{"id":30406,"date":"2024-01-11T08:04:24","date_gmt":"2024-01-11T13:04:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beyondflourblog.com\/?p=30406"},"modified":"2025-03-05T09:52:06","modified_gmt":"2025-03-05T14:52:06","slug":"gluten-free-spicy-orange-chicken","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beyondflourblog.com\/gluten-free-spicy-orange-chicken\/","title":{"rendered":"Gluten Free Orange Chicken"},"content":{"rendered":"

This flavourful gluten free orange chicken may be gluten free, but you'd never know it. Great for the whole family - whether they're gluten-free or not!<\/p>\n

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Note: This recipe was first posted on my original blog, Celebration Generation, on January 29, 2013. It was transferred over to this blog - existing comments and all - on 3\/4\/2021. Updated on 4\/25\/2022.<\/i><\/p>\n

One of the things that I miss most about my pre-gluten allergy days? Chinese food takeout.<\/p>\n

I KNOW. I'm sorry! Sometimes, you just need it, you know? I\u2019ve yet to come across any Chinese restaurants that make everything gluten-free, though... so we\u2019re on our own. <\/p>\n

One day - about a decade ago - I decided to craft a gluten-free version of.. something. What was I in the mood for, though? <\/p>\n

Sometimes, being able to make anything gets a bit daunting - so many options. <\/p>\n

General Tso's Chicken? <\/p>\n

Kung Pao? Maybe some Mongolian Beef?<\/p>\n

Sesame Chicken<\/a>?<\/p>\n

I wanted something a bit spicy, but wasn't quite sure which way I wanted to go.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Gluten-Free Spicy Orange Chicken<\/h2>\n

In the end, I decided to wing it and came up with a gluten-free orange chicken recipe ... and it was DAMN good. <\/p>\n

It really hit the spot! IMHO, this gluten free orange chicken tastes just like the real thing... but my full-gluten husband even *preferred it* to actual, non-gluten-free takeout. <\/p>\n

This Orange Chicken recipe has since gone on to be one of the most popular recipes from my \u201cBeyond Flour\u201d gluten-free cookbooks, and was a favorite recipe to demo at gluten-free trade shows.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve also since done up a Keto Version of Orange Chicken<\/a> recipe, wherein I had to get pretty weird on both the batter and sauce, to make this low carb. We serve that one over cauliflower rice, it\u2019s awesome. <\/p>\n

Anyway, let\u2019s talk about what you need to know to make this gluten-free orange chicken recipe ... <\/p><\/div>\n

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Deep Frying Gluten Free Orange Chicken<\/h3>\n

For best results - most accurate to the restaurant version - you\u2019ll want to deep fry the battered chicken. If you don\u2019t have a deep fryer, you\u2019ll want to use a heavy bottomed pot, ideally fairly large.<\/p>\n

Alternately - and this would make it more of a healthy orange chicken recipe - you can use an air fryer. (More info further down in this post.)\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Gluten Free Orange Chicken Ingredients<\/h4>\n

I look at the ingredients for this recipe as being 3 groups: The crispy chicken , the tangy orange sauce, and the oil for frying the chicken in.<\/p>\n

In addition to those main ingredients, I like to have some green onions and\/or sesame seeds on hand, for garnish.<\/p>\n

Deep Fried Chicken<\/h4>\n

As with all of my recipes, I combine certain types and gluten free flours in ratios specific to each recipe - rather than use an \u201call purple\u201d gluten-free flour - for the best results.<\/p>\n

In this case, my batter is made from:<\/p>\n

Chickpea Flour<\/a> \/ Garbanzo Bean Flour<\/a>
\nWhite Rice Flour<\/a>
\nBaking Powder<\/a>
\nSea Salt<\/a>
\nVegetable Oil (You can use sesame oil for a bit more flavour, though!)<\/p>\n

... Unlike many of my recipes, this one does NOT use any Tapioca starch or xanthan gum. That\u2019s not an error - it really isn\u2019t needed in this batter!<\/p>\n

As for the chicken, I tend to use boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces. <\/p>\n

That said, you can swap all or part of the chicken out for boneless skinless chicken thighs - cut up - if you prefer.\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Sweet Orange Sauce<\/h4>\n

My spicy homemade orange sauce is super easy to make, but requires a few ingredients to bring the flavour to the level it does:<\/p>\n

Oranges - you\u2019ll use them for both fresh orange juice and orange zest.<\/p>\n

Gluten-free soy sauce - regular soy sauce is made with wheat flour, so be sure to get a gluten free variety. You can also use coconut aminos, if you prefer.<\/p>\n

Rice Vinegar - You can use white vinegar or apple coder vinegar if you prefer.<\/p>\n

Corn Starch - you can use arrowroot starch \/ arrowroot powder if you prefer.<\/p>\n

Honey<\/p>\n

Freshly grated ginger<\/p>\n

Fresh garlic cloves<\/p>\n

Crushed red pepper flakes\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Oil for Frying<\/h4>\n

If you\u2019re deep frying this recipe - I HIGHLY recommend it - you\u2019ll want to use one of the vegetable oils, like canola oil or sunflower oil. Peanut oil is another great option.<\/p>\n

These are all great oils for frying - neutral flavours, high smoke point, low cost.<\/p>\n

Olive oil is NOT appropriate for deep frying, but can be used as a spray if you\u2019re air frying these (more on that in a bit).<\/p>\n

Coconut oil and avocado oil also aren\u2019t great for deep frying, but work well as sprays for use in the air fryer.\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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How to Make Gluten-Free Orange Chicken<\/h2>\n

The full recipe is in the recipe card at the end of this post, this walk through has some additional info and tips<\/i><\/p>\n

Start heating your oil to 375F \u2013 You can use a deep fryer, or a heavy bottomed pan.<\/p>\n

*****<\/p>\n

If not using a deep fryer, use a deep, heavy pot, filled to at least 3\" deep.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll usually heat the oil over medium-high heat, then turn it down to medium heat - or lower - when the oil reaches temperature.<\/p>\n

*****<\/i><\/p>\n

Line a baking sheet with a couple of layers of paper towel, set aside.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Orange Chicken Sauce<\/h4>\n

In a medium saucepan, whisk all sauce ingredients together until smooth. Heat over medium heat, simmer until it thickens slightly.<\/p>\n

Remove from heat, set aside while you prepare the chicken.<\/p><\/div>\n

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The Chicken<\/h4>\n

In a large bowl, combine flours, baking powder, salt, and vegetable oil. Add water to this flour mixture, stir well to form a VERY thick batter.<\/p>\n

Allow batter to sit for 5 minutes or so, to soften the bean flour.<\/p>\n

Toss chicken pieces with additional garbanzo flour, then dredge in the batter.<\/p>\n

Carefully transfer a few battered chicken pieces to the hot oil. Fry for a few minutes on each side, until golden brown and cooked all the way through. <\/p>\n

Use a slotted metal spoon to transfer cooked chicken to the sheet pan you lined with paper towels.<\/p><\/div>\n

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To Serve<\/h4>\n

Once all chicken is fried, toss with spicy orange sauce, serve immediately.<\/p>\n

Leftovers<\/h4>\n

If you anticipate not using all the chicken you fry up, it\u2019s best to store the extra fried\/drained chicken in an airtight container in the fridge, separately from the leftover sauce.<\/p>\n

While you can reheat the chicken in the microwave before saucing it, it\u2019s usually best to heat it in an air fryer. No air fryer? Spread it out on a pan and bake at 350 for 5-10 minutes, until heated through.\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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What to Serve Gluten Free Orange Chicken Within<\/h4>\n

Generally speaking, we\u2019ll serve this recipe on a bed of white rice - simple and traditional.<\/p>\n

Other times, I\u2019ll cook up some brown rice and use that instead - I love the flavour of it.<\/p>\n

Want some veggies? Steam up some broccoli florets or green beans, both go really well with this recipe! <\/p><\/div>\n

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Air Fryer Orange Chicken<\/h4>\n

Air frying is the easiest way to get a good approximation of deep fried chicken, without all of the oil. It \u201cfries\u201d up more crisp than the baked version.<\/p>\n

The thing is, you have to get a bit more ornate with your method, to make it work:<\/p>\n

As you coat your chicken, arrange each piece on parchment lined baking sheets, after allowing the excess to drip off. Leave space between each piece, you don\u2019t want them touching.<\/p>\n

Once all of the chicken is battered and on the prepared baking sheets, freeze it. You\u2019ll want it frozen through, so give it a few hours at least.<\/p>\n

To cook it, preheat your air fryer to 380 degrees F.<\/p>\n

Once heated, spray the air fryer basket with oil, and arrange frozen chicken pieces in a single layer, leaving a bit of space between each.<\/p>\n

Air fry for about 15 minutes. About halfway through, re-spray the chicken, flip each piece, spray the new \u201ctop\u201d side, and continue cooking.<\/p>\n

Note: the actual air frying time will depend on your air fryer and the size of your chicken pieces.<\/i><\/p>\n

Chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 165 F.<\/p><\/div>\n

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More Gluten-Free Main Dish Recipes<\/h2>\n

Looking for more delicious gluten free recipes for dinner ideas? I\u2019ve got you covered...<\/p>\n

Creamy Mushroom Risotto<\/a>
\nCreamy Mustard Chicken<\/a>
\nElk Bourguignon<\/a>
\n Gluten-Free Bacon Poutine Pizza<\/a>
\n Gluten-Free Beef Stroganoff<\/a>
\n Gluten-Free Beet Gnocchi<\/a>
\n Gluten-Free Chicken Mushroom Tourtiere<\/a>
\n Gluten-Free Coconut Shrimp<\/a>
\n Gluten-Free Cod Au Gratin<\/a>
\n Gluten-Free Cod Cheeks & Dressing<\/a>
\n Gluten-Free Crab Cakes<\/a>
\n Gluten-Free Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup<\/a>
\n Gluten-Free Creamy Creole Pasta<\/a>
\n Gluten-Free Creamy Creole Soup<\/a>
\nGluten Free Detroit Style Pizza<\/a>
\n Gluten-Free Fish Fingers & Custard<\/a>
\n Gluten-Free French Onion Soup Tart<\/a>
\n Gluten-Free Fried Chicken<\/a>
\n Gluten-Free Perogies<\/a>
\n Gluten-Free Sesame Chicken<\/a>
\n Gluten-Free Square Root Tart<\/a>
\n Gluten-Free Tourtiere<\/a>
\nGluten Free Tuna Casserole<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

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Share the Love!<\/h2>\n

Before you chow down, be sure to take some pics of your handiwork! If you post it to Bluesky, be sure to tag us - @CelebrationGen<\/a>. We're also on Pinterest<\/a>, so you can save all your favourite recipes to a board!<\/p>\n

Also, be sure to subscribe to my free email newsletter, so you never miss out on any of my nonsense.<\/p>\n

Finally, if you love this recipe, please consider leaving a star rating and a comment!\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Spicy Gluten Free Orange Chicken<\/h2>\n
<\/div>\n
This Gluten Free Orange Chicken is gluten-free, but you'd never know it. Great for the whole family - whether they're gluten-free or not!<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Prep Time<\/span>15 minutes<\/span><\/span> mins<\/span><\/span><\/div>
Cook Time<\/span>20 minutes<\/span><\/span> mins<\/span><\/span><\/div>
Total Time<\/span>35 minutes<\/span><\/span> mins<\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Course: <\/span>Main Course<\/span><\/div>
Cuisine: <\/span>Asian, Gluten-free<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n
Servings: <\/span>4<\/span> People<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
Calories: <\/span>481<\/span>kcal<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
Author: <\/span>admin<\/span><\/div>\n\n\n

Ingredients<\/h3>