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

Welcome to Add A Pinch

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

How to cook chicken to reduce fat? ›

A: You can cook the chicken healthily to make it weight-loss-friendly. Using ingredients like herbs, vegetables, lean cuts like skinless breast, and healthy cooking techniques like grilling, baking, and roasting make the dish good for health, improving metabolic health.

How many sauce packets are in Trader Joe's orange chicken? ›

In fact, TJ's Mandarin Orange Chicken can be cooked and ready to eat in under 15 minutes! The bag of breaded and fried tender chicken pieces are frozen and ready to reheat, and the package also includes two packets of the Mandarin orange sauce.

Why is orange chicken so high in calories? ›

The chicken in many orange chicken recipes is usually battered and fried before adding the sauce. So you end up having a dish that is high in calories, fat, and sugar. It gets worse when you insist on eating it with sauce drippings and rice, which itself is highly caloric as well.

How do you upgrade frozen orange chicken? ›

microwave those frozen packages and then add some orange zest. the juice of an orange and half a cup of soy sauce. this is just a way to elevate the orange flavor in the orange chicken. mix it all together and bring it over to the cooking chicken & vegetables and mix that in.

Can I eat chicken to lose belly fat? ›

Chicken helps lose overall body weight if consumed as a healthy and balanced diet. In the process, one can also lose belly fat. While eating chicken, remember to opt for lean chicken breast; it is a good source of protein with fewer calories.

Can I eat chicken daily for weight loss? ›

As a lean meat, chicken doesn't have much fat — so aim for 100g per day as part of a balanced diet to make sure you're getting what you need. High is protein, it's a solid choice for feeling satiated for longer, weight loss and maintaining lean body mass.

How many calories in a small entree of orange chicken? ›

✗ Orange Chicken

The version of this Chinese-American classic at Panda Express comes with 490 calories, 23g total fat, 5g saturated fat, 51g carbohydrate, 25g protein, and 820mg sodium. If you order orange chicken, consider skipping an appetizer or boosting fiber by choosing brown rice.

What to pair with orange chicken? ›

To recap, the best side dishes for orange chicken are;
  1. White Rice.
  2. Stir-Fry Veggies.
  3. Chicken noodles.
  4. Potato salad.
  5. French Fries.
  6. Instant pot Hot and Sour soup.
  7. Green Salad.
  8. Instant pot macaroni salad.
Sep 6, 2023

What is the unhealthiest item in Panda Express? ›

The #1 worst Panda Express order is…the Chow Mein and Orange Chicken. The combination of Orange Chicken, a dish inspired by a Chinese dish called chen pi niu rou, and classic chow mein stir-fried noodles is nothing short of delicious. Unfortunately, if it's a nutritious meal you're on the hunt for, this one isn't it.

What is the healthiest thing to eat at Panda Express? ›

Here are the healthiest Panda Express menu options that go lighter on calories, sodium, sugar, and fat, and load up on protein and veggies.
  • String Bean Chicken Breast. ...
  • Black Pepper Angus Steak. ...
  • Grilled Teriyaki Chicken. ...
  • Firecracker Shrimp. ...
  • Grilled Teriyaki Cub Meal. ...
  • Mushroom Chicken. ...
  • Super Greens. ...
  • Brown Steamed Rice.
Feb 20, 2024

Can I eat orange chicken on a diet? ›

Is Orange Chicken Healthy? Traditional Chinese Orange Chicken is loaded with lots of excess fat, salt, carbs and sugar thanks to the batter, frying oil and sweet orange-flavored chili sauce, so it's not necessarily the healthiest option.

Why is my orange chicken soggy? ›

Whether Orange Chicken is baked or fried, it can get soggy if left to sit for too long once combined. To prevent soggy chicken, serve immediately or store the chicken and sauce separately, then combine when reheating.

What is the orange sauce made of in orange chicken? ›

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.

What is the new orange chicken at Panda? ›

By the fall of 2022, Panda Express fans had something new to clamor about at all of its 2,300 locations with the national launch of Beyond the Original Orange Orange Chicken (BTOOC), a plant-based take on its most popular dish made together with vegan company Beyond Meat.

What is the healthiest way to cook chicken breast for weight loss? ›

The Winner: Poaching

"The healthiest way to cook chicken is to poach it," Lewis explains, "because you aren't introducing any other ingredient to the chicken other than the water it is boiled in." Similar to the way you'd poach an egg, all you'll need is the chicken you're using and some hot water.

Does boiling chicken get rid of fat? ›

03/5​Boil the meat

This is undeniably the easiest way to remove the fat, just rinse the soaked meat once, drain the water.

Does boiling chicken reduce fat? ›

Boiled chicken is lower in calories and fat, making it a healthier option for those looking to maintain a healthy diet. However, it can be bland and unappetizing. Rotisserie chicken is often seasoned and flavorful, but can be higher in calories and fat.

Does fat melt off chicken when cooking? ›

While cooking chicken, the fat is in the skin and meat…not the bones, most of it is in the subcutaneous fat directly under the skin. As it cooks, the fat tends to render and drip out….. what remains in the meat gives the meat a moist and tasty flavor.

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