Following a gluten-free and keto diet doesn't have to be boring! This takeout fake-out Low-Carb Keto Orange Chicken recipe is just as good as the original. It has tender chicken in a crispy crust coated in a sticky-sweet orange sauce that will cure any takeout craving!
This low-carb keto orange chicken recipe tastes like your favorite takeout but without all the sugar and carbs!
It has juicy, tender chicken that's crispy on the outside and coated in a sugar-free sticky-sweet orange sauce. Plus, it's gluten-free and can also be made Paleo!
And if you're looking for more low-carb Asian recipes, I think you'll love these Beef and Broccoli, Teriyaki Chicken, and Sweet And Sour Chicken recipes!
Or if Vegan is more your thing, check out Vegetarian Mamma's Vegan Thai Lettuce Wraps!
Frequently asked questions
Orange chicken from a local restaurant will have roughly 45 carbs, depending on the place. So orange chicken is not usually considered keto. The sauce is full of sugar and the chicken is coated with cornstarch, a very high-carb flour. However, this sauce in this recipe uses a sugar-free sweetener and the chicken is coated in crushed pork rinds making it low-carb and keto-friendly!
This depends on the restaurant. Most restaurants use soy sauce and sometimes flour along with cornstarch to coat the chicken, making it not gluten-free. However, some restaurants use Tamari and cornstarch, which would make the dish gluten-free. The recipe below is 100% gluten-free!
Surprisingly, orange juice only has 1.6 carbs per tablespoon! This isn't much more than lemon juice or lime juice! Don't get me wrong, I don't recommend downing orange juice because those carbs will add up quickly! However, if you just use a little bit to cook with such as in this recipe, it can easily be incorporated into a keto diet.
Easy instructions
For the chicken, we're basically starting with a version of my Keto Chicken Nugget recipe.
Step 1: Chop up 2 lbs. of chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Be sure all the pieces are the same size so they will have the same cooking time.
I like to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs because I think these turn out more tender. However, breasts will work too.
Step 2: Prepare the breading.
For the breading, crush around 3oz (1 regular-sized bag) of pork rinds. Even if you don't like pork rinds, trust me, you'll like them as breading 😀
Simply crush them very finely in a food processor.
If you don't have a food processor, place them in a large, resealable baggie leaving it slightly vented. Use a rolling pin or mallet to crush the pork rinds.
Be sure the pork rinds are very finely crushed. If they’re not, they won’t stick to the chicken very well.
Place the pork rinds in a large bowl. Then, add ½ Cup of blanched almond flour, salt, and pepper, and mix well.
If you’re nut-free, replace the almond flour with additional crushed pork rinds.
Step 3: Bread the chicken
In a large, shallow bowl, whisk together 3 eggs and set aside.
Using tongs, dredge each piece of chicken in the egg mixture then the pork rind mixture. Set aside on a plate.
Please don’t skip this step! I’ve tried breading the chicken pieces as I fry them and it was a disaster! All the pieces get done cooking at different times all while I’m trying to continue breading. Talk about stress!
Step 5: Fry the chicken.
Add some avocado oil to a medium to large-sized pan over medium heat.
Once hot, add as many chicken pieces as will comfortably fit and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until nicely browned and cooked through.
The oil is good for 2 batches. After that, you’ll need to start with new oil, or the chicken will taste burned.
Set aside on a paper-towel-lined plate to drain off any excess oil.
Step 6: Coat with low-carb orange sauce and serve!
Keto Orange Sauce
In a small bowl, mix together the zest of 1 orange, a small amount of orange juice, ginger, rice or white wine vinegar, pepper, coconut aminos (or gluten-free soy sauce), sweetener, sesame oil, sugar-free ketchup, and chicken broth.
For the ketchup, I love Heinz No Sugar Added Ketchup. Primal Kitchen and Tessamae’s are good too, plus they're paleo & whole30. However, any sugar-free ketchup will work.
While the ketchup is optional and isn't a typical ingredient in orange sauce, it adds a lot of flavors. So I don't recommend skipping it!
Add the mixture to a skillet or saucepan and bring to a boil. I prefer to rinse out the pan I fried the chicken in and re-use it so I don't dirty another pan. But do whatever works for you!
Then, add some xanthan gum mixed with a small amount of oil to the sauce while whisking vigorously until thickened.
💭Tip: Mix xanthan gum with a small amount of oil or melted butter before adding to sauces to keep the xanthan gum from clumping.
Add the fried chicken to the orange sauce and stir to coat.
How to serve
Serve this low-carb keto orange chicken with cauliflower rice and garnish with green onions.
For the cauliflower rice, I like to add some coconut aminos (or gluten-free soy sauce), sauteed onion and garlic, and 2 scrambled eggs to make cauliflower fried rice.
DE-lish!
Storage instructions
This recipe is best served fresh, but leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
It can also be frozen! Just be sure to freeze the chicken and the sauce separately. When ready to eat, allow to thaw in the refrigerator then heat in a hot skillet.
The sweetener
Traditional orange chicken is fairly sweet. While we won't need a lot of sweeteners because the orange juice adds sweetness, we still need to add a little.
For this recipe, any keto sweetener will work. However, erythritol-based sweeteners don't dissolve as well as other sweeteners. So if you using erythritol, make sure it's powdered.
I prefer to use xylitol or a monk fruit/allulose blend because they have ZERO aftertastes and dissolve beautifully.
*Note-As a gift to my readers, I've teamed up with BESTI KETO SWEETENERS to give you guys 10% off! Simply use the code "CRAVEABLE" at checkout.
Substitutions
- For paleo, simply use arrowroot or tapioca flour to thicken the sauce instead of xanthan gum, and use honey instead of a keto sweetener.
- If you’re nut-free, replace the almond flour with additional crushed pork rinds.
- I like to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs because I think the chicken turns out more tender. However, chicken breasts will work too.
💭 Top tips
- For the sweetener, any keto sweetener will work. However, erythritol-based sweeteners don't dissolve as well as other sweeteners. So if you are using erythritol, make sure it's powdered. I prefer to use xylitol or a monk fruit/allulose blend because they have ZERO aftertaste and dissolve beautifully.
- Mix xanthan gum with a small amount of oil or melted butter before adding to sauces to keep the xanthan gum from clumping.
- For the ketchup, I love Heinz No Sugar Added Ketchup. Primal Kitchen and Tessamae’s are good too, plus they're paleo & whole30. However, any sugar-free ketchup will work.
- Please don’t skip breading the chicken before frying! I’ve tried breading the chicken pieces as I fry them and it was a disaster! All the chicken gets done cooking at different times all while I’m trying to bread the new chicken. Talk about stress!
If you’ve tried this Low-carb Keto Orange Chicken or any other recipe on the blog please let me know in the comments below!
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📖 Recipe
Low-Carb Keto Orange Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 Lbs. Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs (preferred) or Breasts - cut into 1-inch pieces
- ½ cup Blanched Almond Flour - or additional pork rinds for nut-free
- 3 oz. Pork Rinds - very finely crushed
- 1 tsp. Sea Salt
- ¼ tsp. Ground Pepper
- 3 Large Eggs
- ⅓ cup Avocado Oil - + more as needed
- Fried Cauliflower Rice - optional, for serving. See link in notes
Keto Orange Sauce:
- 1 cup Chicken Broth
- 2 - 4 tablespoon Keto Sweetener - to taste
- ¼ cup Orange Juice
- Zest of 1 Orange
- ¼ tsp. Ground Ginger
- up to ¼ tsp. Ground Red Pepper - to taste
- ¼ tsp. Ground Black Pepper
- 1 Tbsp. White Wine Vinegar Or Rice Vinegar
- 2 Cloves Garlic - minced
- ¼ cup Coconut Aminos - or gluten-free soy sauce
- ¼ tsp. Sesame Oil
- 1 Tbsp. Ketchup - optional, see notes below
- ¾ tsp. Xanthan Gum
- 1 tsp. Oil Or Melted Butter
Instructions
- Add the pork rinds to the bowl of a food processor and process until very finely crushed. Depending on the size of your food processor you might need to process them in batches. Alternatively, place the pork rinds in a large resealable baggie. Seal, removing as much air as possible, and crush with a rolling pin or mallet until very finely ground. Set aside.
- Cut chicken into 1-inch cubes and pat dry with a paper towel, if needed.
- In a shallow mixing bowl, combine the pork rinds, almond flour, sea salt, and pepper.
- In a separate large shallow mixing bowl, whisk the eggs.
- Use tongs to dredge the chicken in the eggs. Then, dredge chicken in the pork rind mixture and set aside on a plate.
- Heat 1 to 2 inches of oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or skillet over medium heat (I prefer using a cast-iron skillet). Use a thermometer to get it to 350 degrees. Do not get the oil over 400 degrees or the chicken will burn.
- Once heated, add as many chicken pieces as will comfortably fit into the hot oil.
- Fry 3-4 minutes per side or until golden and cooked through. Set aside on a paper-towel-lined plate and repeat until all chicken is cooked. *Note-I've found the oil is only good for 2 batches. After that, you'll need to start with new oil, or the chicken will taste burned.
- Add the chicken to the keto orange sauce and toss to combine. Serve with fried cauliflower rice.
Keto Orange Sauce:
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the chicken broth, sweetener, orange juice, orange zest, ginger, red pepper, black pepper, white wine or rice vinegar, garlic, coconut aminos, sesame oil, and ketchup.
- In a medium-sized skillet (I rinse out and use the same one I fried the chicken in), add the orange sauce and heat over medium heat until heated through.
- In a small bowl, combine the xanthan gum and oil. Pour into the sauce. Whisk until thickened.
Add Your Own Notes
Notes
- Each serving is approximately 5 pieces of chicken, assuming the recipe made 40 altogether.
- For the sweetener, any keto sweetener will work. However, erythritol-based sweeteners don't dissolve as well as other sweeteners. So if you using erythritol, make sure it's powdered. I prefer to use xylitol or a monk fruit/allulose blend because they have ZERO aftertastes and dissolve beautifully.
- For the ketchup, I love Heinz No Sugar Added Ketchup. Primal Kitchen and Tessamae’s are good too, plus they're paleo & whole30. However, any sugar-free ketchup will work.
- Please don’t skip breading the chicken before frying! I’ve tried breading the chicken pieces as I fry them and it was a disaster! All the chicken gets done cooking at different times all while I’m trying to bread the new chicken. Talk about stress!
- For Paleo: Use paleo-friendly ketchup, coconut palm sugar for the sweetener, and use 1 -2 Tablespoons of tapioca or arrowroot flour mixed with a small amount of cold water to thicken the sauce instead of the xanthan gum mixture.
- If you’re nut-free, replace the almond flour with additional crushed pork rinds.
- I like to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs because I think the chicken turns out more tender. However, chicken breasts will work too.
- As a gift to my readers, I've teamed up with BESTI KETO SWEETENERS to give you guys 10% off! Simply use the code "CRAVEABLE" at checkout.
- Serve with cauliflower rice and garnish with green onions. For the cauliflower rice, I like to add some coconut aminos (or gluten-free soy sauce), sauteed onion and garlic, and 2 scrambled eggs to make cauliflower fried rice.
- Storage Instructions: This recipe is best served fresh but can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. It can also be frozen! Just be sure to freeze the chicken and the sauce separately. When ready to eat, allow to thaw in the refrigerator then heat in a hot skillet.
Nutrition
NET CARBS = Total Carbs - Fiber
Nutritional information is approximate and may vary. Sugar alcohols are included in the total carbs and fiber.
Looking for more information on the keto diet? Check out my
Carolyn Carneiro says
Not sure if it's me
But theres no mention of paprika in the ingredient list or onion or garlic powder but there is in the instructions
I'm very confused
Please help
Cassidy Stauffer says
Oh no, I'm sorry!!! That was a mistake, those ingredients shouldn't be in the instructions - I'll fix it right away! Sorry again!!!
XO,
Cassidy
Tessa@tessadomesticdiva says
We loved this! I did some tweaks for my tastes,but the whole family was loving it! -First, I added garlic powder to the breading.
-In stead of keeping the eggs separate, I mixed them with about half of the coating and some coconut aminos to make a batter. Stirred all the chicken in, then coated in the dry.
-I added 2 or 3 tablespoons ketchup to increase the umami.
-next time I will use less tapioca to thicken the sauce, it was very thick for us.
- I put the chicken in a bowl and spooned some sauce to toss it with....we have enough leftover sauce to make this again, yay!
Cassidy says
YYYAAYY Tessa!!! I'm happy you liked it! Next time I'll have to try it using your tweaks 🙂 🙂
Tessa@tessadomesticdiva says
We should be neighbors so we can share and create together!
Cassidy says
That would be AWESOME and so much fun!!!
Laura @ Raise Your Garden says
I love the cauliflower fried rice, always think that cauliflower is the unsung hero of the veggie world. Cool recipe!
Cassidy says
Thanks Laura - I love cauliflower too, it's so versatile!
Hannah Wright says
Thanks Cassidy, this looks amazing!
Cassidy says
Thanks Hannah, we loved it - hope you do too 🙂