Skinny Orange Chicken Recipe (2024)

Orange Chicken makes a favorite Chinese dish. Get this lightened up Skinny Orange Chicken recipe which is Paleo-friendly, gluten-free, and grain-free, but definitely not free of flavor!

Orange Chicken has to be one of my favorite Chinese dishes to order when we order takeout or visit a favorite Chinese restaurant. I’ve made it a few times at home, but decided that I wanted to make a skinny orange chicken recipe.

Skinny Orange Chicken Recipe (1)

You know, around the first of the year, that’s what seems to be on our minds. This lighter orange chicken recipe, or my Skinny Orange Chicken, is exactly what I had in mind! It’s so full of flavor and a favorite in my family!

Skinny Orange Chicken Recipe (2)

Skinny Orange Chicken

How to Make Skinny Orange Chicken

I begin with four skinless, boneless chicken breasts that I slice in half horizontally. You’ll definitely want to make sure you are using a very sharp knife held parallel to the cutting board when slicing the chicken in half. I then cut the halves into bite-sized pieces. I find that they cook a lot more evenly that way and it saves a ton of time when cooking chicken in recipes like this. and I like to pop my chicken into the freezer for about 15 minutes as it makes them perfect for cutting, in my opinion.

I toss my chicken into a skillet with a bit of oil. I use coconut oil as I want to make this recipe as Paleo-friendly as possible, but you can use olive oil, butter, or a combination of the two for a delicious flavor.

While the chicken is browning, I mix together the sauce for the chicken. While traditional orange chicken always calls for frying the chicken bites in a cornstarch batter, I omit that part to reduce a few calories. Believe me, you won’t miss it once you taste the sauce on this chicken!

Once the chicken is browned, I remove it from the skillet as I cook the sauce to reduce it for the dressing. You are going to love the substitutions I made. It tastes so fresh and delicious!

Skinny Orange Chicken Recipe (3)

Here’s my Skinny Orange Chicken Recipe. I think you are going to love it. I know we sure do!

Skinny Orange Chicken Recipe (4)

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Skinny Orange Chicken Recipe

Orange Chicken makes a favorite Chinese dish. Get this lightened up Skinny Orange Chicken recipe which is Paleo-friendly, gluten-free, and grain-free, but definitely not free of flavor!

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup chicken stock or broth
  • 3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
  • 3 tablespoons coconut aminos
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Sriracha sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 pinch red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon sesame seeds for garnish, optional
  • Broccoli recipe

Instructions

  • Melt coconut oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add in chicken pieces and cook until cooked through and browned, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside.

  • While chicken is cooking, stir together chicken stock, honey or maple syrup, garlic, orange zest, orange juice, coconut aminos, Sriracha sauce, ginger and red pepper flakes. Pour into heated skillet once chicken has been removed and reduce to low heat. Cook, stirring often, until sauce has been reduced and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from heat and pour over chicken.

  • To serve, spoon chicken over a bed of broccoli and then spoon on additional sauce. Top with sesame seeds, if desired.

Notes

If not concerned with making this recipe Paleo-friendly, use the following substitutions:
For 1 tablespoon coconut oil, use butter or olive oil or a combination of the two
For 1/4 cup coconut aminos, use 1/4 soy sauce

If your sauce does not thicken as desired, you may add the following to assist in the thickening:
Mix 1 – 2 teaspoons of tapioca flour or arrowroot powder, if Paleo OR cornstarch, if non-Paleo, with the same amount of water to form a paste. Stir into the sauce well to thicken.

Nutrition

Calories: 237kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 448mg | Potassium: 464mg | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 65IU | Vitamin C: 12.7mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 0.6mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Enjoy!
Robyn xo

Skinny Orange Chicken Recipe (5)

Categorized as:30 Minutes or Less Recipes, All Recipes, By Cooking Style, By Special Diets, Chicken Recipes, Cooking, Dinner Recipes, Egg-Free Recipes, Freezer Friendly Recipes, Gluten-Free Recipes, Grain-Free Recipes, Lighter Fare, One Dish Meal Recipes, Paleo Recipes, Recipes, Simple Recipes, Skillet Recipes

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About Robyn

Robyn Stone is a cookbook author, wife, mom, and passionate home cook. Her tested and trusted recipes give readers the confidence to cook recipes the whole family will love. Robyn has been featured on Food Network, People, Southern Living, and more.

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Skinny Orange Chicken Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is orange chicken sauce made of? ›

How to make the orange chicken sauce. The orange sauce is made from a mixture of the orange juice and zest, sugar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and rice vinegar. This is bubbled up in the wok until slightly thickened. The chicken is then added back in, and tossed in the sauce until fully coated.

How do you make a super thin chicken breast? ›

Cut the chicken breasts in half crosswise. On a sturdy cutting board, place a piece of chicken between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Using a mallet or other blunt object, pound the chicken into a flat piece about 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch thick. Repeat with the remaining chicken.

How to cook chicken to reduce fat? ›

Poaching: One of the most traditional methods, and a good solution if you're wondering how to cook chicken without oil, poaching involves boiling the chicken in water, stock or wine. Simply place your sliced chicken in a pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium heat before reducing to a simmer.

What is the difference between General Tso and orange chicken? ›

What is the difference between orange chicken and General Tso? Orange chicken is crispy fried with a fruity, sweet, and tangy sauce that's caramelized into a glaze. General Tso is stir-fried in a sweet, sour, and spicy umami sauce.

What is Panda Express orange chicken made of? ›

Ingredients: dark meat chicken, water, sugar, distilled vinegar, modified food starch, corn starch, potato starch, contains less than 2% of: wheat, orange extract, caramel color, salt, garlic, phosphoric acid, rice wine, sesame oil. *The dish uses a proprietary batter and sauce.

How do you thicken orange chicken sauce? ›

To thicken the sauce, pour it into a small saucepan on the stove over medium-high heat. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water to make a cornstarch slurry. Once the sauce starts to bubble in the pan on the stovetop, add the cornstarch slurry and stir to combine.

Is chicken good for losing belly fat? ›

If you are a meat-eater, lean chicken breast is a great source of protein if you want to beat belly fat. But do not forget healthy, fatty fish such as salmon.

What is the best chicken to eat to lose weight? ›

The chicken breast is lean and has the most protein by weight, making it ideal for people who want to lose weight, maintain muscle mass and improve recovery. Fattier cuts like the thigh, drumstick and wings have more calories, which make them better for people wanting to build muscle or gain weight.

What is the healthiest way to eat chicken? ›

Choosing healthy, lower heat cooking methods, including poaching, steaming, boiling, or roasting at moderate temperatures, may help minimize these risks while preserving the chicken's nutritional value. National Library of Medicine. Daily fried chicken serving linked to 13% higher risk of death.

What is orange chicken called at Chinese restaurants? ›

cheng zi ji (traditional Chinese: 橙子雞; simplified Chinese: 橙子鸡; pinyin: chéngzi jī; Jyutping: caang4-2 zi1 gai1; lit. 'orange chicken'), a calque.

Is Mongolian chicken the same as orange chicken? ›

7: Mongolian Chicken 🐔 Another highly requested recipe for all of you! I find this one super similar to Orange Chicken and Sesame Chicken, just with a different ratio of ingredients and no citrus added to the sauce. The dried chilies themselves don't actually add that much spice unless you break them open.

Which is healthier kung pao or general tso? ›

General Tso's chicken is battered, deep fried, and tossed with a spicy sauce. Kung Pao chicken, on the other hand, is not deep fried and instead is wok seared and tossed with a marinade. The choice here depends on the restaurant, but in most cases Kung Pao chicken is the winner.

What is the orange sauce at Chinese restaurants? ›

Duck sauce (or orange sauce) is a condiment with a sweet and sour flavor and a translucent orange appearance similar to a thin jelly. Offered at American Chinese restaurants, it is used as a dip for deep-fried dishes such as wonton strips, spring rolls, egg rolls, duck, chicken, fish, or with rice or noodles.

Is orange chicken the same as sweet and sour? ›

Orange Chicken is crispy and light due to its thin glaze. Meanwhile, Sweet and Sour Chicken is crispy with a thicker and more indulgent sauce. Their different textures make them both a delicious choice when you are craving Chinese food.

What is sweet and sour sauce made of? ›

While sweet and sour can be found in diverse forms in China, the American version builds upon the simple mixture of sugar, vinegar, and spices with the addition of fruit juice—most commonly pineapple—and ketchup, giving the sauce both its red hue and uniquely Western flavor.

What is inside hoisin sauce? ›

Hoisin is made with sugar, water, soybeans, salt, sweet potato, sesame seeds, cornstarch, garlic, wheat flour, chili pepper and spices.

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