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    Home » Dinner

    Gluten-Free Orange Chicken {Dairy-Free}

    Published: Feb 25, 2021 · by Audrey

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    gluten-free orange chicken Pinterest pin 1n

    An easy recipe for gluten-free orange chicken. The perfect combination of a sweet and tangy orange sauce with crispy gluten-free chicken bites. This gluten-free dinner recipe is also dairy-free. 

    gluten-free orange chicken served over rice in a white bowl with rice, broccoli, oranges, green onions, chopsticks, and the wok of chicken in the background

    Gluten-Free Orange Chicken

    Making gluten-free orange chicken at home is a lot easier than you think! This recipe is a copycat to the favorite Panda Express Orange Chicken.

    You can see how easy it is to make this orange chicken at home in the recipe video.

    Is Orange Chicken Spicy?

    Traditional orange chicken has red pepper or chili flakes in the sauce, so it has a little spiciness to it. Orange chicken is not as spicey as General Tso chicken.

    My recipe leaves out the red pepper because my family does not enjoy spicy food. But if you enjoy it spicy, add a ¼ teaspoon of chili flake to the sauce.

    What Is The Difference Between General Tso And Orange Chicken?

    General Tso and orange chicken are very similar. The chicken is prepared the same way and is fried until light golden brown.

    The major difference between the two is the sauce. General Tso’s chicken is sweet, savory, and spicy. It is not made with orange juice and uses more red pepper or chili flakes.

    What is Orange Chicken Sauce Made Of?

    This copycat Panda Express orange chicken recipe has a tangy and sweet orange sauce. The homemade orange sauce is made with orange juice, gluten-free soy sauce, gluten-free rice vinegar, granulated and brown sugar, ginger, and garlic.

    If you want your orange chicken to be a little spicy, you can add chili or red pepper flakes to the sauce.

    gluten-free orange chicken recipe steps photo collage 1-4

    How To Make Gluten-Free Orange Chicken

    • Combine the gluten-free flour, cornstarch, and ground ginger in a large plastic storage bag, (Think Shake and Bake). This is the easiest method, but you could also dredge the chicken pieces in a bowl. (photo 2)
    • Cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch size pieces. I find the best way to get the best size pieces is to cut the chicken in half and then cut them once more in half.
    • Whisk the egg in a medium-sized bowl. Add the chicken pieces to the egg and stir to fully coat the pieces. (photo 1)
    • Place all of the chicken pieces in the plastic storage bag of the flour mixture and seal the top of the bag. Keep turning over the bag until the chicken pieces are fully coated. Place in the refrigerator while the oil is heating up. (photo 3 & 4)
    • Heat the vegetable oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet or wok, until 350°F.
    • Carefully add the chicken pieces to hot oil and fry for 3-4 minutes, until light golden brown. Do not overcook the chicken. The chicken will continue to cook a little while they cool off. You may need to cook the chicken in several batches depending on the size of your skillet. Do not crowd the skillet. (photo 5)
    • Remove the chicken pieces from hot oil to drain on a paper towel-lined baking sheet or plate. (photo 6)
    • Carefully pour the hot oil from the pan into a heatproof bowl to cool off so you can dispose of it later (or save it for another frying recipe). Wipe the skillet out with a paper towel and return it to the stovetop.
    • Either spray your skillet with a nonstick gluten-free cooking spray or put a little oil back into your pan and set to medium heat.
    • Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, garlic powder, and ground ginger to the pan and stir to combine. Add in the orange juice, stirring occasionally, until the sugars dissolved.
    • Add in the gluten-free rice vinegar and gluten-free soy sauce and stir to combine.
    • Whisk the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl to make a slurry. Add the cornstarch slurry to the pan and stir.
    • Cook the sauce until it looks like a maple syrup consistency, stirring occasionally. (photo 7)
    • Return the fried chicken pieces to the pan and stir to evenly coat the chicken with the sauce. Serve and enjoy! (photo 8 & 9)
    • Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate. Reheat leftovers in the microwave.

    gluten-free orange chicken recipe steps 5-9 photo collage

    What Is The Best Type Of Oil To Fry Chicken In?

    I like peanut oil for frying food. Any high-heat vegetable oil will work well in this recipe.

    What Can I Substitute For The Gluten-Free Soy Sauce?

    You can use gluten-free coconut amino’s in place of the gluten-free soy sauce.

    Is Rice Vinegar Gluten-Free?

    Distilled white vinegar is gluten-free. Please check the label of your rice vinegar or white vinegar. I used Marukan gluten-free rice vinegar.

    gluten-free orange chicken in a black wok with a wooden spoon

    Tips For Making The Best Gluten-Free Orange Chicken

    • Cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces.
    • Cooking with a wok really makes this recipe easy to make.
    • Use a cooking thermometer to check the temperature of the oil.
    • Use a splatter guard on top of the wok while the chicken is frying.
    • Fry the chicken in batches and do not overcrowd the pan.
    • Use a skimmer spoon to remove the chicken from the hot oil.
    • Do not overcook the chicken. The chicken pieces will be light golden brown. The chicken will continue to cook a little while it cools off.

    Gluten-Free Flour

    For this gluten-free orange chicken recipe, I used Pillsbury gluten-free flour. Pillsbury gluten-free flour is a white rice flour with starches and xanthan gum in it.

    I use a combination of the Pillsbury gluten-free flour and cornstarch for the batter. You can substitute arrowroot flour in place of the cornstarch.

    This recipe will not work with almond, coconut, or oat flour.

    Gluten-Free And Dairy-Free Orange Chicken

    This orange chicken recipe is both gluten-free and dairy-free. Some restaurants soak their meat in a milk mixture (like PF Changs), but I have found that the eggs work perfectly for binding the batter.

    Some of my favorite dairy-free products that I like to cook with are unsweetened almond milk, Smart Balance butter, and olive oil.

    gluten-free orange chicken over rice in a white bowl with the wok of chicken, oranges, and broccoli, green onions and chopsticks in the background

    Easy Gluten-Free Orange Chicken

    This gluten-free orange chicken recipe only needs a few simple ingredients and has a few easy steps to make this popular recipe. If you have been craving orange chicken since going gluten-free, you are going to love my copycat recipe for Panda Express’s orange chicken!

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    More Gluten-Free Dinner Recipes To Try!

    • Gluten-Free Southern Fried Chicken {Dairy-Free Option}
    • Gluten-Free Southern Baked Macaroni and Cheese
    • Gluten-Free Meatloaf {Dairy-Free Option}

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    ★Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below!★

    gluten-free orange chciken in a white bowl with rice topped with sliced green onions
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    5 from 24 votes

    Gluten-Free Orange Chicken {Dairy-Free}

    An easy recipe for gluten-free orange chicken. The perfect combination of a sweet and tangy orange sauce with crispy gluten-free chicken bites. This gluten-free dinner recipe is also dairy-free. 
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American, Chinese
    Keyword gluten-free dairy-free orange chicken, gluten-free orange chicken
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 20 minutes
    Total Time 30 minutes
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 356kcal
    Author Audrey from Mama Knows Gluten Free

    Ingredients

    Chicken:

    • 3 4-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch sized pieces
    • 4 cups vegetable oil, for frying I like peanut oil for frying.

    Dry Coating:

      Chicken

      • ½ cup gluten-free all-purpose flour I used Pillsbury Gluten Free Flour.
      • ½ cup cornstarch I used Argo.
      • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
      • 2 large eggs, whisked

      Orange Sauce

      • 4 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce I used La Choy.
      • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
      • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
      • ½ cup granulated sugar
      • ½ cup brown sugar
      • ½ cup orange juice
      • ½ cup gluten-free rice vinegar (or white vinegar) I used gluten-free Marukan rice vinegar.
      • 4 tablespoons cornstarch
      • 4 tablespoons water
      US Customary - Metric

      Instructions

      • Combine the gluten-free flour, cornstarch, and ground ginger in a large plastic storage bag, (Think Shake and Bake). This is the easiest method, but you could also dredge the chicken pieces in a bowl.
      • Cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch size pieces. I find the best way to get the best size pieces is to cut the chicken in half and then cut them once more in half.
      • Whisk the eggs in a medium-sized bowl. Add chicken pieces to the egg and stir to fully coat the pieces.
      • Place all of the chicken pieces in the plastic storage bag of the gluten-free flour mixture and seal the top of the bag. Keep turning over the bag until the chicken pieces are fully coated. Place in the refrigerator while the oil is heating up.
      • Heat the vegetable oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet or wok, until 350°F.
      • Carefully add the chicken pieces to hot oil and fry for 3-4 minutes, until light golden brown. You may need to cook the chicken in several batches depending on the size of your skillet. Do not crowd the skillet.
      • Remove the chicken pieces from hot oil to drain on a paper towel-lined baking sheet or plate.
      • Carefully pour the hot oil from the skillet into a heatproof bowl to cool off so you can dispose of it later (or save it for another frying recipe). Wipe the skillet out with a paper towel and return it to the stovetop.
      • Either spray your skillet with a nonstick gluten-free cooking spray or put a little oil back into the skillet and set to it medium heat.
      • Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, garlic powder, and, ground ginger to the skillet and stir to combine. Add in the orange juice, stirring occasionally, until the sugars dissolved.
      • Add in the gluten-free rice vinegar and gluten-free soy sauce, and stir to combine.
      • Whisk together the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl to make a slurry. Add the cornstarch slurry to the skillet and stir. Cook the sauce until it looks like maple syrup consistency, stirring occasionally.
      • Return the fried chicken pieces to the skillet and stir to evenly coat the chicken with the sauce. Serve and enjoy!
      • Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate. Reheat leftovers in the microwave.

      Video

      Notes

      • You can substitute 2 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken thigs in place of the chicken breasts. 
      • Do not overcook the chicken. The chicken pieces will be light golden brown. The chicken will continue to cook a little while it cools off.
      • Arrowroot powder can be substituted for cornstarch. 
      • Gluten-free white vinegar can be substituted for gluten-free rice vinegar. 
      • If you enjoy orange chicken spicy add a ¼ teaspoon of chili flake to the sauce.
      • Mama says, "Check all of your labels!"

      Nutrition

      Serving: 1serving | Calories: 356kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 703mg | Potassium: 134mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 132IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1mg
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      Did you enjoy this recipe? Please give it a star rating below in the comments. Thank you!
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      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Gene says

        January 26, 2023 at 8:43 pm

        I made this tonight for dinner. My husband loved it. He doesn’t comment much on my food,but tonight he said it was delicious!

        Reply
      2. margriet huisman says

        January 15, 2023 at 4:50 pm

        What vegetables to serve with orange chicken? Thank you Margriet

        Reply
        • Audrey says

          January 16, 2023 at 9:32 pm

          Hi Margriet! My family enjoys the orange chicken served over rice. My family likes either broccoli or sugar snap peas as the vegetable, but you can always serve your favorite vegetables with it. I hope you enjoy the recipe.

          Reply
      3. Erin Judson says

        December 09, 2022 at 10:31 am

        Really really great! My family found it a bit “too orangey”, but I loved it! Next time I will use slightly less rind than the recipe calls for to placate them. (They said they thought orange chicken was named after the color, not that it ACTUALLY had orange in it, lol). Thank you, mama!!

        Reply
      4. Tanisha Demo says

        July 13, 2022 at 2:36 am

        A tad too much rice vinegar but overall soo good!

        Reply
      5. Sarah says

        May 24, 2022 at 12:01 pm

        I have literally made this recipe over 20 times, and it gets better each time. My friends & family beg me to cook this & you cannot even TELL it’s gluten free. 10/10!!!!!

        Reply
      6. L says

        May 07, 2022 at 10:22 pm

        So easy and so good! Even my no -celiac family loved it! Will def make it again!

        Reply
      7. Sarah says

        April 29, 2022 at 8:58 am

        Just made this and it was awesome! My husband loved it too. I’m not a great cook so I was nervous how it would turn out but it was pretty easy to make…subbed fresh ginger because I had a bunch on hand and it worked out great. Thanks!

        Reply
      8. Renee N. says

        April 06, 2022 at 6:22 pm

        Even better than takeout…and gluten free!!

        Reply
      9. April Leigh Shular says

        April 01, 2022 at 4:21 am

        This was made on a night when I was so tired of making meals, I told half grown children to forage! That was a week ago and with Spring planting coming up I am crazy busy, so I will make a double batch next time and freeze it in it’s sauce, for a fast supper on a crazy day! Delicious! I added some Sweet Thai Chili Sauce and it added just enough spice for my family! Delicious!!

        Reply
      10. Sara koelzer says

        February 20, 2022 at 8:58 pm

        This was so amazing!!! 5 stars seriously

        Reply
      11. Ashley says

        February 18, 2022 at 11:44 pm

        My friend and I made this with her family. It was super easy to make and very delicious! Since needing to be on a gluten-free diet, I haven’t had orange chicken. It was nice to know that there’s a recipe out there that’s simple and tastes just as good as I remember!

        Reply
      12. Mr. Nirajkumar Shah says

        February 17, 2022 at 8:40 pm

        Really Delicious Orange & Sometimes Mango Flavor Lemon ginger flavor Style Chicken. Also.

        Reply
      13. Susan says

        February 16, 2022 at 6:11 pm

        Absolutely loved this recipe. I used half the sugar and substituted honey for part of the granulated sugar as well. Add in broccoli and it’s the perfect meal. I will definitely make again!

        Reply
      14. Jay says

        February 13, 2022 at 1:45 pm

        Sorry I don’t have a picture to share, he ate it too fast LOL! Just wanted to let you know we had this recipe for my husband’s birthday dinner “requested by him” He loved it and other than changing the amount or cornstarch in the sauce I will leave it just as you wrote it for future enjoyable meals. Thanks for all you do and for the great flavors coming out of my kitchen.

        Reply
      15. Christy says

        January 21, 2022 at 9:53 pm

        This was amazing and my whole family loved it!! Thank you for sharing! Glad to see others going gf and df for better health!

        Reply
      16. Maria Galiani says

        January 16, 2022 at 8:08 pm

        I love the recipes from mamaknowsglutenfree.com. My family loves loves this orange chicken. I always check this website for recipes and they are always delicious! Thank you!!

        Reply
      17. Sarah Lester says

        January 09, 2022 at 1:06 am

        Made this for dinner tonight! Oh boy! WAS IT GOOD! I did use Tamari for the Soy Sauce and regular white vinager for the sauce. Boy was it a hit! I can’t wait to have the left overs.

        Reply
      18. Brenna says

        November 10, 2021 at 8:19 am

        This recipe is delicious!!!!! Will definitely be making it again.

        Reply
      19. JW says

        September 06, 2021 at 11:18 pm

        Sauce is amazing. strongly encourage that anyone making this increase the flour mixture by 1/3 to have enough to coat the chickens. Both times I have made this I has to mix a little more for the last shake n bake of the cubes. Otherwise great recipe

        Reply
      20. Pam Brunson says

        August 25, 2021 at 3:52 pm

        My entire family LOVED this recipe! Thanks for sharing!

        Reply
      21. Shauna M Siqueiros says

        August 01, 2021 at 9:03 pm

        This Orange Chicken is what dreams are made of. It is by far my new favorite meal !! I’m so full but I want more.

        Reply
      22. Lydia says

        July 22, 2021 at 7:21 pm

        So delicious! It tasted the same as orange chicken from a restaurant to me. The only tweak I suggest is adding maybe a half teaspoon of salt to the sauce. Thank you! I’ve made this recipe three times already.

        Reply
      23. Lili says

        May 31, 2021 at 10:48 pm

        Very orange-y and delicious! My family loved it and said it was better than Panda Express! And the look on their faces when I said it was gluten free was priceless 😂 😜

        Reply
      24. Joni says

        February 27, 2021 at 9:03 pm

        So easy to make and really delicious!

        Reply
        • Mike says

          January 22, 2023 at 12:26 pm

          Any suggestion for a substitute for the vinegar. My wife cannot have any vinegar – which is challenging to come up with new/varied dishes.

          Reply
          • Audrey says

            January 22, 2023 at 8:44 pm

            Hi Mike! Lemon juice can often be used in place of vinegar in recipes. I do not recommend using lemon juice in place of the vinegar in the orange chicken recipe. I do have a similar recipe that does not require vinegar. I hope you try the recipe and enjoy it! https://www.mamaknowsglutenfree.com/apricot-chicken-gluten-free/

            Reply

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      Audrey Roberts in a white kitchen for a profile photo

      I'm Audrey Roberts, a busy mama of four and I love sharing the recipes that I make for my family. I make gluten-free family-friendly recipes that are simple and delicious that you can too! I use easy to find ingredients that won't break your budget. You will also find dairy-free options and Paleo recipes. I am also the author of  The Everything Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Cookbook, which is an Amazon Best Selling Cookbook in the US and Internationally. Living gluten-free since 2010. I hope by me sharing my journey it may help you with yours.  Read More…

       

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