Crispy Gluten-Free Orange Chicken Recipe for Dinner
Crispy Gluten-Free Orange Chicken is the best takeout copycat recipe you’ll ever make. After making this many times, I discovered the trick to a perfect crispy texture every time. The fresh orange flavor in this dish is irresistible, and it pairs perfectly with my Easy Kale and Apple Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Easy Kale and Apple Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing and Refreshing Mint and Lemon Verbena Iced Tea Recipe.
Why This Crispy Gluten-Free Orange Chicken Recipe for Dinner Is Pure Comfort
- Better than takeout taste at home
- Crispy texture with no gluten
- Fresh orange flavor in every bite
- Easy to make and customizable
What You'll Need for Crispy Gluten-Free Orange Chicken Recipe for Dinner
Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.
- chicken breasts
- orange juice
- orange zest
- cornstarch
- garlic
- ginger
- soy sauce
- honey
- sesame oil
- red pepper flakes
- salt
- pepper
- Optional: green onions
- Optional: sesame seeds
- Optional: crushed red pepper
📝 Ingredient Notes
- chicken breasts: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts work best for this recipe.
🛒 Tools & Equipment I Recommend
- Instant Pot — Saves time and energy by cooking chicken quickly and evenly. → See on Amazon
- Gluten-Free Cornstarch — Ensures a smooth and thick sauce without any gluten. → See on Amazon
How to Make Crispy Gluten-Free Orange Chicken Recipe for Dinner
- Prepare the chicken: Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and season with salt and pepper.
- Make the sauce: In a bowl, mix orange juice, orange zest, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and cornstarch.
- Cook the chicken: Heat oil in a large pan, add chicken, and cook until browned. Pour the sauce over the chicken and simmer until thickened.
Cook's Tips for Perfect Crispy Gluten-Free Orange Chicken Recipe for Dinner
- Common mistake and fix: Overcooking the chicken can make it dry. To prevent this, cook the chicken until it's no longer pink, but be careful not to overcook it.
- Substitution tip: If you don't have orange juice, you can use a mix of grapefruit and pineapple juices as a substitute.
- Make-ahead tip: You can prepare the chicken and sauce separately ahead of time and store them in the fridge until ready to cook.
Storing & Reheating Crispy Gluten-Free Orange Chicken Recipe for Dinner
Short-Term Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Make-ahead tip: You can prepare the chicken and sauce ahead of time, but don't combine them until ready to cook.
Freezing Crispy Gluten-Free Orange Chicken Recipe for Dinner
Freeze cooked chicken and sauce separately for up to 2 months.
How to Reheat Without Drying It Out
Oven: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10-15 minutes. Microwave: Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
Recipe Notes
- Chef tip: To make the chicken extra crispy, you can toss it in cornstarch before cooking.
- Best substitution: If you don't have honey, you can use brown sugar as a substitute.
- Make-ahead: See storage notes for make-ahead tips.
- Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or halved to serve more or fewer people.
- Troubleshooting: If your sauce isn't thickening, try cooking it for a few more minutes or adding a bit more cornstarch mixed with water.
Want to level up this recipe?
Gluten-Free Soy Sauce — Ensures the sauce is gluten-free and adds a rich umami flavor to the dish. → Check price on Amazon
Crispy Gluten-Free Orange Chicken Recipe for Dinner
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- chicken breasts
- orange juice
- orange zest
- cornstarch
- garlic
- ginger
Seasonings
- soy sauce
- honey
- sesame oil
- red pepper flakes
- salt
- pepper
Optional Toppings
- green onions
- sesame seeds
- crushed red pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and season with salt and pepper.
- Make the sauce: In a bowl, mix orange juice, orange zest, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and cornstarch.
- Cook the chicken: Heat oil in a large pan, add chicken, and cook until browned. Pour the sauce over the chicken and simmer until thickened.
Notes
- Chef tip: To make the chicken extra crispy, you can toss it in cornstarch before cooking.
- Best substitution: If you don't have honey, you can use brown sugar as a substitute.
- Make-ahead: See storage notes for make-ahead tips.
- Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or halved to serve more or fewer people.
- Troubleshooting: If your sauce isn't thickening, try cooking it for a few more minutes or adding a bit more cornstarch mixed with water.
Storage
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Freeze cooked chicken and sauce separately for up to 2 months.
- Oven reheat: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10-15 minutes.
- Microwave reheat: Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
- Make ahead: You can prepare the chicken and sauce ahead of time, but don't combine them until ready to cook.
Nutrition Per Serving
- Calories: 350
- Protein: 30g
- Fat: 12g
- Carbs: 30g
- Fiber: 2g
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 1200mg
- Cholesterol: 70mg
- Sat. Fat: 2g
Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.
Crispy Gluten-Free Orange Chicken Recipe for Dinner FAQs
Yes, you can prepare the chicken and sauce separately ahead of time and store them in the fridge until ready to cook. See storage notes for more details.
Overcooking the chicken can make it dry. To prevent this, cook the chicken until it's no longer pink, but be careful not to overcook it.
Yes, you can freeze cooked chicken and sauce separately for up to 2 months. See storage notes for more details.
Yes, you can cook the chicken in the air fryer at 375°F (190°C) for 10-15 minutes or until cooked through. Then, pour the sauce over the chicken and simmer in a pan until thickened.
This recipe pairs well with my Easy Kale and Apple Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing and a side of steamed rice or noodles.
A Warm Final Note
I can’t wait for you to try Crispy Gluten-Free Orange Chicken Recipe for Dinner and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!
