Healthy Orange Chicken
Steve Carmichael·Last updated 
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.
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.
Healthy Orange Chicken
A baked version of orange chicken that skips the deep fryer but keeps all the sticky, citrusy flavor runners love.
1Ingredients
2Instructions
- 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.