Orange Chicken - Healthy Runner Recipes

Healthy Orange Chicken

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Orange Chicken is a delicious dish that is much healthier than you might think. Full of carbohydrates and protein, it makes a great pre-race meal.

Quick and easy to make, it is well worth making at home with quality ingredients like fresh orange juice, fragrant ground spices, and protein-rich ground chicken.

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Orange Chicken recipe

Healthy Orange Chicken

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Description

Orange Chicken might not be a traditional Chinese dish, but it’s delicious and a lot healthier than you might think. Sure, you could order take-out, but because my Orange Chicken is quick and easy to make, and you know exactly what goes into it, it is well worth making at home.

A Sauce Made in Heaven

The decadent Orange Chicken sauce is the kind of homemade that I love, full of wholesome ingredients but ready in minutes. Here, I’m using freshly squeezed orange juice with honey for sweetness, tamari for salt, and apple cider vinegar for that special sour touch. Then come the spices, like ginger, turmeric, garlic, and pepper flakes.

To make it smooth but still able to cling to the chicken, all-purpose flour is used as a thickener.

The result? A sweet and luscious sauce that coats the chicken thoroughly for the perfect bite every single time. This is a family favorite, and if you struggle to get your kids to eat enough protein, Orange Chicken might just be what you’re looking for!

Because the dish is pretty uniform in color, you will want to sprinkle sesame seeds on top for both flavor and texture, but also a stunning presentation. If you want to take it a step further, chopped scallions, both green and white parts, would look great as well. 

Vegetarian Orange Chicken?

If you don’t eat chicken or just aren’t in the mood, you can still enjoy this recipe. One option is to coat cauliflower in a little oil and cook it in an Air Fryer for 15 minutes or so at 400°F (200°C). Another is to press the water out of tofu slices, cut them into cubes, and bake them for about 30 minutes at 400°F (200°C).

Prepping and Storing

You can make the sauce in advance, warm it up, and toss it with the hot chicken just before serving. You might have to dilute it slightly, as it will thicken further as it cools. Or, store leftovers for about 3 days in the refrigerator.

I am serving Orange Chicken with rice the way it usually is, but for a low-carb version, cauliflower rice would be a good substitute. Or, use quinoa for more protein.

Do you track your meals using MyFitnessPal?  If so, simply scan the following barcode to quickly enter your item into your food tracking:

Orange Chicken - myfitnesspal barcode

Ingredients

For the sauce:

½ tablespoon all-purpose flour

½ tablespoon water

½ cup (120 ml) fresh orange juice

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons tamari

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

¼ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

⅛ teaspoon salt

⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper

For the chicken:

½ tablespoon sesame oil

½ lb. (225 g) ground lean chicken

Salt and pepper

2 cups (350 g) cooked white rice

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, whisk together ½ tablespoon of flour and ½ tablespoon of water. Set aside.
  2. In a pot over medium heat, add the orange juice, honey, apple cider vinegar, tamari, salt, and all the dried spices. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
  3. Lower the heat and add the flour and water mixture. Whisk until the mixture begins to thicken. Once the mixture is thick, remove the pot from the heat.
  4. Heat the sesame oil in a skillet over medium heat, and cook the ground chicken. Break up the chicken as it cooks with a spoon. Cook for about 4-5 minutes.
  5. Season with salt and pepper, and add the orange sauce to the chicken. Sauté everything together for 1-2 minutes.
  6. Serve the chicken over the white rice and sprinkle over the sesame seeds.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: Dinner

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 4
  • Calories: 307 grams
  • Fat: 7 grams
  • Carbohydrates: 45 grams
  • Fiber: 0 gram
  • Protein: 15 grams

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