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Overhead shot of paleo orange chicken in a white bowl.
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5 from 3 votes

Paleo Orange Chicken Recipe

Sweet, citrusy, and much better than Chinese takeout, this Paleo Orange Chicken will be your new favorite not-so-guilty pleasure! This low-carb orange chicken recipe comes together quickly and is perfect for a weeknight dinner the whole family will love! At 7.7g net carbs, it's perfect for the paleo diet or keto diet, and is gluten-free!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Paleo
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: almond flour, chinese 5 spice, coconut aminos, coconut flour, crispy carnitas, family friendly, keto orange chicken, orange chicken
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 501kcal
Author: Bethany Galloway

Ingredients

Marinade:

  • 1/2 cup coconut aminos
  • 1 tsp garlic granules or powder
  • 1 tsp Chinese 5 spice
  • 1 tsp ginger minced
  • 2 lbs chicken breast diced into small 1" pieces

Coating:

  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 1 cup coconut flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup almond milk
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder optional

Orange sauce:

  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 inch piece ginger minced
  • 2 tbsp orange zest I used the zest from 1 orange
  • 4 tbsp coconut aminos 1/4 cup
  • 4 tbsp orange juice 1/4 cup, I used the juice from 1 orange
  • 1.5 tbsp sweetener of choice *see notes
  • 1/2 tsp xanthan gum

Oil for frying:

  • 1/4 cup sesame oil

Instructions

Marinated Chicken

  • Finely dine the chicken to 1 inch pieces.
  • Place all of the marinade ingredients into a bowl or ziplock (including the chicken) and marinate it for at least 30 minutes (optional but recommended).
    Marinating chicken and a wooden spoon.

Fried Chicken Pieces:

  • In a large pan on the stove over medium heat, add the almond flour and toast it until golden, about 5 minutes. Once toasted, remove it from the pan and place it into a bowl.
    Wooden spoon mixing almond flour in a black pan.
  • In another bowl, mix the coconut flour, salt, pepper, and chili powder (if using) together.
  • In the 3rd bowl add the eggs and almond milk. Whisk them together until they are well combined.
  • Wipe out the large pan (if there is any excess almond flour) and begin to heat up the sesame oil over medium-high heat.
  • With a fork, pierce one piece of chicken. Dip it into the coconut flour first coating it completely, then coat it with the egg mixture, before a final coating of the almond flour.
    Dipping chicken in coconut flour.
  • Place it into the hot oil and allow it to cook, flipping over after 5 minutes, and remove when the entire coating is golden. Repeat for the rest of the chicken.
    Breaded chicken cooking in oil in a pan.
  • Place the cooked chicken pieces on a paper towel-lined plate or dish.
    Cooked chicken pieces on a paper towel.

Orange Sauce:

  • Heat the sesame oil up in a small pot over medium heat.
  • Add the ginger, garlic, and orange zest and sauté for 2-3 minutes, until fragrant and the garlic is beginning to turn golden brown.
    Orange zest and ginger sauteeing in a pot.
  • Mix in the coconut aminos, orange juice, and sweetener, and stir until the sweetener is dissolved.
    Pouring orange juice into a silver pot.
  • Sprinkle Xanthan gum over the sauce and whisk until it dissolves and the sauce is thick.
    Xanthan gum in a pot of orange sauce with a blue and wooden spoon.

To Serve:

  • Pour the sauce over the orange chicken after plating, instead of mixing it all together. This helps to keep the crispy coating intact.
    Pouring orange sauce over chicken pieces.
  • Serve with riced broccoli or cauliflower, and garnish with spring onions, fresh chilis, and/or toasted sesame seeds.

Notes

  1. Sweetener: I used Nkd Livings's stevia erythritol blend which has a 1:1 sugar ratio.
  2. Marinate: Marinating the chicken isn't necessary but it does add so much more flavor! I usually prep the chicken and marinade in the morning and let them sit in the fridge until it's time to cook.
  3. Small pieces of chicken: Make sure to cut your chicken pieces up small so that they cook through and aren't pink at the end.
  4. Golden chicken pieces: The chicken is cooked when the coating on the outside turns golden brown. To double-check that it's cooked, slice the thickest piece of cooked chicken down the middle and check for doneness. Add any back to the oil if you think they're under-cooked.
  5. Store any remaining chicken in a sealed container for up to 4 days. Store the chicken and the sauce separately.
  6. Reheat in a microwave or an oven until piping hot. I don't recommend reheating the chicken pieces in a pan as the coating may fall apart. The best way is to reheat it in the oven as they get nice and crispy again, and reheat the delicious sauce separately in a pot on the stove or a ramekin in the oven.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 501kcal | Carbohydrates: 10.6g | Protein: 53.3g | Fat: 25.9g | Saturated Fat: 3.4g | Cholesterol: 227mg | Sodium: 192mg | Fiber: 2.9g | Sugar: 2.1g