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    Home » All recipes

    Keto orange chicken

    Published: Feb 14, 2021 · Updated: Jul 13, 2021 by Anna · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads ·

    Jump to Recipe

    Sweet and tangy keto orange chicken coated with gluten-free breading is a perfect low carb dish for those who like Asian notes in their food.

    A while bowl filled with orange chicken with fresh cilantro on top, slices of blood oranges are lying around.
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients and substitutes
    • Step by step directions
    • Easy orange sauce
    • How many carbs in orange chicken
    • Serving ideas
    • More low carb recipes to try
    • Recipe

    Ingredients and substitutes

    Chicken - You can use skinless and boneless chicken thighs as well as chicken breasts for this recipe. However, chicken thigh meat has more fat and will make the dish juicier and more keto-friendly.

    Protein powder - Who knew that whey protein powder is perfect to use for breading the chicken? Of course, you'll need an unflavored powder! Alternatively, you can use crushed pork rinds or coconut flour (if you don't mind the flavor) for coating.

    Seasoning - We'll need salt and freshly ground pepper to taste, as well as ground ginger and garlic powder.

    Egg - One large egg will be enough to coat all the chicken.

    FOR THE SAUCE

    Orange zest and orange juice - To make this orange chicken sauce, we need oranges (duh!) Even if they're not low in carbs, we still need them! However, we're going to be smart and use only the juice of half of one medium orange (which is only 2 tablespoon ). The rest is going to be zest.

    Coconut aminos and granulated sweetener - We use these ingredients to add more sweetness without adding too many carbs to our sugar-free dish. Use any granulated sweetener you like!

    Soy sauce - Make sure you use tamari soy sauce to make this low carb chicken dish gluten-free.

    White wine vinegar - Orange chicken is famous for its sweet and tangy taste; vinegar is in charge of the tangy part. You can also use rice wine vinegar.

    Garlic and ginger - For a more authentic taste, use fresh garlic and ginger.

    Chili flakes - A pinch of spiciness is a must in this dish. Of course, you can adjust the amount to your taste!

    Sesame seed oil - It's an optional ingredient, but I think it adds a lot of flavor to our dish.

    A fork holding one piece of orange chicken topped with freshly-chopper cilantro.

    Step by step directions

    Prepare the breading mixture by combining protein powder, salt, pepper, ground ginger, and garlic powder in a large bowl. Set aside.

    Add the chicken and the beaten egg to a large mixing bowl and mix to coat. One by one, take the chicken pieces and place them into a bowl with the breading mixture until coated on each side. Then place the chicken on a large dry plate or rack. Repeat with the rest of the chicken. 

    Add the oil onto a large skillet so it completely covers the bottom, then heat over a medium-high heat. 

    When the oil is hot, add one layer of chicken and cook for 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken onto a paper towel to rest and crisp up. Add more oil if needed, then cook the next batch of chicken. I managed to cook all the meat in two batches on an 11-inch or 28cm non-stick skillet.

    Easy orange sauce

    First, let's prepare all liquid elements and zest, so we don't need to measure them during the cooking process. In a medium mixing bowl, add the coconut aminos, soy sauce, vinegar, orange zest, orange juice, sweetener, and sesame seed oil, then set aside.

    Next, we need to sauté the rest of the ingredients to bring all the flavors out. To do that, add 1 tablespoon of oil, pressed garlic, ginger, and chili flakes to the same skillet and cook for 30 seconds. Then add the liquid mixture and bring it to a light simmer. Cook the sauce, stirring occasionally, until it starts to thicken.

    When done, return the chicken to the skillet and toss well until fully covered in sauce. Serve immediately!

    6 steps collage image showing how to make keto orange chicken.

    How many carbs in orange chicken

    I usually split this keto low carb dish into 5 servings with only around 5g net carbs per serving. 

    Serving ideas

    Sometimes I have this healthy orange chicken with a fresh salad; it's an amazing lunch idea and perfect for meal prepping. But when I make this recipe for dinner, I serve it with my LOW CARB KETO CAULIFLOWER RICE on the side. You should try it too!

    A small round plate with orange chicken garnished with fresh cilantro served on a bed of cauliflower rice.

    More low carb recipes to try

    KETO CHICKEN PICCATA

    KETO CHICKEN NUGGETS

    OVEN-BAKED LEMON BUTTER CHICKEN THIGHS RECIPE

    BRINED AND BAKED MUSTARD CHICKEN BREASTS

    KETO CHICKEN THIGHS RECIPE WITH MUSHROOM SAUCE

    SLOW-COOKED CHIPOTLE CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS

    Recipe

    Close up shot of a white bowl with orange chicken thighs garnished with fresh cilantro.

    Keto orange chicken

    Sweet and tangy keto orange chicken coated with gluten-free breading is a perfect low carb dish for those who like Asian notes in their food.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dinner, Lunch
    Cuisine: Chinese
    Keyword: Chicken dinner, Gluten-free panda express, Keto chicken dinner
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes
    Servings: 5 servings
    Calories: 402kcal
    Author: Anna

    Equipment

    • Large (11-inch/28cm) non-stick skillet

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup (40g) unflavored whey protein powder
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt
    • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
    • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1.5 lb (650g) skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch/2.5cm cubes
    • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
    • Coconut of avocado oil for frying

    SAUCE

    • ¼ cup (60g) coconut aminos
    • ¼ cup 60g tamari soy sauce, or any gluten-free soy sauce
    • ⅛ cup (30g) white wine vinegar, or rice wine vinegar
    • Orange zest of 1 medium orange
    • Juice of ½ medium orange
    • 1 tablespoon sweetener
    • ½ teaspoon sesame seed oil, optional
    • 1 tablespoon coconut or avocado oil
    • 2 cloves garlic pressed
    • ½ teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and pressed or the same amount of ground ginger
    • 1 teaspoon chili flakes

    Instructions

    • In a large plate or a wide bowl, combine protein powder, salt, pepper, ground ginger, and garlic powder, then set aside.
    • In a large mixing bowl, add the chicken and the beaten egg and mix. One by one, take the chicken pieces and place into a bowl/plate with dry mixture until coated on each side. Then, place on a large dry plate or a rack. Repeat with the rest of the chicken.
    • Add the oil into a large (11-inch/28cm) skillet so it completely covers the bottom, then heat over a medium-high heat.
    • When hot, add one layer of chicken and cook for 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove onto a paper towel to rest. Add more oil, if needed, and cook the next batch of chicken. Repeat with the rest of the chicken.

    SAUCE

    • In a medium mixing bowl, add the coconut aminos, soy sauce, vinegar, orange zest, orange juice, sweetener, and sesame seed oil. Set aside.
    • Into the same skillet, add 1 tablespoon of oil, pressed garlic, ginger, and chili flakes, then cook for 30 seconds. Then add the liquid mixture and bring to a light simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce starts to thicken.
    • When done, return the chicken to the skillet and toss well until fully covered in sauce. Serve!

    Notes

    NET CARB: 5g
    Nutrition Facts
    Keto orange chicken
    Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
    Calories 402 Calories from Fat 189
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 21g32%
    Potassium 402mg11%
    Carbohydrates 5g2%
    Sugar 4g4%
    Protein 45g90%
    Vitamin A 88IU2%
    Vitamin C 3mg4%
    Calcium 33mg3%
    Iron 2mg11%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    This website, https://heretocook.com, offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. This information is a product of online calculators such as Cronometer.com and MyFitnesPal.com

    Tried this recipe?Mention @heretocook or tag #heretocook!

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    Comments

    1. Julie

      February 15, 2021 at 10:00 pm

      Your recipe sounds delicious, unfortunately whey protein upsets my stomach, do you think pea protein would work in its place?

      Reply
      • Anna

        February 15, 2021 at 10:25 pm

        It should work! I've found several recipes on the internet that use pea protein for coating, and people love it. However, I haven't tried it myself, so I can't promise you that the flavour or texture will be the same as in my original recipe. If you decide to make this recipe with pea protein, let me know how you like it.

        Reply
    2. Sue

      February 20, 2021 at 8:28 am

      5 stars
      Made this orange chicken for my hubby and I, so delicious!

      Reply
      • Anna

        February 20, 2021 at 8:29 am

        I'm glad to hear that, Sue!

        Reply

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    Hey there! My name is Anna and I am here to cook healthy meals that taste delicious. Here you’ll find low carb high fat, keto, paleo recipes for any occasion! Read More

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