Gluten Free Orange Chicken Recipe with Paleo Option (2024)

Published by Sheena Strain, last updated

Recipe

My simple weeknight Gluten Free Orange Chicken Recipe that can rival Panda Express in terms of flavor, and you can make it at home easily!

Gluten Free Orange Chicken Recipe with Paleo Option (1)

How to Make Gluten Free Orange Chicken

This is a very easy recipe to make at home and I’m going to give you a couple of quick tips, it’s not cooked in batter so it’s low in calories too.

  1. Whist together the Orange Juice, Garlic, Soy Sauce, Ginger, and Dry Sherry and set aside.
  2. Next, simply chop the chicken breast into two inch pieces, they don’t need to be precise in terms of size and you can use skinless boneless chicken thighs if you prefer.
  3. Now add the chicken pieces to the marinade, mix them together, cover and put in the fridge for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
  4. While the chicken is marinating, mix together the sauce ingredients together and then put it all in a pan and heat gently over a low/medium heat until the sauce thickens.
  5. I like to serve it over rice for my family, I usually have it with Cauliflower rice.

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Gluten Free Orange Chicken Recipe with Paleo Option (2)

How to Make Paleo Chinese Chicken

It’s very easy to adjust this recipe to make it Paleo, I have the substitutions listed in the recipe card but here’s how I would change it up to make it Paleo Compliant.

  • Soy Sauce – use coconut aminos for Paleo instead.
  • Sugar – you can use coconut sugar or honey instead, you will probably need a little less honey as it’s sweeter than sugar.
  • Cornstarch – you can use either arrowroot or tapioca starch to thicken your sauce and both are Paleo compliant. They do tend to be a little more sticky/gloopy than cornstarch is, but as long as you don’t use too much it will be ok.

Gluten Free Orange Chicken

Easy Gluten Free Orange Chicken recipe with Paleo Option

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Total Carbs: 41 g

Protein: 6 g

Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 2lbSkinless Chicken Breasts, about 2-3 chicken breasts
  • 2tbspcoconut oil

MARINADE

  • 1/3cuporange juice, 80mls - do not use frozen OJ
  • 2clovesgarlic, crushed
  • 1inchginger, peeled and grated
  • 1/3cupsoy sauce, coconut aminos for paleo
  • 1tbspdry sherry, optional

SAUCE

  • 1cuporange juice, Do not use frozen OJ
  • 1tbporange zest, from one orange
  • 4slicesfresh ginger, peeled
  • 3tbspwater
  • 3tbspbrown sugar, honey for paleo
  • 4tbspsoy sauce, coconut aminos for paleo
  • 2tbspcornstarch, arrowroot for paleo

GARNISH

Instructions

  1. Cut your chicken in to bite size pieces and place in a dish with all the marinade ingredients, put in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

  2. In a pan add the sauce ingredients and starch together. Put it on the stove over a low medium heat and stir until the sauce is thickened.

    If you want it thicker you can add a little more starch, mix it a small amount of cold water first if you are adding it to the hot sauce.

  3. Add the oil into a non stick skillet and cook the marinaded chicken over a medium high heat for 10 - 15 minutes, or until cooked.

  4. When the chicken is cooked use a slotted spoon to remove it from the cooked marinade and add it to the thickened sauce and mix well

  5. You can serve it over rice, or cauliflower rice for Paleo

Nutrition Facts

Gluten Free Orange Chicken

Amount Per Serving

Calories 252Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Fat 7g11%

Saturated Fat 6g38%

Sodium 2102mg91%

Potassium 654mg19%

Carbohydrates 41g14%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 18g20%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 180IU4%

Vitamin C 51.2mg62%

Calcium 43mg4%

Iron 1.7mg9%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutritional information on Noshtastic is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.

Author: Sheena Strain

Course:Main Course

Cuisine:Chinese

Gluten Free Orange Chicken Recipe with Paleo Option (4)

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About Sheena Strain

Sheena Strain is the proud owner of Noshtastic, a gluten free website that specializes in easy family meals including Low Carb, Keto, Paleo, Whole30, and many pressure cooker recipes.

Reader Interactions

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  1. Liv says

    Gluten Free Orange Chicken Recipe with Paleo Option (5)
    I just made this and it’s SO delicious. I’m picky too. It is definitely worth all the effort

    Reply

  2. Meg @ With Salt and Wit says

    Gluten Free Orange Chicken Recipe with Paleo Option (6)
    This is one gorgeous dinner! And orange chicken is always our favorite so I need to make this at home and skip the take out!

    Reply

  3. Cailee says

    Gluten Free Orange Chicken Recipe with Paleo Option (7)
    WOW!! This looks amazing!! …and it’s easy to prepare?! Such a win!!! …no excuses for takeout!! Great recipe! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  4. Andi @ The Weary Chef says

    Gluten Free Orange Chicken Recipe with Paleo Option (8)
    I love easy to prepare dinners! This one might be my new favorite. Looks so good!

    Reply

  5. Beth says

    Gluten Free Orange Chicken Recipe with Paleo Option (9)
    One time I made orange chicken with OJ concentrate… that was a horrendous idea! Regular orange juice is a much better ingredient! This is definitely something we’d make time and time again 🙂

    Reply

  6. Annie @Maebells says

    Gluten Free Orange Chicken Recipe with Paleo Option (10)
    Yum!! Way better than take out!

    Reply

Gluten Free Orange Chicken Recipe with Paleo Option (2024)

FAQs

Is Panda Express orange chicken gluten free? ›

Q: Is the popular Panda Express orange chicken dish gluten-free? A: Unfortunately, Panda Express's iconic orange chicken is not gluten-free. However, Panda Express offers a range of other gluten-free dishes that are equally flavorful.

Is Trader Joe's orange chicken gluten free? ›

No, Trader Joe's orange chicken contains gluten. What can you use instead of cornstarch in orange chicken? Instead of cornstarch, use tapioca flour or arrowroot powder.

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 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.

What Chinese dishes are usually gluten-free? ›

  • Chinese Dining: Gluten-Free.
  • Steamed Chicken/Shrimp or Seafood: Chicken, shrimp, or seafood usually steamed with.
  • Egg Drop Soup: Beaten eggs in boiled chicken broth with condiments (pepper, scallions)
  • Fried Rice: White rice, egg, scallions, carrots, and usually meat, pork, or tofu.

Why does soy sauce have gluten? ›

Most soy sauces contain gluten

The sauce is typically made by combining soy and crushed wheat and allowing the two to ferment for several days in a salty brine containing mold cultures (2). Therefore, most soy sauces contain gluten from the wheat. However, one variety called tamari is often naturally gluten-free.

Is Trader Joe's gluten free safe for celiacs? ›

Trader Joe's website states “If you see “Gluten Free”on a Trader Joe's product, this means that the product has been validated to contain less than 20 ppm of gluten (or made in a certified gluten free facility). Individuals with Celiac Disease or Gluten Sensitivity must avoid gluten for their health.”

What items are gluten free at Trader Joe's? ›

18 Underrated Gluten-Free Trader Joe's Items You Need to Try
  • Chili & Lime Flavored Rolled Corn Tortilla Chips.
  • Gluten Free Organic Rolled Oats With Ancient Grains & Seeds.
  • Gluten Free Cheese Ravioli.
  • Gluten Free Everything Bagels.
  • Gluten Free White Sandwich Bread.
  • Grainless Tortilla Chips.
  • Gluten Free Mac & Cheese.
Jun 13, 2023

Is Costco can chicken gluten free? ›

Based on the label, Kirkland canned chicken breast is gluten-free. However, we have had reports from users that they have contacted Costco to be told that their canned chicken contains wheat.

What makes orange chicken unhealthy? ›

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 thicken orange chicken sauce without cornstarch? ›

Mix 2 tablespoons (16 g) of flour with 1/4 cup (60 mL) of cold water, then add to your sauce and stir over medium heat until it thickens. Alternatively, create a sauce-thickening roux by whisking 1 tbsp (15 g) of butter and 1 tbsp (9 g) of salt together, then adding the mixture to your sauce.

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

They're both deep-fried chicken in a sweet sauce, but General Tso's is usually spicier with whole chiles, and Orange Chicken sauce is made with orange peel.

What to use instead of orange juice for orange chicken? ›

Rather than using orange juice and orange zest, we use rehydrated dried aged tangerine peels to impart a distinctive zesty and citrus flavor to the dish. If you can find dried tangerine peels in your neighborhood Asian market, definitely grab a package.

Is Panda Express beef and broccoli gluten free? ›

Most soy sauces contain gluten and according to their website Panda Express prepares its entrees fresh with shared cooking equipment and therefore allergens could be present in any entree. Therefore Beef and Broccoli is not gluten-free.

Why did Panda Express get rid of their Beyond orange chicken? ›

However, the idea was always to run the BTOOC as a limited-time item. “As part of Panda's menu innovation strategy, we offer different seasonal limited-time offerings a few times a year to excite our guests about new menu varieties and exclusive flavors,” a spokesperson for Panda Express tells VegNews.

Does Panda Express entrees have gluten? ›

Is Panda Express gluten-free? The short answer: no. Panda is not gluten-free or gluten-friendly. Panda does not serve any gluten-free dishes, even the rice is prepared alongside noodles and other food containing gluten.

Why is Panda Express not gluten free? ›

They use many products that contain gluten in their cooking, such as soy sauce, oyster sauce, and hoisin sauce. Most dumplings, noodles, egg rolls, wonton wrappers, and lo mein noodles contain wheat and must be avoided if you. have celiac disease.

Does Panda teriyaki chicken have gluten? ›

The teriyaki sauce is made of ginger, garlic, soy sauce, mirin, and brown sugar. Moreover the ingredients are prepared fresh using shared utensils which can cause cross contamination with different allergens. Therefore teriyaki chicken from Panda Express is not gluten-free.

Are Panda Express chicken egg rolls gluten free? ›

There are no gluten-free entrees, appetizers, or sides (aside from plain rice) at Panda Express. We have labeled the few soy-free, dairy-free options below, but keep in mind that they might not label soy oil as allergenic, per the FDA definition of allergenic soy.

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