Keto Orange Chicken with a sticky orange sauce and deep-fried battered chicken pieces. This dinner tastes like an indulgent takeout meal without all the carbs. It’s keto, dairy-free, gluten-free, and Paleo-friendly.
This keto orange chicken is so delicious. The sauce is sticky and has a strong orange taste as long as you follow my directions to use the orange essential oil or orange extract. I literally felt like I was eating takeout with this recipe without the extra carbs.
Can you believe that glossy sauce covering the battered chicken is keto! You won’t believe what it is thickened with.
I used zero starch to thicken my keto sauce and also didn’t use xanthan gum. I used gelatin! Lots of gelatin is used in this sauce to thicken it instead of sugar and starch. You have to use the gelatin that gels that you would use to make jello with. Do not use hydrolyzed gelatin because that will not thicken.
I highly recommend using orange essential oil or orange extract to make this keto orange chicken. Without it, the sauce has a faint orange taste but with the extra orange flavor from the essential oil or extract the sauce has that perfect takeout orange sauce taste without any extra carbs.
The chicken is battered with a simple coconut flour and egg batter. Then you deep fry the chicken pieces for the perfect tender piece of chicken.
I suggest cooking the sauce while you deep fry the chicken so it will all be ready at the same time.
I added directions for how to use xanthan gum instead of gelatin in the FAQ part below.
Keto Orange Chicken FAQ
How can I make this recipe egg-free?
I didn’t test an egg-free version but you could try just dipping the chicken into the coconut flour and frying it.
Can I bake these instead of frying them?
How can I make this Paleo-friendly?
You can easily make this keto orange chicken Paleo-friendly by using raw honey, coconut sugar, maple syrup, or cane sugar instead of erythritol.
I did not test baking them but you can probably bake them at 400 degrees F. on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake until golden brown and the meat is no longer pink inside.
Can I use xanthan gum instead of gelatin to thicken the sauce?
Yes, you can use xanthan gum instead of gelatin to thicken this orange sauce. I suggest using ¼ tsp of xanthan gum that is bloomed in a little bit of water. I didn’t use xanthan gum in this recipe because a lot of people can’t consume it.
How do I store these?
This Keto Orange Chicken recipe will last about 3 days if you store them in an airtight container in your refrigerator. You can also keep this dish stored in your freezer for up to 3 months. Be mindful that since the sauce is made with gelatin that the sauce will gel when cold.
Related Recipes:
- Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken
- Keto Butter Chicken Recipe
- Keto Curry
- Chicken Cilantro Lime and Cauliflower Soup
Keto Orange Chicken
Keto Orange Chicken with a sticky orange sauce and deep-fried battered chicken pieces. This dinner tastes like an indulgent takeout meal without all the carbs. It’s keto, dairy-free, gluten-free, and Paleo-friendly.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Deep Fried
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 2) or chicken thighs (about 6)
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
- 4 large eggs
- Dash of salt
- Sliced green onion, optional garnish
- 1 tbsp white sesame seeds, optional garnish
- Oil for deep frying, I prefer to use coconut oil
Sauce:
- 1 orange, juiced (1/2 cup of juice)
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp’s powdered erythritol blend (I used Lakanto)
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp’s white vinegar
- 5 tbsp plain gelatin
- 3 tbsp coconut amino acids or gluten-free soy sauce
- 1 tbsp orange zest (from a whole orange)
- 1 large garlic clove, diced
- 1/2 tsp ginger powder
- Dash of salt
- 3–6 drops orange essential oil or orange extract, optional
Instructions
- First, add all of the ingredients for the sauce to a saucepan and set aside until you have started to deep fry the chicken.
- To make the battered chicken, take your chicken breasts or chicken thighs and cut them into 1-inch pieces, and place them in a large mixing bowl.
- Preheat your deep fryer or heavy bottom pot filled with oil to 350° F. Line a plate with paper towel. I used coconut oil to deep fry my chicken.
- To make the batter, add coconut flour and a dash of salt to one bowl. Add eggs to another bowl and whisk to combine the eggs.
- Take your pieces of chicken and dip them into the coconut flour and then into the egg. Make sure to completely cover with coconut flour and then fully immerse in the egg. Then gently drop the chicken pieces into the hot oil and cook until both sides are golden brown and it is floating. About 5 minutes. I liked doing this in batches. I would dip a few pieces of chicken and then fry them. Then dip some more chicken into the batter and fry, etc. I noticed if I battered all of the pieces of chicken at once, the batter wouldn’t stick to the chicken properly when I deep-fried them. The coconut flour would absorb the egg and start to slide off of the chicken pieces. Place the cooked chicken on a plate lined with paper towel to absorb excess oil.
- While deep frying the chicken, cook the sauce. Place the saucepan with all the sauce ingredients on the stove and heat on medium-high. Boil, while whisking often, for 7 to 14 minutes until desired thickness. The gelatin will thicken the sauce. The sauce is thick when you can dip a spoon into the sauce and it comes out coated with sauce.
- Once you are done cooking the chicken add all of the chicken to a large mixing bowl and pour the orange sauce over them. Very gently, toss the chicken pieces to evenly coat them. Serve with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and green onions and a side of cauli rice.
Notes
This Keto Orange Chicken recipe will last about 3 days if you store them in an airtight container in your refrigerator. You can also keep this dish stored in your freezer for up to 3 months. Be mindful that since the sauce is made with gelatin that the sauce will gel when cold.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 460
- Fat: 24g
- Carbohydrates: 14g (9g net carbs)
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 43g