Paige Harris This Paleo Orange Chicken recipe gives you all of the flavor of your favorite Chinese dish without any gluten, MSG, or soy.
If you haven’t figured it out by now, I love recreating comfort foods at home. And ever since COVID social distancing began, I’ve had even more of an excuse to do just that.
I’ve made my Cauliflower Cream Mac & Cheese a handful of times. And I’ve definitely been going through heaps of salsa and rice and eggs since everyone knows that eggy rice bowls are the easiest best lunch ever.
But this recipe blows both of those away.
This Paleo Orange Chicken was inspired by my complete love for Chinese food. And my complete hatred of how eating it makes me feel.
The “real” stuff includes a ton of soy, added sugars, and MSG. But this recipe uses coconut aminos, honey, and a variety of spices to give you the same flavor profile without any of the icky bloat. And that’s a total win in my book!
The ingredient list may look long, but if you’ve been cooking soy- and gluten-free for awhile, I bet you’ll have most of these ingredients on hand. And if you’re not soy- or gluten-free, I’m sure you could use soy sauce and all-purpose flour in this recipe and it would still taste delicious.
I made the chicken in the air fryer to save time (and my skin from being burned by flying oil). But I give instructions for those who may not have access to one.
And hey, vegans: even if you don’t want the chicken, stick around for the sauce. It’s worth it.
What’s your favorite Chinese food dish? Let me know and maybe I’ll recreate it next!
Paleo Orange Chicken
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-size pieces
- 1/2 cup cassava flour
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
For the sauce
- 2 Tbsp ghee
- 1 Tbsp honey
- juice and zest from 1 medium orange
- 1/2 cup coconut aminos
- 1 1/2 Tbsp creamy almond butter
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp Chinese 5 spice
- 1/2 tsp ground pepper
Instructions
To make the sauce
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Dump all of the sauce ingredients into a pan and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and let cook while you're working on the chicken.
To make the chicken with an air fryer
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Mix your flour, salt, and garlic powder in a large bowl. Add the chicken cubes and toss until evenly coated.
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Preheat your air fryer (if needed) to 400 degrees. Spray the basket with oil of choice, and add half the chicken cubes to the basket. Don't overcrowd, or it won't get crispy!
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Cook chicken bites for 7 minutes, then remove and repeat with the second half of the chicken. Remember to re-spray the basket, too.
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Once the chicken is done, add it to the sauce and mix. Bring the whole pot to a simmer to let the sauce thicken.
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Remove from heat and serve with your favorite sides!
To make the chicken on the stove
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Add 3 Tbsp oil of choice (I recommend avocado) to a large skillet and set the stove to medium high heat.
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Add some of the chicken cubes and cook until done and browned, about 2 minutes per side. Remove and repeat the process with all of the chicken, and remember to add more oil if needed.
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Add the cooked chicken to the sauce and mix. Bring the whole pot to a simmer to let the sauce thicken.
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Remove from heat and serve with your favorite sides!
Recipe Notes
* Inspired by Bailey over at Whole Kitchen Sink.
