I don’t really cook with that, so it might have affected the results as well. I have only tested this recipe with coconut aminos or soy sauce. I’d try it again!

        Reply

  17. Alyssa

    5 stars
    I 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!

    Reply

  18. Madison

    5 stars
    We 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!

    Reply

    • Danielle

      I was under the impression sesame oil has a low smoke point therefore it is not good for frying. Haven’t tried the recipe yet but worried about a bitter flavor from burnt sesame oil as well as the risk of unhealthy free radicals being released into the food. Does toasted sesame oil have a higher smoke point? Thanks!

      Reply

      • The Clean Eating Couple

        You can cook with olive oil if you’re concerned about it. We’ve never experienced a bitter taste. Sesame oil and olive oil have the same smoke point (410). It won’t make much of a difference but just sub in olive, avocado or coconut oil if you’re worried!

        Reply

  20. Nancy

    I 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?

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      Hi 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!

      Reply

  22. Kira

    Just 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!

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      Hi 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!! 🙂

      Reply

  23. Pam S.

    haven’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?

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      Hi 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!

      Reply

  25. Emma

    I 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.

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      Hi 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!

      Reply

  26. Ben Davis

    5 stars
    This 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.

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      Hi 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!

      Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      Hi 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!

      Reply

  29. Jodi

    5 stars
    Thank 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?

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      Hi Jodi – Was the sauce at a rolling boil (bubbling) for the full time? That’s what it needs to thicken!

      Reply

  31. Kyle Miller

    5 stars
    I’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!

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      I’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 🙂

      Reply

  32. Erin

    5 stars
    Whenever 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!! ❤️

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      This makes me so happy to hear, Erin!! That’s exactly why I created this recipe 🙂 I’m so glad you like it!!

      Reply

  33. mlink

    5 stars
    Just tried it. I followed the recipe and mine thickened up nicely after 20 minutes or so. The flavor is fantastic! I will keep the sauce as it is for the future but I enjoy sous vide and will probably cook my chicken that way next time. This is a definite keeper. Thank you. In look forward to checking out your other recipes.

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      I’m so glad you liked it! I don’t have a sous vide but I’ve heard such great thing about it!

      Reply

  34. Dawn

    5 stars
    My whole family loves this recipe! It’s definitely a keeper! I substituted with soy sauce since it’s what I had on hand but still amazing!

    Reply

  35. Melina

    5 stars
    Amazing recipe, I loved it. I brought the sauce to a boil for 20 minutes but it still didn’t thicken as much as I had hoped… any advice on what I should do next time?

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      Hi Melina – Was the sauce at a rolling boil (bubbling) for the full 20 minutes? That’s the key!

      Reply

  36. Lauren

    5 stars
    Wow. This turned out amazing. I will continue using this recipe. The key to the sauce really is to be patient. I let mine simmer for almost 25 minutes. It turned out perfect.

    Reply

  37. Bailea

    5 stars
    I made this last for my husband and I (he’s a super picky eater) and we both absolutely loved it! I made a whole bunch for the week. Definitely give it a try!!

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      Yay!! I’m so glad you liked it Bailea! And I’m jealous you get to enjoy it all week long 🙂

      Reply

  39. Marisela Cruz

    5 stars
    I made this last night and can’t believe how Delicious it was!! It had so much flavor and didn’t taste healthy at all! I’m trying to find ways to eat healthy without getting bored and this one is one of my favs! Thanks!

    Reply

  40. Kimberly Clause

    5 stars
    I have made this recipe half a dozen times now and my family actually asks for it! Due to multiple allergies in our home, we eat pretty clean. Soy free Chinese food is difficult to do, but this is EXCELLENT! Seriously, I crave this sauce!!!

    Reply

  41. Igor

    5 stars
    I made this recipe tonight and, while I overcooked the chicken (newbie cook), it was an incredible dish! Very easy to make and I had no problem thickening the sauce without any thickener by following the instructions. I will definitely be making this again.

    Reply

  42. Jessica

    5 stars
    I’ve had my eye on this recipe for a while now and I finally gave it a shot. My husband and I are starting to meal prep and eat cleaner throughout our work week. I made this today and it was delicious and a great addition to our rotation. You really have to be patient with the sauce and let it boil and simmer for those 20 minutes but it’s worth the wait. I used freshly squeezed orange juice and just strained the pulp and it gave it a fantastic taste. Absolutely great dish and can’t wait to try more!

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      I’m so glad you liked the recipe, Jessica! This makes me so happy to hear. You’re totally right on the sauce – it’s worth the wait 🙂 This Healthy Chicken Pad Thai is one of our other favorite takeout ‘fakeout’ recipes. Soooo yummy!

      Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      I would definitely not recommend that. Cooked chicken does not freeze well in my experience and I don’t think that the sauce would freeze well either, although I haven’t tried it.

      Reply

  46. Brianne

    5 stars
    This was absolutely amazing. Like, we almost couldn’t eat it because we kept looking up at each other, astonished, saying: this is as good if not better than going to pfchang’s. Seriously, delicious! Sticky, slightly sweet, orange-y, not too salty. Ugh! The best! I should’ve doubled the recipe. I used: Bragg’s liquid aminos (slightly less than what’s called for), my fresh ginger was a no go… used ground, forgot to zest the oranges before they were in the trash. Still turned out amazing! We would love to sprinkle in some crushed red pepper next time because hubby likes heat. Will be making this weekly… no joke. Bahaha! Thank you, Liz!

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      This makes me so happy to hear, Brianne!! I think it’s better than takeout too 🙂 You totally can add in crushed red pepper or even some sriracha. Tyler likes this a little spicier too – so he usually will add sriracha at the end or to the sauce!

      Reply

  47. Hattie

    5 stars
    This will definitely go on heavy rotation for me! I had it with quinoa, zucchini, and broccoli. My boyfriend had it with Trader Joe’s fried rice. Both were so yummy 🙂

    Reply

  48. Emily

    5 stars
    Ok, holy moly this is amazing. I made this last night for my boyfriend and I and we were fighting over who got to lick the spoon after dinner. This was so good! I am def. not a cook, I actually hate cooking because every recipe I find usually have 12,000 ingredients that I don’t have and don’t want to buy just to use once. This recipe has minimal ingredients and the great part about Liz, is that most of her other recipes have the same ingredients so I’ll use them again.
    The sauce was so easy to make- like I said, I’m not a cook and even I could do this super easily!! What a huge win and we will definitely be making this again…like real soon.

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      Thank you SO much Emily!! I’m so glad you and your boyfriend liked it. I totally hate recipes with a million ingredients too – so I’m glad this was easy for you and you enjoyed it!!

      Reply

  49. Lauren V

    5 stars
    This is the perfect recipe! Easy to make and the sauce packs a TON of flavor. I recently made it with ground chicken and it was delicious. I know that this will continue to be on repeat for lunches and dinners!

    Reply

  50. Kelly M

    5 stars
    This was definitely a great healthy option and the orange flavor was perfect! The pepper intensified so it was too much for our 4y/o and 1y/o, but my hubby and I liked it. Next time I’ll cut the pepper in half and see how it goes! I put mine over brown rice that I did in the InstaPot – YUM!

    Reply

  51. Erja

    5 stars
    Loooove this recipe! Never thought I could make my own Chinese food so easy and quick. This was a big hit with my husband and daughter as well, so I’m definitely saving it to my favorites!!

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      Hi Sarah – Yes, it’s noted in the first instruction – you’ll need 3 teaspoon arrowroot powder or cornstarch!

      Reply

  53. Erica Broussard

    5 stars
    It’s delicious, so much flavor. And definitely fixes my Chinese food cravings. I doubled the recipe so I could freeze some for when I don’t have a meal prepped (or when I’m craving Chinese, again!)

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      So glad you like it, Erica! I’ve never tried freezing it – so I’m so glad it worked for you, I’m totally going to do that!

      Reply

  54. Carey

    5 stars
    I forgot to rate the recipe the first time I commented! This is so yummy and a new family favorite of ours. Easy and quick to make!

    Reply

  55. Mindy

    5 stars
    Have been following Cleaneatingcouple on insta for a while now and finally decided to try the orange chicken that I had been hearing so much about. Verdict: it actually exceeded my expectations! It was easy (the hardest part was cutting the chicken— that’s it! No other chopping or prep-steps), only required a handful of ingredients (many of which I already had in my pantry/fridge), only dirtied 2 dishes, and took about 30 minutes total. I served it over a mixture of half fried rice and half cauliflower fried “rice.” I also like a little heat so added some red pepper which complemented the sweetness of the sauce well. I Will definitely be making this one regularly.

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      I’m so glad you liked it, Mindy! I also love that it requires only a few dishes – it’s one of my favs!!

      Reply

  56. Nancy Stevens

    5 stars
    This was so easy to make, and even better tasting! I subbed out the coconut for the soy sauce, so obviously it was a little darker in color. I made it with cauliflower rice and the green beans, and it was a hit. I will make it again for my husband as well as for friends coming over for dinner! SO GOOD!

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      So glad you liked it, Nancy! Love that you made it for friends too – that makes me happy to hear everyone enjoyed it!

      Reply

  59. Lori

    5 stars
    I made the Healthy Orange chicken and it was so good. I really like Chinese food and we have lots of restaurants here in Canada but lately it’s just too greasy, too much batter on stuff, and they add MSG. So this healthy orange chicken hits the spot.❤️

    Reply

  60. Audrey

    5 stars
    This recipe was so simple and quick to make… but it delivered on flavor big time! The instructions were super simple to follow and I love that it can be adjusted for paleo/whole30. My husband already wants me to make it for dinner again this week 😀

    Reply

  63. Courtney M.

    5 stars
    I made this recipe in the instant pot for my family for dinner and it was a hit! Clean, easy and delicious! My kids even asked for more. Thanks so much for sharing your recipe.

    Reply

  66. Grace

    5 stars
    This was delicious and an excellent stand in for when you have a takeout craving. Served it with cauliflower rice and it was very satisfying. Served it with regular rice for my kids and they loved it! They asked for me to make it again soon, which doesn’t happen often with anything actually healthy!

    Reply

  67. Kathy

    5 stars
    Easy meal to prepare. So delicious! My whole family loved it. I have made it several times. Each time it is just as good. Never disappoints. I will make this on a regular basis!

    Reply

  68. Molly

    5 stars
    Very tasty!! Easy to make and my 2.5 year old twins loved it!! We paired it with brown rice and a veggie stir fry! We will deff make it again!

    Reply

  69. Melissa

    5 stars
    Finally tried this recipe and it totally lived up to the hype. My kids enjoyed it as well. I will definitely be making this one again!!

    Reply

  70. Johanna

    5 stars
    Loved the flavor! Had trouble getting my chicken to brown and then it dried out — any suggestions? Thanks for a great recipe! Family LOVED it (even with dry chicken.) 😀

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      Glad you liked it, Johanna. If your chicken didn’t brown, you likely didn’t cook it on high enough heat, or the pieces were too large. I’ve never had someone report that issue! it might have been due to your pan too – I’m sorry about that!

      Reply

  72. Sarah

    5 stars
    Loved this recipe! I followed the directions for stove top (non instant pot) and it turned out perfect! My sauce was not the same color, it was less orange and more of a tan color but it was delicious and part of a potluck clean eating family style dinner my sisters and I made together. I’ll make this again for sure. My only advice is to use bigger chunks of chicken because chicken shrinks down as it cooks! I love a healthy meal that leaves me feeling satisfied and not sick like I over ate.

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      So glad you liked it, Sarah! The color will vary depending on your ingredients 🙂 You can definitely use bigger chunks of chicken! I prefer to keep them smaller so they cook evenly and don’t get that bouncy/rubbery texture chicken can get- but you totally can use bigger chicken pieces!

      Reply

  73. Marlene

    5 stars
    Highly recommend this recipe for anyone looking for a delicious Asian inspired dish without all the added ingredients. I made this as one of my prepped meals for the week and it kept me looking forward to my packed lunch! Great way to stay on track without sacrificing flavor.

    Reply

  74. Lana

    5 stars
    Super delicious! Made this for meal prep and topped it with some chopped green onions. I was lazy with my ginger and blended it with the garlic and chicken broth so my sauce was more of a light tan than orange or brown. Still tasted good but for sure not as pretty. Adding this to my list of foods on regular rotation.

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      So glad you liked it, Lana! The color of the sauce will depend on the exact brand of ingredients you use… but even if it’s brown/tan – it will still taste delicious!

      Reply

  75. Jen R

    5 stars
    Super easy, simple, and delicious! The picky eaters in my family LOVED it and even at veggies without complaining with a drizzle of the sauce.

    Reply

  76. Sheila

    5 stars
    I made this dish and it was fantastic- thank you! I’d like to make it for a family member who is not consuming honey/sugar/maple syrup etc. Any ideas for a substitution? Thanks again!

    Reply

  78. Camille

    5 stars
    So good! My family loved it. Such a good balance of sweet and savory, the sauce was light and delicious. Will be making this again and again.

    Reply

  79. Venice

    5 stars
    If I could give this more starts I would! This orange chicken is amazing and pretty easy but makes you feel like a bomb a** cook! This will be on regular rotation especially on weekends when you want something more fun! Also great as leftovers.

    Reply

  81. Michaela M.

    5 stars
    Love this super easy recipe. I made this and froze it for meals to grab and go. When I heat it up in between classes I have had comments on how good it smells and how they can’t believe I made it because it looks and smells like it came from a restaurant. I highly recommend, it is so yummy and not full of sugar, sodium, and isn’t fried like it is from a restaurant.

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      Thank you Michaela! I’ve never tried freezing it so I’m so glad it worked for you! Love the idea of portioning it out for future meals 🙂

      Reply

  82. Nikki

    5 stars
    This is a staple in our house! So easy to throw it in the instant pot and add some brown rice for a week’s worth of meals. I see a lot of comments about the sauce not thickening, you have to be patient, mine usually takes about 20 minutes before it as thick as I would like for it to be. So delicious and so simple!

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      So glad you like it, Nikki! You’re totally right about the sauce – it will work if you’re patient!! 🙂

      Reply

  83. Randi

    5 stars
    This was so good.. it’s like Chinese take out with our the breadcrumbs and of course the guilt. We paired with rice, broccoli and asparagus. My children had it with rice and green beans. Over all a really delicious chicken

    Reply

  84. Kayla

    5 stars
    My first attempt at orange chicken! didn’t have sesame oil or seeds on hand but tastes similar to the classic version. Also subbed clementines for regular oranges. Will try again with the original ingredients!😋🍊🐔🥡🍽
    Also, this recipe is a healthier option than takeout which I love!!!

    Reply

  85. Hailey FitzGerald

    5 stars
    Just made this tonight for my family and I. In all honesty, it does not taste like the orange chicken you get at a Chinese place but it was delicious! The difference was this orange chicken actually tastes like oranges but I loved it next time I make it I think I may double the sauce because it does reduce a bit in the pan. Also a side note I juiced fresh orange juice so this might have made it thinner I don’t know. I am new to cooking and this recipe was easy to follow and very quick I highly recommend.

    Reply

  86. Kelly Percic

    5 stars
    I absolutely loved this! This will be my go to when I’m craving takeout! I loved it so much I shared it with 8 friends via text who also love to cook and on my insta & Facebook! Seriously going to be on rotation!

    Reply

  87. Jennifer P

    5 stars
    OMG! I almost gave up. I had a rollercoaster of emotions. PSA- DO NOT PUT A COVER ON THE SAUCE. I thought that it would help with the boiling but it defeats the purpose. I learned that the hard way. After 30 minutes I took the cover off and then it started to thicken up with some time. I couldn’t wait any longer after an additional 20 but I know that if I did it properly the sauce with the cup like it should. Regardless I got it a little bit thick and it taste amazing. Orange chick is my FAVE! Next Time no cover on the sauce… Thanks guys sooo much. Perfect for the quarantine mode we are in right now.

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      Thanks Jennifer!! You definitely need to keep the lid off. When the lid is on the pan, it keeps the moisture in rather than letting it evaporate. Soo glad you liked it though!!

      Reply

  88. Terri

    5 stars
    I made this for dinner last night and it was so good! Very easy to make and awesome flavor! My picky 7 year old even ate it!

    Reply

  89. Ela

    5 stars
    Loved this orange chicken recipe…It basically tasted like Asian take-out, but way more fresh and with true orange flavor. I’d definitely make this again!

    Reply

  90. Brandy Gavenda

    5 stars
    This was so yummy!!! Everyone gobbled it up. I served it over steamed broccoli and cauliflower rice that already had lemon and garlic in it. What an easy one-ish pot meal!!!

    Reply

  91. Victoria

    5 stars
    I am the biggest Panda Express fan there is; Chinese takeout is my absolute favorite but oh man. I’m not afraid to say it – this recipe is better than Panda Express orange chicken. It tastes delicious and fresh and guilt-free. It took exactly 25 minutes for my sauce to thicken up, and when it did it happened quickly (I was worried that I had not added enough honey.) I was unable to zest an orange (i.e. no zester or grater in my kitchen apparently) so I added a bit of extra orange juice. My sauce came out thick and very orange-y but not too much. Next time I’ll add some red pepper flakes for a bit more heat.
    I gave this recipe to my family group chat because it is too good to keep hidden.

    Reply

  94. Luke Madsen

    5 stars
    This is seriously the best Orange Chicken I have ever had! The flavor is absolutely delicious and I was able to nail the recipe on my first try! Super simple and easy to follow. Will definitely be making this again as well as sharing it with family and friends!

    Reply

  95. Sana

    5 stars
    Wow! This was delicious. Honestly, better than takeout not just because I knew what was in my food but it was tasty and I feel great after eating it.

    Reply

  97. Grace

    5 stars
    I absolutely LOVE this recipe, but I can’t EVER get the sauce to thicken. It doesn’t matter what I do, with chicken broth or without it. Ughhh

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      Hi Grace – I just re-tested this recipe yesterday and it took exactly 12 minutes for it to thicken. Give it time, I promise. The sauce needs to be boiling on high heat for it to thicken. It should be bubbling the entire time. 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!

      Reply

  98. Brynna

    5 stars
    This recipe has been on my list to try for a while now and I finally made it tonight and it was SO GOOD. My husband, who told me before I made it that he doesn’t like orange chicken, LOVED it. Highly recommend. This meal will be part of our regular rotation going forward for sure!

    Reply

  99. Beka

    5 stars
    So full of flavor without the added sugar and sodium!! I loved how mine turned out❤ I didn’t feel bloated after eating and was definitely happy with how it turned out!!

    Reply

  100. Emily

    5 stars
    If you’re looking to fill those takeout cravings through a homemade meal, this is the recipe! This dish was amazing – easy to make and delicious to eat! I paired mine with steamed broccoli (as suggested in the recipe) and it was perfect! I will definitely be making this again!

    Reply

  101. Tay

    5 stars
    I thought this was really tasty, my boyfriend especially loved it and went back for seconds, so no leftovers! I served it in a bowl with white rice and broccoli. I spoke so highly of it to my sister that she made it herself a few days later and loved it as well. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      Thank you so much, Tay! Glad you both liked it. Thanks for sharing with your sister too – I really appreciate it!

      Reply

  102. Lydia

    5 stars
    My family was skeptical about a sauce with orange juice but they all ended up liking it better than they thought they would. It was pretty good and a healthier alternative to regular orange chicken. I accidentally forgot the honey and it turned out fine.

    Reply

  104. Erin

    5 stars
    I just made this recipe tonight and not only was it so simple, it was absolutely delicious! My husband is quite the critic and he was also impressed!

    Reply

  105. Megan White

    5 stars
    Wow!! I’m so glad i came across this recipe!! This is out of this world and my fiancé even loved it and he’s brutally honest with my cooking! Thanks so much, this one is definitely on the chicken roster

    Reply

  107. Alina

    5 stars
    This was amazing! Thank you for this recipe. I was craving it this week and I made it for my family. So surprised that it turned out so well and everyone loved it!

    Reply

  108. Jen

    5 stars
    The sauce is super flavorful! Made this for meal prep and shared the recipe with a friend at our gym who made it for heathy dinner. Great recipe that everyone loved and is in line with our clean eating methods that we recommend at our gym. Looking forward to enjoying these meals for quick prepped meals to eat on a busy work day. Definitely recommend this recipe!!

    Reply

  110. Haylee

    5 stars
    Great recipe! We made this tonight, and it was a big hit. I probably didn’t let the sauce reduce enough because it was still pretty thin, but still really good overall! We ‘ll definitely make it again and I’ll give it more time before adding the chicken back in. Thanks!

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      Glad you liked it, Haylee! Definitely give it a little more time next time – it should be at a rolling boil until it thickens 🙂

      Reply

  111. Ashlee

    5 stars
    This was so great! I love how simple it was to put together!
    I used lemon infused honey from a local company and it was a great added citrus flavor!

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      Hi Anna – I’m not sure what your question is. You cook the chicken completely and remove it from the pan. From the same pan you add the sauce and bring it to a boil. Is this what your question is referring to? Thanks!

      Reply

  113. Antoinette Lee

    5 stars
    I tried this recipe today and it was so gooood!! I really loved it! Will surely be cooking this dish more often! Thank you for this yummy recipe!!

    Reply

  114. Natalie

    5 stars
    It was so good! We used white rice because my family won’t eat brown rice 😂 but we made it into lettuce wraps and it was really delicious. I will definitely be making it again!

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      So glad you liked it, Natalie! We usually serve it over white rice too 😉 Lettuce wraps are a great idea!

      Reply

  116. Rachel K.

    5 stars
    First time making this, it was amazing and kid approved! I do believe I put a little too much orange zest but other than that, I would highly recommend this recipe.

    Reply

  117. Haley

    I’m so glad you guys added how much the serving size is!! Most recipes don’t put exactly how much it is. But i am a little confused is it 1 1/2 cups of chicken and 1 1/2 cups of veggies or a combined 1 1/2 split between the chicken and the veggies ?

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      Hi Hayley – The serving size is an approximation. I wrote it as 1.5 cups being a mix of chicken/veggies. If you need exact serving sizes/macros – you’ll need to weigh everything out and use something like My Fitness Pal. hope that is helpful!

      Reply

  118. Bridget

    5 stars
    This was delicious!! I’ve never tried orange chicken before so I’m not sure what to compare it to, but yum!! I served it with a brown rice and cauliflower mixture, and broccoli! The sauce took a while to thicken, but I doubled the recipe so that’s probably why. I added some red pepper flakes to add a bit of a spice. Was a bit “orangey” but over all sooooo good. My whole family loved it.

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      So glad you liked it, Bridget! Doubling the sauce will definitely lead to a longer cook time. I’m glad your family enjoyed it!!

      Reply

  122. Lindsay

    Any suggestions on how to thicken the sauce? I’ve made this recipe a total of about 10 times and the sauce always seems too thin. Not sure where I’m going wrong.

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      All my tips for thickening the sauce are included in the post. Are you substituting any ingredients? And are you actually letting the sauce boil?

      Reply

    • JT

      I would suggest using regular seasme oil as toasted sesame oil has a higher smoke point and will result in a more burnt taste. If you are cooking aggressively, rule of them is to use regular sesame oil and top the dish at the end with toasted sesame oil.

      Reply

      • The Clean Eating Couple

        It’s fine to cook with toasted sesame oil but if you’re bothered by it you can cook the chicken in whatever oil you like. They all have relatively similar smoke points!

        Reply

  124. Renee

    5 stars
    This was by far the best chicken dish I have ever had. My son and I cooked this dish together. We used skinless chicken thighs and he cut them up into large chunks & added some salt and pepper. We did have to let the sauce cook down more than 15 minutes to thicken, as there was quite a bit of the liquid left from cooking our chicken. Once it was thick, we added our cooked chicken back in and let the sauce thicken even more to where it was nice and sticky, a little crunchy almost on some pieces. Forgot to buy the broccoli and made cilantro lime white rice for this dish.

    Reply

  125. Melanie

    5 stars
    I love orange chicken and this recipe looks like it came from my Chinese takeout!I do not have a hot pot,can I cook it in a crock pot or is there another way to cook this easily?Thank you,your recipes have me cooking healthier and liking it!

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      Hi Melanie – There are instant pot and stove top instructions in this recipe. I have not made this in a crockpot and wouldn’t recommend it. You need heat to make the sauce thicken.

      Reply

  126. Hayley Chase

    5 stars
    I loved this! It was my first time making orange chicken and I was pleasantly surprised by how easy and delicious it was. I only had light soy sauce and it was fine.

    Reply

  127. Sky

    5 stars
    This is so good, I honestly think this will be your new favorite food. I love it! Its so savory and tastes amazing!

    Reply

  128. Raquel

    5 stars
    This recipe was so easy to follow and it turned out amazing!! The only thing I did different was using a vegetable stock instead of chicken broth to keep is vegetarian for myself. My boyfriend LOVED this! He ate it with chicken just like the recipe and I made mine up with pan fried tofu and good lord it was delicious. Seriously. This sauce was perfect!
    We’re trying the Pad Thai recipe this weekend!

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      Thank you so much, Raquel!! So glad you liked it! Love that you were able to make it for both of you!

      Reply

  129. Kendra

    5 stars
    I’ve been looking for healthy alternatives to some favorite, unhealthy foods and this recipe did not disappoint. It is so delicious! I didn’t have any coconut aminos so I used low sodium soy sauce and ground ginger instead of fresh ginger. This is a new favorite and will definitely be in my rotation! Thank you Clean Eating Couple!!

    Reply

  130. Whitney

    5 stars
    Not only is this recipe healthy like I like, it’s extremely easy and tastes as good as it looks. I’ve made this recipe multiple times this week and plan on making it on the regular!

    Reply

  132. Darci

    5 stars
    My family loved this recipe. My favorite part is itakes you feel like your an amazing cook without a ton of hassle!

    Reply

  133. Lyanne Aguilera

    5 stars
    The meal turned out delicious. The sauce is soooo scrumptious! It tastes just like take out but way healthier. For a low fat recipe, this is perfect. I meal prepped it for 5 days with with rice and broccoli and it came out just like the pics.

    Reply

  134. Beka L.

    5 stars
    I’ve made this several times and LOVE it!! I think I like adding and tweaking some of my own things such as red pepper powder for some extra heat, but the foundations to the recipe have helped me clean up my frequent Chinese meals! I love to pair this with grilled pinneaple and a ton of veggies <3

    Reply

  137. Karen p

    5 stars
    This has made it onto the dinner list. Easy, quick and delicious! What more could you want?!?! I added 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes for a little kick. I used only a pound of chicken but made all the sauce. It was great on the rice. This one’s a keeper!

    Reply

  142. Zaneta Z

    5 stars
    Delicious! We didn’t use the optional broth and honestly I don’t think it needs it! If you are not paleo and plan on using soy sauce I recommend using LITE soy sauce so it doesn’t come out salty. I also recommend doubling the sauce for anyone who likes to slather it on their broccoli and/or rice as well as the chicken. But if you only want it on the chicken, this makes the perfect amount!

    Reply

  144. Kay Rose

    5 stars
    My sister and I both tried this at the same time via Facetime. (We cook something together that way about every week.) We BOTH loved it! This one is a winner and easy to make. We put it over the broccoli. I think next time I will also add some quinoa to serve it over. Very, very good. Or as we say when something is this good: “restaurant quality”.

    Reply

  146. MeeDeessa Morgan

    5 stars
    Followed recipe exactly except for coconut amino (used light soy sauce). Very tasty and will cook again. Approved by 11 year old son.

    Reply

  148. Abby

    5 stars
    Made this tonight with date syrup, and it was INCREDIBLE!! It goes against technical Whole 30, but we are past the 30 days and going for a lifestyle change, so figured using date syrup instead of honey was ok for us. 🙂 Next time we will cut it down to 2tbsp and see how that works. Thank you for this amazing recipe! It will be in heavy rotation at our house!!

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      Glad you liked it, Abby! Technically date syrup in Whole30 and there’s nothing non-compliant about that swap. It’s totally fine to use when making a savory dish 😉 Glad it worked for you!!

      Reply

  150. Monisha Rosenfeld

    5 stars
    I have celiac disease so finding a place to order orange chicken thats gluten free and safe is mission impossible. It was years since I even had orange chicken so I was so happy when I found this recipe! It was easy follow and it came out delicious!! I will definitely be making it again!
    The cleaning eating couple is definitely my go to place for recipes because all the recipes are super healthy and always so yummy! So thankful for this blog!

    Reply

  151. Emmy

    5 stars
    This recipe was absolutely amazing. I was searching for something like this that could hit the spot but not make me feel horrible. LOVED IT!

    Reply

  156. Kelsey

    5 stars
    I have made this multiple times and it’s sooooo good! Makes wonderful meal prep for work lunches! Trust her on the sauce, IT WILL THICKEN! Love it!

    Reply

  158. Caroline

    5 stars
    I made this for the first time a few weeks ago and my husband loved this!! We will definitely have to try it again soon.

    Reply

  162. Ashley

    5 stars
    Easy to follow recipe & with all ingredients that I had on hand!! I have celiac so I loved that this is GF yet tastes so yummy and is like the cleaner version of takeout! I have made it a few times now and my husband and I love it!

    Reply

    • Monisha Rosenfeld

      5 stars
      I have celiac disease so finding a place to order orange chicken thats gluten free and safe is mission impossible. It was years since I even had orange chicken so I was so happy when I found this recipe! It was easy follow and it came out delicious!! I will definitely be making it again!
      The cleaning eating couple is definitely my go to place for recipes because all the recipes are super healthy and always so yummy! So thankful for this blog!

      Reply

  164. Cassie

    5 stars
    The clean eating couple is one of my favorite food blogs! You can choose any recipe and know it will Impress without having to trial it. This orange chicken recipe in particular is a favorite! Must try!

    Reply

  167. Madison Wetherill

    5 stars
    This is our favorite healthy chicken recipe!!! I can’t eat take out anymore because this recipe is just SO much better than takeout orange chicken. It’s so easy to make too that it’s a no brainer to have it for dinner.

    Reply

  168. jess

    5 stars
    i haven’t been able to eat chinese food in so long (celiac disease) but this recipe is my go-to for satisfying the craving!!

    Reply

  169. Erin

    5 stars
    Such a good alternative to the overly sweet versions we all grew up on! Great work, Liz! Keep those tasty AND healthy recipes coming!!

    Reply

  172. Dianna

    5 stars
    This recipe was a hit for this family of 5! Whenever I find a recipe that makes everyone happy I put it into permanent rotation! I will be making this many times over.

    Reply

  173. Stephanie

    5 stars
    Tried this earlier in the week- so good and so easy! I actually liked the leftovers the next day even more! Can’t wait to make it again! 😋

    Reply

  178. Kaitlyn

    5 stars
    This is a staple in my house. The flavor is amazing,, I add more orange juice than aminos at times if I wan More orange tasting flavors.

    Reply

  182. Danielle

    5 stars
    So simple, easy & quick – also a dish my whole family loves. Leaves you full & feeling great after a yummy meal. I love the how the orange isn’t overwhelming as well. Better, cleaner & cheaper than takeout!!!

    Reply

  184. Lauren

    5 stars
    Such a great and easy recipe. You will not regret adding this to your menu this week! Great with rice, cauli-rice, or on its own! We don’t miss takeout!

    Reply

  195. Danielle

    5 stars
    This is amazing sauce! Also makes the chicken more tender! I paired with sautéed green beans and cauliflower rice! Will have this again

    Reply

  196. Melanie

    5 stars
    This is one of my favorite meals to make. My husbands favorite dish I’ve made to date. Turns out delicious every time!

    Reply

  203. Darci

    5 stars
    This is so yummy! We have made it several times, and can honestly say every time I am so happy we chose this recipe. Liz knows her stuff and knows how to make delicious recipes. The Clean Eating Couple has not disappointed with any of their recipes we have tried!

    Reply

  207. Kristie

    5 stars
    So good!! This recipe comes together quick and the whole family LOVES it! Subbed an orange/pineapple juice and it was delicious!

    Reply

  213. Teresa

    5 stars
    My husband loves orange chicken but I’m allergic to nuts so I can’t eat out at a Chinese restaurant. This was the perfect compromise. I love that it’s healthy and the sauce is so light compared to the jarred Panda Express orange sauce you can buy at the store. Our son, who also had food allergies, can eat it and he loves it too! We do omit the red pepper flakes since no one but me likes things spicy…and it’s just as delicious!

    Reply

  215. Colleen

    5 stars
    Thanks for this delicious recipe! My husband loves takeout and even he agreed this was good ! I’m glad
    To have found this healthier alternative where I know exactly
    What is in the dish!

    Reply

  217. Catharine

    5 stars
    Such a great and simple recipe. My husband won’t eat take out orange chicken anymore and asks me to make this weekly, lol.

    Reply

  219. Jessica

    5 stars
    Love this recipe! So easy to make and one of my go-to meals to make. Plus the leftovers are even better (if you have any!).

    Reply

  222. Ryan Kalkowski

    5 stars
    Liz’s Healthy Orange Chicken was so good and it didn’t leave me feeling yucky after like traditional Chinese food! Definitely recommend giving it a try, it’s so easy to make!

    Reply

  224. Sam

    5 stars
    This meal seriously hits the spot. Super easy to make and it allows me to have some delicious gluten free orange chicken! Something I can’t get normally when eating out.

    Reply

  225. Cara

    5 stars
    So good!! Easy recipe to follow. Love that you provide substitutions/suggestions for different ways to make/serve. Look forward to finding/trying more of your recipes !!

    Reply

  229. Melinda

    5 stars
    I make this almost weekly. So good that it feels like we grabbed takeout. Being an inexperienced cook, this is huge for me. It is a meal that I enjoy serving my family and love that they are excited when they hear it’s on the menu!

    Reply

  231. Michelle Sabo

    5 stars
    When you’re craving takeout but want to stay in and cook instead… this is solid. Great flavor and is so easy. This is a great way to spice up your meals when you’re getting sick of boring plain chicken. Highly recommend you try it!

    Reply

  233. Rae

    I don’t know what I did wrong, maybe I have the wrong Orange juice. I’ve made this three times and the sauce never thickens for me without a thickener. At one point I ended up cooking it for 40 plus minutes and it got a slightly acrid taste when I was waiting for it thicken. I love it as a base recipe but corn starch slurry is definitely necessary to get the sauce to thicken for me.

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      Hi Rae – What kind of orange juice are you using? Are you boiling the sauce? It needs to be bubbling and at a rolling boil. You should definitely not need to cook this for 40 minutes.

      Reply

  234. Phil

    5 stars
    This is my favorite orange chicken ever — healthy or not. I’ve made it several times and it’s always a big hit with everyone, adults and kids alike.
    I use soy sauce and honey in this recipe. I also use fresh ginger, but I noticed that one place on this post says you can sub 1/4 tsp of ground ginger, and another place says you can sub 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger. You may want to fix that to avoid confusion.
    Anyway, thank you for this recipe. My sauce always comes out kind of a yucky-looking brown color (because of the soy sauce?), but it doesn’t matter because it’s AMAZING!

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      Thank you so much, Phil! I just fixed that so I appreciate you calling out the typo! The sauce color is probably just because of the ingredients you use – sometimes if I use different soy sauce vs coconut aminos mine is a darker color. Orange chicken you get from restaurants usually has dye in it to give it that rich orange color!

      Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      I haven’t tried that, Natalie. I’m not sure how it will affect the recipe. I’m sorry! I would recommend making this on the stove. I know it will work if doubled on the stove!

      Reply

  236. Kristen Gutierrez

    5 stars
    So I made this tonight and it was wonderful. Next time I will make a few tweaks, I will add some heat either chili flakes or chili oil and I will also add some yellow and red peppers and maybe an onion! This is a keeper for sure! Loved it!!

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      So glad you liked it, Kristen! You can definitely make all of those tweaks. We like to leave our recipes pretty mild so that people can add spice to taste!

      Reply

  237. Dave

    5 stars
    Made this recipe last night, one pan with chicken &one pan with extra firm tofu. Came out excellent. I had the temps just right & the chicken came out perfect.. The tofu was probably the best I’ve had., super simple too.
    For the tofu: drained, sliced into 3/4” blocks then pressed to get the liquid out. “worked better than pressing the entire block” dredged in cornstarch, a little salt & finished it off just like the chicken. Had it over quinoa & topped with black sesame seeds.
    Last week I made your minestrone & lemon chicken soups too. Both came out great, 3 containers in the freezer for later. Thanks again & best wishes.

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      Hi Sarah – I haven’t tried it but maybe you could use a date that is pureed? Or date paste? Might be best to just try to google Whole30 Orange Chicken Recipe, I’m sorry but without trying it I don’t know if it would even work!

      Reply

  243. Melissa

    5 stars
    This was amazing!!! So easy but still made me feel slightly challenged and like I was finally doing something different!!!
    Soooooo flavorful (FYI I only did 1 tbs of honey cause we don’t love things super sweet & added a tbs of tapioca starch!) love love love this recipe and blog!!!!

    Reply

  244. Julia Erickson

    5 stars
    Oh my this was so much better than I was expecting. Super easy recipe to follow plus the whole family loved it!

    Reply

  245. Melissa

    5 stars
    This recipe was incredible, and she does such a good job of helping lay out the instructions so it’s easy to make. I got a little nervous if I had done the sauce correctly but trusted her notes and voila it did exactly as she said it would right at the timing she said it would! So awesome! I steamed some broccoli and some brown basmati rice and even my picky eater husband liked it too! Thank you for another great recipe!

    Reply

  246. Brooke

    5 stars
    Made this tonight! It was SO SO good. At first, I didn’t have the stove turned up high enough for the sauce to thicken. Once I turned it up, it thickened up nicely! Thank you for the recipe 🙂

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      Hi Suzette- Please google ‘how to zest an orange’ for tips on this. We use a microplane zester but a cheese grater would also probably work

      Reply

  249. Jennica

    5 stars
    On WW and just tried this tonight and loved it! It took a solid 20 minutes for the sauce to thicken, but it did happen. We subbed out the orange juice for light 50 calorie oj to cut down on points. I also airfried green beans to get them crispy and served with brown rice. I will be making again, but doubling it next time for a lot of left overs.

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      So glad you liked it, Jennica!The light OJ might have been what caused the issue.. the sugars in OJ is what helps the sauce thicken!

      Reply

  250. Lacey

    5 stars
    This orange chicken is amazing!! Second time making it tonight and still just as good as the first time! I’m not a great cook but this is pretty simple to make and tastes fantastic! I have shared the recipe link with everyone I know!!

    Reply

  251. Erika

    I love orange chicken and this was very orangey, delicious, and the kids liked it (that’s what counts).
    But my sauce never really “thickened.” My sauce ended up really liquidy, I had to add cornstarch (which I am not a big fan of).

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      Sorry to hear that your sauce didn’t thicken. Did you use all the correct ingredients or did you make substitutions? If you changed ingredients or didn’t use 100% orange juice the sauce may not thicken. There’s a whole section on tips for getting the sauce to thicken!

      Reply

  252. Heather Eastwood

    5 stars
    This recipe is absolutely fabulous! I made this for my Fiancé and myself tonight with cauliflower rice and steamed broccoli. It was a huge hit! Ths will definitely become part of our regular meal rotation. I was skeptical at first, the sauce really does take the full 15 minutes to reduce, but man oh man was it worth it!

    Reply

  253. Christina

    5 stars
    I made this tonight and it was very good! I did toss my raw zoodles into the sauce after it had thickened and allowed them to cook for a few minutes just to soften them. Turns out, that was a bad idea. It watered down my sauce. Next time I will lightly sautee the zoodles separately, or just go with riced cauliflower instead. The flavor was still great though! Lesson learned!

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      Hi Christina – That’s a bummer about the zoodles but they do release a ton of water – the rice cauliflower will do the same thing so I would recommend sautéing on the side and just pouring the sauce over! Glad you liked it though!

      Reply

  254. Lexi

    5 stars
    This was beyond good, I almost surprised myself when I took the first bite.

    I was getting ima orient with the sauce it didn’t seem like it was ever going to thicken but mine took about 20 min.

    I think they jet to flavor is fresh ginger; i loved the taste of it!

    Reply

  256. Roxanne Guerra

    I made the orange chicken and it was so good. I may have over cooked my chicken because it was a bit dry. At what temp did you cook the chicken?

    Reply

  258. Becca

    5 stars
    SO GOOD! I had pretty much all the ingredients already which made this super easy to make. I decided to pair it with roasted broccoli with staple seasonings and serving it over rice for my lunches this week! I use 2-cup Pyrex containers for my lunches and it was the perfect amount to fill them up!

    Already looking forward to lunch tomorrow!!😋

    Reply

  259. Emily

    5 stars
    This was yummy. You definitely have to make sure the sauce is at a rapid boiling. It notes that in the blog post with pictures but not in the recipe part. I wish it had bc that’s where I went wrong. Other than that delish.

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      Glad you liked it, Emily! It says in step 6 and multiple times throughout the blog post that the sauce needs to be boiling so I’m sorry you had trouble with that – but I’m not sure how I could’ve made it more clear! It’s the whole key to the recipe which is why I included photos and a whole section on thickening the sauce in addition to the actual recipe steps.

      Reply

  260. Stephanie

    5 stars
    This was SO easy and delicious! The whole family enjoyed it and I have picky eaters. I served in a bowl with jasmine rice, steamed broccoli and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.

    Reply

  264. Jessica

    5 stars
    Love, love, love this recipe. It’s on rotation every week. Easy so your not ordering take out full of crap. You can eat 2 bowls of this and not feel bad.

    Reply

  265. Jaime

    5 stars
    This is a great takeout-fakeout dish when I’m craving those flavors. It’s great balance of sweet and savory. It’s in my regular rotation of meals!

    Reply

  266. Ryan P. Grace

    5 stars
    Very very tasty! But fix your ingredient list! I began to cook it and saw that you only list the OJ at the beginning of the recipe. Drained the water out of the chicken to get it to crisp a bit, served over zucchini/butternut squash shoestrings. Will cook again.

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      Hi Ryan – There are two separate sections in this recipe. one section for the chicken/vegetable/oil and one section for the sauce. It’s already divided so I couldn’t make it any clearer! Sorry you had an issue with it!

      Reply

  267. Lizzie

    5 stars
    Even my picky toddlers loved this recipe! Definitely going in the forever rolladex of recipes.. we added a little Japanese seven spice on top instead of just sesame seeds and it paired so good with the tangy/ toasty flavor. If you’re thinking about trying this, just do it!

    Reply

  270. Cynthia

    5 stars
    AMAZING recipe! By far, the best orange chicken we’ve made! I’ve had a fair share of orange chicken and NOTHING, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING comes close to this recipe.

    We used a side of steamed broccoli and the sauce of the orange chicken just made it even more delicious.

    We ended up not using the chicken broth (didn’t have any) but it didn’t change the flavor at all!

    I’ll always come back to this recipe!

    Reply

  272. Carissa

    5 stars
    This is THE perfect recipe for a healthy alternative to a delicious but heavy and greasy/fattening/high sodium dish! Sometimes I love Chinese takeout but don’t like how heavy it feels after I eat it. The flavor of this sauce is absolutely incredible and it’s SO easy to make! I honestly love it maybe a little more the next day for leftovers after the sauce thickens just a littleeee more in the fridge. Reheats great. We also boil the full 20 mins and it thickens up nice. You can make it more/less “orange-y” with the amount of orange zest you put in! But this recipe is truly delicious and it’s light and healthy and we feel wonderful after we eat it. Thank you! We will definitely be checking out more of your recipes 🙂

    Reply

  273. Nicole

    5 stars
    Made this with fresh squeezed orange juice and forgot the orange zest and sesame oil and it was still DELICIOUS!

    Reply

  274. Jeff M

    5 stars
    Excellent recipe!!! Great texture and flavor. I did have to add a bit of corn starch to thicken the sauce. Next time will add peanuts too. The orange zest is a little too strong for my taste. This is definitely a meal I will make again….Probably will become one of my regular healthy chicken meals to make. I topped the chicken with steamed broccoli.

    Reply

  275. Liz kane

    5 stars
    Made this again tonight. So yummy! I love this sauce as not heavy and sticky like a restaurants orange chicken. I used ground ginger and forget to lessen the amount lol 😂 so it had a kick but still so good!

    Reply

  276. Sean

    5 stars
    The chicken came out dry, but the sauce was very good. I would cook this with dark meat for juicy chicken, though it would make the fat content higher.

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      Sorry to hear that, Sean – it could’ve been that you cooked it on too high of heat for too long.

      Reply

  278. Krysta

    5 stars
    Tried this recipe tonight – it was delicious! We used soy sauce instead of coconut aminos. We served it with white rice and sautéed green beans. The sauce was very flavorful.

    Reply

  279. Jennifer

    5 stars
    I’ve made this recipe a few times now and I swear it gets better each time. I do think I will double the sauce next time to have more to put on the broccoli because it’s so good that way. A quick and healthy recipe that I can make on a busy weeknight. Even my daughter, who hates all Chinese food, loves this one!

    Reply

  280. Sarah Sue

    How do you prepare the ginger for this recipe – sliced (and removed before serving?), grated, or something else? Thanks

    Reply

  281. Caitlin

    5 stars
    This recipe is absolutely delicious! I added a few crushed red pepper flakes to my sauce to give it some zip! But this recipe is so easy to make and tastes just as good reheated the next day! Five stars!

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      Thank you so much! You can definitely add hot pepper flakes or even sriracha to add heat!

      Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      I would not do this. I don’t think it will taste good at all. There is no sugar in lemon and will result in a very bitter, acidic sauce

      Reply

  283. Carrie

    5 stars
    We loved this!!! Read the other comments and for the sauce to reduce you definitely have to keep it at a simmer/almost a boil and not on low heat! will make again for sure (: good for when you want chinese food without all the added sugar

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      So happy you liked it, Carrie! Thanks!! You definitely need to boil it – it says that right in the recipe! If you don’t it won’t work 🙂 Thanks for giving it a try!

      Reply

  285. Brenda Underberg

    5 stars
    I really liked this recipe. I think the fresh ginger really made it! The only thing different that I did is the sauce did not thicken so I added a little cornstarch and that helped. Will make this again, so easy!

    Reply

  287. Jon

    5 stars
    Wow! This was great tasting and very easy to prepare I did not have any coconut amino so I substituted low sodium soya sauce. My wife is a big fan of orange chicken made the unhealthy way but even she liked this recipe.
    Definitely going to make again.

    Reply

  291. Carol R Gehringer

    I love orange chicken but my husband can’t stand it (hates oranges). Any ideas for subbing the OJ? I realize it won’t be orange chicken without the OJ, but is there something similar I can make with these ingredients?

    Reply

  294. Jessica Holloway

    5 stars
    This is SO delish! We have tried several different orange chicken recipes, and this one is by far our favorite. Next time I will definitely double the sauce, we like extra saucy. Thanks, Liz!

    Reply