Gluten Free Chinese Orange Chicken recipe that tastes as good as takeout! The chicken is extra crispy and is tossed in a super yummy orange juice and soy sauce glaze.
Tired of having to deny yourself Chinese takeout? I’m with ya’. Since going gluten free almost 4 years ago Chinese food is an automatic no-no on my list of restaurant choices. Everything is either fried or covered in a soy sauce glaze.
While yes, this chicken IS both fried AND covered in a soy sauce containing glaze… but also happens to be gluten free! How exactly is that?! This recipe calls for cornstarch instead of all-purpose flour and gluten free soy sauce instead of the gluten-containing kind. And guess what?! I bet your family won’t be able to tell the difference!!
When preparing this Gluten Free Chinese Orange Chicken you have a few options:
- For the starch: If you have tapioca starch on hand to bread the chicken I would use that instead of cornstarch. It will give it a slightly crunchier texture. However, cornstarch will still give you great results,too!
- For the orange juice and soy sauce glaze: You can choose to use fresh orange juice or already prepared, not from concentrate, orange juice. When making it in my own kitchen I used what we had on hand… Simply Orange orange juice, pulp free.
- For the spice level: The choice is totally up to you!! Add anywhere from zero to an entire teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the sauce to achieve your desired level of spice.
This gluten free chinese orange chicken actually tastes great for leftovers, too! If you are planning to pack up lunches or save some for tomorrow night’s dinner I would store the chicken and the glaze separately. Toss the chicken in a skillet with a little oil to reheat it and then add the orange juice glaze. This will help keep the chicken nice and crispy!
-FOR LEFTOVERS-
STORE THE CHICKEN & GLAZE SEPARATELY
What’s your favorite classic Chinese restaurant dish? Are there any you haven’t had since going gluten-free? I would love to hear in the comments section below.
Hope you enjoy this Crispy Chinese Orange Chicken!
PIN THIS GLUTEN FREE CHINESE ORANGE CHICKEN
Crispy Chinese Orange Chicken
Gluten Free Chinese Orange Chicken recipe that tastes as good as takeout! The chicken is extra crispy and is tossed in a super yummy orange juice and soy sauce glaze.
Ingredients
Crispy Chicken:
- 1 ½ lb. chicken breasts cut into 1-inch cubes
- ¾ c. cornstarch divided
- 1 egg whisked
- ½ c. olive or vegetable oil divided
Orange Sauce:
- 1 T. olive or vegetable oil
- 2 t. cornstarch
- 2 T. soy sauce gluten free
- 2 T. brown sugar
- 1 T. rice wine vinegar
- ½ - ½ t. red pepper flakes
- 1 c. orange juice
Extras:
- Cooked Rice
- Extra red pepper
- Green Onions
Instructions
For the Crispy Chicken:
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In a medium-sized shallow bowl place ¼ c. cornstarch.
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In a second, medium-sized shallow bowl place 1 whisked egg.
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In a 1-gallon ziptop bag place ¼ c. cornstarch.
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Take chicken cubes and dip in bowl of cornstarch, egg wash and then place in gallon bag. Once all chicken is in the bag pour remaining ¼ c. cornstarch over chicken cubes and toss to coat.
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In a large skillet over medium-low heat pour 3-4 T. oil and completely coat the bottom of the pan.
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Place half of the chicken cubes in the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, cooking chicken thoroughly.
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Remove chicken from pan and place on paper towels to let the excess oil drain. Repeat with second half of chicken cubes.
For the Orange Sauce:
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In a medium-sized saucepan combine 1 T. oil and 2 t. cornstarch. Whisk for 30 seconds over medium heat.
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Add soy sauce, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, red pepper flakes and ½ c. orange juice. Whisk until sauce begins to thicken. Add ¼ c. orange juice and continue to whisk until sauce begins to thicken.
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Add remaining orange juice, stir and let simmer for 3-5 minutes or until sauce begins to stick to the back of your spoon.
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Place drained chicken into the sauce and toss to combine. Serve chicken with green onions, rice and vegetables of choice. Enjoy!
Heidi @ Red Checkered Tablecloth says
This looks so yummy! I have definitely been missing Chinese food, and orange chicken has always been one of my favorites. I can’t wait to try this one!
London says
Thanks so much Heidi!! Chinese food is impossible to find gluten-free in a restaurant so why not just make your own at home 🙂 Hope you like it!