This flavor packed Paleo Chinese Orange Chicken is a healthier homemade version of a takeout favorite! It’s easy to make and contains no refined sugar, family approved and seriously tasty. Keep it Paleo and Whole30 compatible by serving over fried cauliflower rice or with your favorite stir fried veggies.
I was skeptical if I could really make a Whole30 version of orange chicken that had the right amount of sweetness.
After all, with Whole30 there’s no maple or coconut sugar allowed, so I had to stick with dates and orange juice. But like magic, the sauce turned out unbelievably delicious!
Like one of those sauces that you really just want to eat with a spoon. Yes, that is my standard for a really good sauce!
It’s not ready to share until I’m addicted to it!
Between the sauce and the crispy coated juicy tender chicken, this recipe became a fast favorite for me! I can’t wait for you to try it out.
What You Need to Make this Paleo Chinese Orange Chicken
I decided to use boneless skinless chicken thighs for this recipe to make sure the chicken stays juicy and tender.
The ingredients are listed in 2 categories – what you need for the chicken and what you need for the sauce:
Chicken:
- arrowroot flour or tapioca
- sea salt
- black pepper
- boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1″ pieces
- eggs
- Avocado oil or refined coconut oil for frying
Sauce:
- medjool dates
- fresh orange juice
- rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar
- coconut aminos
- ground ginger
- garlic powder
- crushed red pepper flakes
- arrowroot or tapioca flour + 1 Tbsp water
- Zest from 1 orange
- Sliced green onions (garnish)
- Additional grated orange zest (garnish)
How to Make this Paleo Chinese Orange Chicken
In a small food processor or high speed blender, blend the water and dates until a smooth mixture forms (date paste), scraping down the sides to incorporate all the dates.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the orange juice, date paste, vinegar, coconut aminos, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Whisk and heat for 2-3 minutes to a boil, then lower the heat to med-low to simmer.
In a small bowl, whisk the 1 tsp of arrowroot with 1 Tablespoon of water to form a paste. Add this to the orange sauce and whisk well. Raise the heat back to medium and Cook for another 3-4 minutes until the mixture thickens and reduces a bit (it should resemble caramel). Once the sauce is thickened, remove from heat and stir in the orange zest.
Place the arrowroot or tapioca in a shallow bowl along with the salt and pepper. Whisk the eggs in a separate shallow bowl. Coat chicken pieces in whisked egg lightly, then toss in arrowroot starch, shaking off excess, and place on a plate.
*Tip – you don’t need to dip each chicken piece separately, but rather toss several pieces in the egg and then arrowroot before moving to the plate, and repeat with all the chicken.
Heat about 1/2 cup of oil in a large deep non-stick skillet. Once sizzling hot, work in batches to cook to cook the chicken pieces, cooking for 2 – 3 minutes, turning once or twice. Place chicken on a paper-towel-lined plate and repeat the process for the remaining chicken, adjusting the temperature of the heat as needed.
Toss the chicken with the orange sauce (gently reheat if necessary) and enjoy!
Best Side Dishes for Orange Chicken
I love this served over simple sautéed cauliflower rice to keep it Whole30.
You can also opt for some stir fried veggies like broccoli, peppers, cabbage and anything else you enjoy. Zucchini noodles would be good too if that’s your thing!
I hope you’re ready for a seriously tasty, healthier version of Chinese Orange Chicken that’s bound to become a new favorite!
Grab your ingredients because it’s time to cook – let’s go!
Paleo Chinese Orange Chicken {Whole30}
Paleo Chinese Orange Chicken {Whole30}
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 3/4 cup arrowroot flour or tapioca
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 1" pieces
- 2 eggs whisked
- Avocado oil or refined coconut oil for frying
Sauce:
- 2/3 cup water warmed slightly
- 4 medjool dates pitted
- 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
- 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 3 Tbsp coconut aminos
- 1/2 tsp ground Ginger
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes or 1/4 for less spice
- 1 1/2 tsp arrowroot or tapioca flour + 1 Tbsp water
- Zest from 1 orange finely grated
Garnish:
- Sliced green onions
- Grated orange zest
Instructions
Sauce:
-
In a small food processor or high speed blender, blend the water and dates until a smooth mixture forms (date paste), scraping down the sides to incorporate all the dates.
-
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the orange juice, date paste, vinegar, coconut aminos, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Whisk and heat for 2-3 minutes to a boil, then lower the heat to med-low to simmer.
-
In a small bowl, whisk the 1 tsp of arrowroot with 1 Tablespoon of water to form a paste. Add this to the orange sauce and whisk well. Raise the heat back to medium and Cook for another 3-4 minutes until the mixture thickens and reduces a bit (it should resemble caramel). Once the sauce is thickened, remove from heat and stir in the orange zest.
Chicken:
-
Place the arrowroot or tapioca in a shallow bowl along with the salt and pepper.
-
Whisk the eggs in a separate shallow bowl. Coat chicken pieces in whisked egg lightly, then toss in arrowroot starch, shaking off excess, and place on a plate.
-
Heat about 1/2 cup of oil in a large deep non-stick skillet. Once sizzling hot, work in batches to cook to cook the chicken pieces, cooking for 2 - 3 minutes, turning once or twice. Place chicken on a paper-towel-lined plate and repeat the process for the remaining chicken, adjusting the temperature of the heat as needed.
-
Toss the chicken with the orange sauce (gently reheat if necessary) and serve over sautéed cauliflower rice, with sliced green onion and grated orange zest. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Want More Asian Food Paleo Recipes? Try One of These!
Egg Roll in a Bowl with Chicken {Whole30, Keto}
Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry {Whole30, Keto}
Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai {Whole30}
Chinese Chicken Salad {Whole30}
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Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness and effort. Both of my children absolutely love the food you make. Every time I see them enjoying their meals with such delight, I feel truly grateful and happy. Thank you for making our family dining table so much warmer and more wonderful.
My mom really enjoys the dishes you make. Every time I see her eating so happily, I feel truly content and grateful.
Wow, this orange chicken sounds incredible! I love that you’re using dates and orange juice for sweetness—what a creative twist! My last attempt at a Whole30 meal involved a kitchen catastrophe, but the end result was a surprisingly good kale salad! 😂 Anyway, for those curious about meal prep hacks, there’s a cool tool for converting recipes to audio that might help in the kitchen. Check it out here: TTS Omni
Wow, this orange chicken recipe sounds like a game changer! I tried a similar dish once at a friend’s house, and we ended up eating way too much—like, to the point where I couldn’t look at chicken for a week! Haha. Definitely going to give this a whirl, especially with the fried cauliflower rice idea! Oh, and if you’re looking for more creative recipes or fun ideas, I’ve come across this neat tool that could help out: DND Generator
This Paleo Orange Chicken recipe looks amazing! I’m always looking for healthier takeout options and this seems perfect. Definitely gonna try this week! I love that it’s Whole30 too.
Every time I see her eating so happily, I feel truly content and grateful.
Super helpful post, exactly what I needed.
Fantastic article! I’ll definitely share this with others.
Great recipe! Love the healthy twist on a classic dish.
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