Healthy Orange Chicken Recipe
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Skip takeout and try this Healthy Orange Chicken Recipe instead! Gluten free and high protein – it’s a delicious healthy chicken recipe! Made with just a few ingredients, it’s tasty and easy to make!
This post was originally shared in 2015 but has since been updated.
If you’re looking for a healthy alternative to orange chicken look no further! This Healthy Orange Chicken Recipe is one of our all time favorite meals and one of the most popular recipes on our site with close to 500 5 star reviews!
Made with only a few ingredients, it’s full of flavor, and easy to make. This dish is one I always turn to when I need something easy and healthy.
Why You Should Make This Recipe
- Baked, not fried: Typically orange chicken is battered and fried, then tossed in sauce. This healthy orange chicken recipe is sautéed lightly in oil and then tossed in the sauce making it lower in fat and carbs.
- Lower in sugar: Orange chicken often comes tossed in a very sweet, thick sauce. This healthy sauce recipe tastes just as good with way less sugar and calories!
- Minimal Ingredients: This orange chicken recipe was made to be gluten free, dairy free, grain free, refined sugar free and paleo friendly so that anyone can enjoy it regardless of their diet.
This healthy chicken meal holds a close second to my Healthy Chicken Pad Thai for best ‘takeout fakeout’ recipe… (Chicken Fried Rice is up there too, and so is this Ground Turkey Stir Fry!)
Ingredients
Substitutions:
Toasted Sesame Oil: Toasted sesame oil is pretty essential for flavor. If you don’t have it, you can omit it from the sauce, but it will impact the flavor
Chicken: You can substitute chicken breasts with chicken tenders or boneless skinless chicken thighs.
Veggies: Serve this healthy orange chicken with any vegetables you like. Our favorite veggies to serve it with are steamed green beans or broccoli. You could also serve it with our cauliflower fried rice.
Orange Juice: You can sub regular bottled orange juice with freshly squeezed orange juice but we don’t recommend it. We don’t recommend low calorie or low sugar orange juice in this recipe. It can make the sauce taste bitter. Do not try to cut back on the orange juice used!. The orange juice helps the sauce thicken and is necessary!
Coconut Aminos: Coconut aminos are a gluten free soy sauce alternative. You can sub coconut aminos with soy sauce or bragg’s liquid aminos. If using Bragg’s Liquid Aminos, use HALF the amount – bragg’s is much saltier!
Honey: You can sub honey with maple syrup. We have never tried making this with sweetener substitutes so we’re not sure how it would work. Coconut sugar will not work in place of honey. You need a liquid sweetener.
Vegan/Vegetarian: You can sub chicken with tofu, or try our Vegan Orange Chicken!
Ginger: You can substitute fresh ginger with 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger.
How to make Orange Chicken
- Heat oil in pan and cook chicken until browned then set aside.
- While chicken is cooking, whisk together sauce ingredients.
- Add sauce ingredients to the pot and bring to a boil.
- 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.
- You’ll know the sauce is thickened when it coats the back of a spoon.
- Once the sauce is thickened, add the chicken back to the pan and toss until coated.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve this healthy orange chicken in so many different ways!
Over rice: Our favorite way to serve this recipe is with cooked white or brown rice. Quinoa or cooked farro is also a good option!
Low Carb/Grain Free: If you’re looking to eat lower carb, skip the rice. You can serve it over cauliflower fried rice, plain steamed cauliflower rice, or just with plained veggies.
Veggies: Broccoli, green beans, or steamed cauliflower are great for veggie side dishes.
Salad: You can also serve this alongside a salad. I love this Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad!
Storage
Storing: Healthy Orange Chicken will stay in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
Reheating: You can reheat this healthy orange chicken in a pan on the stove or in the microwave. If reheating in the pan I recommend adding a little bit of water to loosen up the sauce.
Freezing: We have not tried freezing this healthy orange chicken but I think it would work!
Tips for Making this Recipe in the Instant Pot:
- Make sure you pat the chicken breasts dry before you put it in the hot oil so they will brown.
- 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!
What to do if your sauce doesn’t thicken:
If your sauce isn’t thickening first, make sure that the sauce is boiling. It should be bubbling the entire time it is cooking. Then, give it time! It will take at minimum 15 minutes of boiling for the liquid to evaporate and for the sauce to thicken.
It can take up to 20 minutes for the sauce to thicken. Be patient! Stir the sauce every few minutes to prevent it from burning. When the sauce starts to pull away from the pan as you scrape it back, you’ll know it’s ready!
Healthy Orange Chicken FAQs
Yes! This is totally fine! Your sauce might look a little dark then these photos simply due to the ingredients you use. The color won’t impact the flavor!
You can use honey in place of sugar for orange chicken! Maple syrup would also work well.
Love chicken? If so – here are some of our other favorite healthy chicken recipes! This Chicken Vegetable Soup is my favorite!
Healthy Orange Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut in 1 inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 cups orange juice
- 1/4 cup coconut aminos
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 1/2 tablespoon orange zest
For serving:
- 4 cups steamed broccoli or green beans
- 2 cups cooked rice
Instructions
- Cook green beans and rice according to package directions.
- In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add chicken to the pan and cook for 10 minutes until the edges are brown and slightly crispy.
- While the chicken cooks, stir together all ingredients for the sauce in a bowl.
- Once the chicken is thoroughly cooked remove it from the pan and set aside in a clean 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 the sauce has thickened when you scrape the pan with a spatula and the sauce pulls away from the pan. The sauce should be bubbling the entire time.
- Once the sauce has thickened, add the cooked chicken back to the pot. Stir to coat the chicken in the sauce.
- Serve over steamed vegetables and rice.
Instant Pot Instructions
- IMPORTANT: If making this recipe in the instant pot you will need 3 teaspoons of cornstarch or arrowroot powder and 1/4 cup chicken stock. 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
- Cook green beans and rice according to package directions.
- 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
Nutrition Facts
Important Note: This is not an authentic orange chicken recipe. My goal is always to share recipes that are a bit healthier and made with affordable, accessible ingredients so everyone can enjoy them regardless of their food allergies or dietary restrictions. Here’s a link to an authentic Orange Chicken Recipe.
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!
Thank you so much!! I’m glad you could safely enjoy orange chicken without any compromises 🙂
So Good! The kids even liked it!
So glad you liked it, Kristie!
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!!
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!!
This is so good!
So glad you liked it, Deanna!
Followed recipe exactly except for coconut amino (used light soy sauce). Very tasty and will cook again. Approved by 11 year old son.
So glad you liked it!
Hi! For paleo, What orange juice do you use?
Any 100% orange juice with no added sugar will work!
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”.
So glad. you both liked it, Kay! That’s so sweet that you and your sister cook together – love that!
Tried today, everyone loved it! 😍 Will definitely make again soon. Thank you for the recipe!!
So glad you liked it, Lenka! Thank you so much!
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!
So glad you liked it, Zaneta! Thank you so much!
My sister and I tried this at separate locations via Facetime and we both LOVED it!! Restaurant quality. Great job!
This makes me so happy to hear!! Thanks, Kay!
This was so tasty! Family loved itt! The only thing is I had to boil it much longer to make the sauce.
So glad you liked it, Deanna!! Thank you!
This was amazing , the whole family loved it, thank you !!
So glad you liked it, Katerina! Thank you so much!
This recipe is amazing! It’s easy, healthy and delicious. Everybody loved it. I will make this again!
Thanks, Kelly! So glad you all enjoyed it!
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!
So glad you liked it, Karen!
Sooo delicious and easy to make! Will definitely be part of our rotation for dinners 🙌
Thanks, Pam!! Glad you liked it!
Excellent recipe. I did have to add cornstarch, 3 tsp. to make the sauce thicken, but otherwise, perfect!!
Glad you liked it, Dorothea!
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
Thanks, Beka! That sounds so yummy with the grilled pineapple!
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.
Thank you so much, Lyanne! Glad you enjoyed it!
My family loved this recipe. My favorite part is itakes you feel like your an amazing cook without a ton of hassle!
So glad you liked it, Darci! Thank you so much!
The best orange chicken, aside from the real Chinese food restaurant greasy stuff of course. 😉
Thank you!! I appreciate it!
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!
Thank you so much, Whitney! Really glad you liked it 🙂
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!!
So glad you liked it, Kendra! Thank you so much!!
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!
Thank you so much, Raquel!! So glad you liked it! Love that you were able to make it for both of you!
This is so good, I honestly think this will be your new favorite food. I love it! Its so savory and tastes amazing!
So glad you liked it, Sky!
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.
Thank you so much, Hayley! So glad you liked it!