Following a gluten-free and keto diet doesn't have to be boring! If you're in the mood for Chinese takeout but want to stay within your macros, this easy keto orange chicken is a dinner recipe that’s sure to please your tastebuds! This takeout fake-out Low-Carb Keto Orange Chicken recipe is just as good as the original. It has juicy, tender chicken that's crispy on the outside and coated in a sugar-free sticky-sweet orange sauce. This recipe for keto orange chicken is a healthier version of the popular Chinese takeout dish. It’s got that sweet, tangy orange flavor you love, but without all the sugar and carbs from takeout. The chicken is tender and flavorful, coated in a sticky and sweet orange glaze that packs a punch of citrus flavor. You can enjoy this dish over cauliflower rice for a low-carb option.
Why Keto Orange Chicken?
If you have ever looked at the sugar content of Panda Express orange chicken, you probably know why I remade a keto-friendly version. Not only is the crispy fried chicken usually breaded, but the orange sauce is loaded with sugar - in addition to the fresh orange juice in it. Thankfully, there is a way to turn a takeout favorite into a low-carb dinner you can eat over and over again! This keto orange chicken will become one of your favorite Chinese dishes to make at home. Serve it with any of your favorite Asian side dishes like oven-roasted broccoli and sauteed Chinese green beans! If you enjoy egg rolls, then make an egg roll in a bowl. It basically tastes like the stuffing inside of an egg roll without the fried wrapper. Or, serve this chicken on top of some cauliflower rice.
Is Orange Chicken Keto-Friendly?
Orange chicken from a local restaurant will have roughly 45 carbs, depending on the place. So orange chicken is not usually considered keto. The sauce is full of sugar and the chicken is coated with cornstarch, a very high-carb flour. However, this sauce in this recipe uses a sugar-free sweetener and the chicken is coated in crushed pork rinds making it low-carb and keto-friendly! This recipe only has 1g net carbs per serving. Talk about a huge difference!
Is Orange Juice Keto-Friendly?
Orange juice is not a keto-friendly drink. One 8-ounce serving has 25 grams of carbs. That's why I only used about two tablespoons in the entire recipe. It is possible to cook with a small bit of orange juice without throwing off your macros. Surprisingly, orange juice only has 1.6 carbs per tablespoon! This isn't much more than lemon juice or lime juice! Don't get me wrong, I don't recommend downing orange juice because those carbs will add up quickly! However, if you just use a little bit to cook with such as in this recipe, it can easily be incorporated into a keto diet.
The actual zest from the orange peel has a small fraction of the sugar and carbs you will find in the actual orange and in orange juice. That's what I use in the recipe. You still get the same great flavor of using an orange.
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Is Orange Chicken Good for You?
The orange chicken recipe I made is really good for you. Chicken is a lean protein that is vital for your muscle development. Orange juice and zest have lots of vitamin C and fiber in them. When you serve this with cauliflower rice, you have a complete meal that is a fantastic source of fiber, protein, and healthy fats.
Gluten-Free Considerations
This recipe is 100% gluten-free!
Is Orange Chicken Gluten-Free?
This depends on the restaurant. Most restaurants use soy sauce and sometimes flour along with cornstarch to coat the chicken, making it not gluten-free. However, some restaurants use Tamari and cornstarch, which would make the dish gluten-free.
Ingredients Needed
This recipe is easy to make and comes together in just 50 minutes. Here are the ingredients needed for each part of the keto orange chicken recipe: the homemade low-carb nuggets and the sugar-free orange sauce!
Low-Carb Chicken Nuggets
All you need to make low-carb chicken nuggets are some chicken breast pieces or skinless chicken thighs. You also need some eggs, heavy whipping cream (or coconut cream), salt, and pepper. Use plain pork rind crumbs for the crispy coating. It is the perfect breadcrumb replacement!
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- 2 Lbs. Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs (preferred) or Breasts - cut into 1-inch pieces
- ½ cup Blanched Almond Flour - or additional pork rinds for nut-free
- 3 oz. Pork Rinds - very finely crushed
- 1 tsp. Sea Salt
- ¼ tsp. Ground Pepper
- 3 Large Eggs
- ⅓ cup Avocado Oil - + more as needed
Keto Orange Sauce
Yes, there really is orange juice and orange zest in the sauce! Some like to use actual orange peels to really enhance that citrus flavor.
- 1 cup Chicken Broth
- 2 - 4 tablespoon Keto Sweetener - to taste
- ¼ cup Orange Juice
- Zest of 1 Orange
- ¼ tsp. Ground Ginger
- up to ¼ tsp. Ground Red Pepper - to taste
- ¼ tsp. Ground Black Pepper
- 1 Tbsp. White Wine Vinegar Or Rice Vinegar
- 2 Cloves Garlic - minced
- ¼ cup Coconut Aminos - or gluten-free soy sauce
- ¼ tsp. Sesame Oil
- 1 Tbsp. Ketchup - optional
- ¾ tsp. Xanthan Gum
- 1 tsp.
Step-by-Step Instructions
All you have to do is fry the chicken and then simmer the keto orange sauce and mix them all together.
Preparing the Chicken Nuggets
- Cut the chicken evenly. This will help it all cook at the same rate so you don't have some pieces burning while others are undercooked. Cut chicken into 1-inch cubes and pat dry with a paper towel, if needed.
- For the breading, crush around 3oz (1 regular-sized bag) of pork rinds. If you don't have a food processor, place them in a large, resealable baggie leaving it slightly vented. Use a rolling pin or mallet to crush the pork rinds. Be sure the pork rinds are very finely crushed. Add the pork rinds to the bowl of a food processor and process until very finely crushed. Depending on the size of your food processor you might need to process them in batches. Alternatively, place the pork rinds in a large resealable baggie. Seal, removing as much air as possible, and crush with a rolling pin or mallet until very finely ground. Set aside.
- In a shallow mixing bowl, combine the pork rinds, almond flour, sea salt, and pepper. Place the pork rinds in a large bowl.
- In a separate large shallow mixing bowl, whisk the eggs. Combine eggs and heavy whipping cream in a small bowl.
- Using tongs, dredge each piece of chicken in the egg mixture then the pork rind mixture. Dip the chicken pieces into the egg mixture and then dredge in the pork rind crumbs. Use tongs to dredge the chicken in the eggs. Then, dredge chicken in the pork rind mixture and set aside on a plate. Please don’t skip breading the chicken before frying! I’ve tried breading the chicken pieces as I fry them and it was a disaster! All the chicken gets done cooking at different times all while I’m trying to bread the new chicken. This double coating helps lock in flavor and provides perfect crunch after cooking.
- Heat 1 to 2 inches of oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or skillet over medium heat (I prefer using a cast-iron skillet). Use a thermometer to get it to 350 degrees. Do not get the oil over 400 degrees or the chicken will burn. Cover the bottom of a large skillet with oil, and heat over medium high heat.
- Once heated, add as many chicken pieces as will comfortably fit into the hot oil. Place the chicken into the heated oil, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Fry 3-4 minutes per side or until golden and cooked through. Set aside on a paper-towel-lined plate and repeat until all chicken is cooked. *Note-I've found the oil is only good for 2 batches. After that, you'll need to start with new oil, or the chicken will taste burned. Make sure the chicken is fully cooked.
Air Fryer Instructions
- Spray the air fryer basket with cooking oil.
- Place the coated chicken in the air fryer. Place the coated chicken pieces in your air fryer basket in a single layer. Lightly spray with olive oil to improve crispiness.
- Air fry on 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Set the air fryer to 400°Fahrenheit (200°Celsius) and cook for 10 minutes. Preheat the Air Fryer: Always preheat your air fryer for the best crispy results. Don’t Overcrowd the Basket: Cook the chicken in batches to allow air to circulate correctly.
- Open the air fryer basket and flip the chicken. Flip the chicken pieces and add 5-10 minutes of cooking to ensure they are evenly brown.
- Cook for an additional 5-10 minutes until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Baking Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Place the coated chicken on a sheet pan and in the oven.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. (Flip the chicken halfway through.)
Making the Keto Orange Sauce
This is even easier than making the nuggets! Just mix all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and stir until it is all combined. The orange sauce won't be very thick at first. That's why it is so important to simmer it at low heat. Let it cook down until it thickens up to your liking.
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the chicken broth, sweetener, orange juice, orange zest, ginger, red pepper, black pepper, white wine or rice vinegar, garlic, coconut aminos, sesame oil, and ketchup. Add the mixture to a skillet or saucepan and bring to a boil. I prefer to rinse out the pan I fried the chicken in and re-use it so I don't dirty another pan.
- In a medium-sized skillet (I rinse out and use the same one I fried the chicken in), add the orange sauce and heat over medium heat until heated through. While the chicken cooks, add all of the ingredients (except for the xanthan gum) for the sauce to a saucepan or skillet on medium heat.
- In a small bowl, combine the xanthan gum and oil. Add 2 tablespoons of the sauce to a small bowl with xanthan gum and stir. When it thickens, add the mixture to the sauce and stir continuously. Simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly until the sweetener has melted and the zest disintegrates. Add 2 tablespoons of the sauce to a small bowl with the xanthan gum and stir. When it thickens, add the mixture to the sauce and stir continuously. It will take several minutes to thicken. Easily thicken your sauce if it is too thin. Just simmer the sauce on low in order to thicken it.
- Pour into the sauce. Simmer the sauce on low in order to thicken it.
- Add the chicken to the keto orange sauce and toss to combine. Coat the cooked chicken in the orange sauce. Coat the cooked chicken in the orange sauce. Since orange juice isn't used, the dish may look more brown than orange.
Final Touches
- Serve with fried cauliflower rice.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped green onions. Garnish the chicken with sesame seeds after you toss it in the orange sauce. Use your favorite garnish.
- Then, enjoy your delicious keto orange chicken recipe!
Tips and Variations
- Cut the chicken evenly.
- Make sure the chicken is fully cooked.
- Use fresh squeezed orange juice. Use Fresh Orange Zest: Fresh orange zest adds flavor to the sauce that bottled zest can’t replicate.
- Use coconut aminos. It's gluten-free and perfect for those who have a soy sensitivity.
- Taste the sauce repeatedly and adjust to suit your taste. The first time you make it, I recommend starting with half of the sweetener noted in the recipe. Continue to taste and adjust as needed. The same goes for the other ingredients like the ginger and soy sauce.
- Adjust the Sweetness: If you like your orange chicken sauce a little less sweet, reduce the sweetener to suit your taste.
- If you don’t have chicken breast, chicken thighs work just as well and tend to be juicier.
- For the orange sauce, you can use orange zest and orange juice as a tangy substitute if you are not too much on a strict low-carb lifestyle.
- For paleo, simply use arrowroot or tapioca flour to thicken the sauce instead of xanthan gum, and use honey instead of a keto sweetener.
- If you’re nut-free, replace the almond flour with additional crushed pork rinds.
Sweetener Options
For the sweetener, any keto sweetener will work. However, erythritol-based sweeteners don't dissolve as well as other sweeteners. So if you are using erythritol, make sure it's powdered. I prefer to use xylitol or a monk fruit/allulose blend because they have ZERO aftertaste and dissolve beautifully. To lighten up this recipe, I use granular monkfruit sweetener (to substitute white sugar). These sweeteners are natural, zero-calorie, zero-carb, and won’t spike blood sugar. I love that sweetener doesn't have an aftertaste. If you use something like stevia, you can follow the standard method you use for converting refined sugar to stevia. Monkfruit sweetener measures 1:1 like refined sugar. *Note-As a gift to my readers, I've teamed up with BESTI KETO SWEETENERS to give you guys 10% off!
Ketchup Options
For the ketchup, I love Heinz No Sugar Added Ketchup. Primal Kitchen and Tessamae’s are good too, plus they're paleo & whole30. However, any sugar-free ketchup will work.
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Xanthan Gum Tips
Mix xanthan gum with a small amount of oil or melted butter before adding to sauces to keep the xanthan gum from clumping. Another low carb substitute for xanthan gum is the Keto Wheat Flour from King Arthur Baking. Combine one tablespoon with 1 tablespoon of water and add the mix to the sauce. If you aren't concerned with the carbs you can substitute xanthan gum for either flour or cornstarch along with 1 tablespoon of water. I use xanthan gum. You only need ¼ of a teaspoon. Once you have all of your ingredients combined for the sauce, add 2 tablespoons of the sauce to a small bowl with the xanthan gum and stir. When it thickens, add the mixture to the sauce and stir continuously.
Orange Zest Tips
I recommend using a citrus zester to zest the orange. You want the zest to be super fine so that it easily disintegrates within the sauce mixture. You can also use the fine side of the cheese grater. If your zest isn't fine enough and you run into trouble getting it to incorporate with the sauce, you may need to strain it. You can reduce the carbs by using something like orange extract. I prefer to use the real thing, and have not tested it. You will have to experiment with how much is appropriate to use. The dish has 7 net carbs per serving. 4.5 net carbs in each of the servings is from the orange zest. You can reduce the carbs by using something like orange extract. I prefer to use the real thing, and have not tested it.
Chicken Options
What type of chicken works best?I love to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs because they are loaded with so much flavor, they are also super juicy. You can also use chicken breasts or any cut of chicken you wish. It will not alter the cook time. I like to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs because I think the chicken turns out more tender.
Serving Suggestions
This dish pairs beautifully with sautéed kale, steamed artichoke or cauliflower rice for a lighter option. Serve it with any of your favorite Asian side dishes like oven-roasted broccoli and sauteed Chinese green beans! If you enjoy egg rolls, then make an egg roll in a bowl. It basically tastes like the stuffing inside of an egg roll without the fried wrapper. They are some of my favorites! Shredded Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken has a sweet and bold flavor, and you can use it in a variety of different recipes. Chinese Salt and Pepper Chicken makes for the perfect stir fry sauteed with bell peppers, onions, and Chinese five spice. Easy Thai Chicken Salad is made with canned chicken, so it comes together in just a few minutes. Keto Sesame Chicken is made with fried chicken thighs in a perfectly sweet umami sesame sauce. When you serve this with cauliflower rice, you have a complete meal that is a fantastic source of fiber, protein, and healthy fats.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
This recipe is best served fresh but can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. How long will keto orange chicken last in the refrigerator?Since the chicken is breaded, it will only stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. After three days, the texture will begin to deteriorate. I recommend eating it as soon as possible for the best possible taste. It can also be frozen! Just be sure to freeze the chicken and the sauce separately. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep Sauce and Chicken Separate Until Serving: To maintain the crispy coating on the chicken, don’t toss it in the sauce until just before serving.
How to Reheat
The best way to reheat it is using the air fryer. I recommend 350 degrees for a few minutes until it's warm. Reheat for Crispy Texture: Use the air fryer or oven to reheat leftovers so the chicken stays crispy. Use the air fryer or oven to reheat leftovers so the chicken stays crispy. When reheating, use an air fryer or oven to keep the chicken crispy while warming up the sauce separately. You can also use the microwave.
Freezer Tips
The chicken will last in the freezer for 3-4 months, tightly sealed. Yes, this recipe freezes well. Allow the cooked chicken to cool completely before placing it in a freezer-safe container. Defrost in the fridge overnight.
More Keto Chicken Recipes to Explore
If you enjoyed this keto orange chicken recipe, here are some more keto chicken recipes you should make next. Looking for more delicious recipes? Try our stir-fried chicken or feta cheese egg bites for a fun twist on takeout classics. If you love bold flavors, our grilled shrimp skewer is a must-try. Our Best Keto Stir Fry Recipe, filled with veggies and minimum carbs, will make your dinner special. Are you looking for an easy, low-carb delicious chicken dinner? Try this delightful Stuffed Hasselback Chicken Recipe, which features juicy chicken breast with tomatoes and mozzarella. Enjoy the Best Keto Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole Recipe done in just 30 minutes. Enjoy our delicious Keto Enchiladas with Chicken for your perfect casserole dinner.
- Shredded Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken
- Chinese Salt and Pepper Chicken
- Easy Thai Chicken Salad
- Keto Sesame Chicken
Conclusion
When you’re in the mood for Chinese takeout but want to stay within your macros, this easy keto orange chicken is a dinner recipe that’s sure to please your tastebuds! Top it with some sesame seeds and sliced green onions and you have the perfect dinner meal!
Enjoy chicken in different ways. Our Best Keto Stir Fry Recipe, filled with veggies and minimum carbs, will make your dinner special. Are you looking for an easy, low-carb delicious chicken dinner? Try this delightful Stuffed Hasselback Chicken Recipe, which features juicy chicken breast with tomatoes and mozzarella. Enjoy the Best Keto Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole Recipe done in just 30 minutes. Enjoy our delicious Keto Enchiladas with Chicken for your perfect casserole dinner.
Disclaimer
Nutritional information for the recipe 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. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts as it has been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber. Macros use chicken thighs. The recipe instructions noted here are the property of Stay Snatched and subject to copyright. Macros are provided as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. This information is calculated using MyFitnessPal.com. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.