Healthy Orange Chicken
on Feb 05, 2023, Updated Jan 30, 2025
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This Asian orange chicken stir fry has an immensely flavorful glazy coating, but very little fat!
This Asian orange chicken stir fry has a flavorful glazy coating and very little fat! The chicken is sautéed rather than fried, so it’s on the healthier side with fewer calories but without sacrificing any taste.
This is one of those dishes that makes you feel quite pleased with yourself. Fast, easy, and with fairly universally appealing flavors. There’s plenty of sauce, too, to spoon over hot rice or quinoa. Serve it with sauteed broccoli, steamed broccoli, sauteed broccoli rabe, or another hearty green to balance flavor, color, and texture.
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What's In This Post?
Healthy Orange Chicken: This Asian orange chicken stir fry has an immensely flavorful glazy coating, but very little fat!
Ingredients
- Garlic – Adds zing.
- Honey – For a bit of sweetness.
- Orange juice and zest – Fresh is best! Take a few extra moments to zest and squeeze some oranges for that hit of sweet tartness.
- Soy sauce – A bit of salt and depth of flavor.
- Rice vinegar – A little bit of acidity. You can use seasoned or unseasoned in this recipe.
- Cornstarch – Thickens the sauce into a lovely glaze.
- Fresh ginger – Use fresh, not powdered ginger. This brings some zinginess and heat to the sauce.
- Chicken – Obviously!
- Vegetable oil for stir-frying – Not too much, just 2 tablespoons for 2 pounds of chicken, which is pretty little fat for so much flavor.
- Scallions – For color and flavor.
How to Make Healthy Orange Chicken
- Make the sauce: Whisk together the garlic, honey, orange zest and juice, soy sauce, rice vinegar, cornstarch, ginger, and pepper in a small bowl. Set the sauce aside.
- Sauté the chicken: Season the chicken lightly with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a very large skillet or wok over high heat. Add the chicken and sauté until it starts to turn white, about 3 minutes.
- Cook with sauce: Add the sauce and scallions and cook until the sauce thickens and the chicken is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes more.
Serve hot over hot rice or quinoa, if desired.
What the Kids Can Do
The sweetness of the sauce makes this a dish even picky eaters will lean into! The kids can help by zesting and juicing the orange. Kids of the right age can cut up the chicken with an age-appropriate knife.
Make-Ahead
The chicken can be cut up a couple of days ahead of time, and the sauce can be combined a couple of days in advance, and refrigerated, too. Leftovers can be held in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to three days and then reheated in the microwave just until warmed through.
What to Eat With Orange Chicken
More Stir-Fried Chicken Recipes
- Easy General Tso’s Chicken
- Sweet and Sour Chicken
- Kung Pao Chicken
- Lemon and Scallion Chicken Stir Fry
- Chicken and Cabbage Stir Fry with Miso Sauce
- Stir-Fried Chicken and Pea Shoots
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Healthy Orange Chicken
Ingredients
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
- ¾ cup orange juice (preferably fresh but not necessary)
- ⅓ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce (or ¼ cup regular soy sauce plus 2 tablespoon water)
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon finely minced peeled fresh ginger
- Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts (or thighs, cut into ¾-inch pieces)
- Kosher salt (to taste)
- 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
- 4 scallions , white and light green parts, sliced
- Hot cooked rice or quinoa , for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Whisk together the garlic, honey, orange zest and juice, soy sauce, rice vinegar, cornstarch, ginger, and pepper in a small bowl. Set the sauce aside.
- Season the chicken lightly with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a very large skillet or a wok over high heat. Add the chicken and sauté until it starts to turn white, 3 minutes. Add the sauce and scallions and cook until the sauce thickens and the chicken is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes more (thigh meat will take a bit longer than white breast meat).
- Serve over hot rice or quinoa, if desired.
