Our gluten-free orange chicken easily replaces your favorite take-out. Chicken thighs are coated in a gluten-free coating, fried, then tossed with the most delicious orange chicken sauce that will become your new favorite!
Prep the coating for the chicken thighs. In a flat bottomed bowl combine 1/2 cornstarch, gluten-free flour, salt, and pepper. In another flat bottomed bowl combine the egg and tablespoon of orange juice.
1/2 cup cornstarch, 1/4 cup gluten-free flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1 large egg, 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
Coat the chicken. Dip the chicken pieces into the egg, letting the extras drip off, then coat with the flour mixture. Place on to a wire rack lined baking pan. Continue until all the chicken is coated.
2.5 pounds chicken thighs, cubed
⭐️Fry the chicken pieces. Fill the bottom of the wok with an inch or 2 of oil. Heat the oil, test by dropping a small piece of chicken into the oil. When it sizzles the oil is ready, or when the temperature hits 350°F. Cook the chicken in batches, frying for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Remove with tongs and place into a large bowl lined with paper toweling. Repeat until all of the chicken is cooked. Carefully pour the oil out of the pan into a large tin can or another pan.
vegetable oil for frying
Make the sauce
⭐️Heat the sauce ingredients. To the wok or large saucepan add the orange zest, sugar, distilled vinegar, orange juice, garlic, tamari, rice wine vinegar, cornstarch, sesame oil, ground ginger, and red pepper flakes. Whisk and bring to a boil. Continue whisking until thickened. Remove from heat.
1 large orange, zested, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup freshly squeeze orange juice, 3 large cloves garlic, minced, 3 tablespoons tamari, 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 1/2 cup distilled vinegar
Toss the chicken in the sauce. Add the cooked chicken to the sauce. Gently stir until the chicken is coated in sauce. Serve hot over rice.
rice for serving
Notes
Best oil for frying
Vegetable oil, peanut oil or canola oil are options with a high smoke point that can handle the high heat required for frying.
Gluten-free soy sauces
You will want to check the label on your favorite soy sauce brand to ensure you have selected a gluten-free version. Opting for gluten-free soy sauce, tamari or coconut aminos are celiac safe options.
Tips
Cut all chicken cubes into 1-inch pieces to allow for even cooking
Cook chicken until the internal temperature is 165 °F
Be cautious not to overcrowd the wok when frying.
* Nutritional Information does not include oil absorbed from fryingCCK Features both Gluten-Free Guidance and Kids Cooking Instructions: If you're new to eating gluten-free we understand it's overwhelming trying to figure out which foods may contain gluten and which ones don't. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol ✅ represent foods that need to be checked for gluten.The ⭐️ symbol in the recipe below denotes the steps in which kid cooks may need a helper (depending on age). If there is no ⭐️ symbol, that step (or recipe) doesn't require a helper.