Panda Express-Style Orange Chicken

This nutrient-rich twist swaps seed oils and refined sugars for avocado oil, raw honey, and fresh citrus, elevating a restaurant favorite with wholesome ingredients.

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Ingredients

  • 1 lb organic chicken breast, cubed
  • 1/4 cup avocado oil
  • 1/4 cup arrowroot starch
  • 1 egg white
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 1 tsp orange zest
  • 2 tbsp organic coconut aminos
  • 3 tbsp raw honey
  • 1 tsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp red chili flakes
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp arrowroot starch mixed with 1 tbsp cold water (for the sauce)

Clean swaps

How we upgrade the restaurant version with better ingredients.

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Reorder the shelf-stable staples for this recipe.

What you'll need

Instructions

  1. Whisk egg white, arrowroot starch, ginger, and sea salt in a large bowl to form a thick coating.
  2. Add cubed chicken to the mixture and toss until all pieces are evenly coated.
  3. Heat avocado oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet or wok over medium-high heat.
  4. Fry chicken in batches until golden brown, crispy, and cooked through (about 5-7 minutes), then drain on paper towels.
  5. In a small saucepan, combine orange juice, zest, coconut aminos, honey, rice vinegar, garlic, and chili flakes.
  6. Simmer sauce over medium heat for 3–5 minutes, then stir in the arrowroot slurry and cook 1 minute more until the sauce is glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon.
  7. Add fried chicken back to the pan and toss to coat evenly with the glaze.
  8. Serve immediately over steamed organic broccoli or quinoa.

FAQ

Can I use granulated sugar instead of honey?

No, we recommend using raw honey as it aligns with our clean-eating standards by avoiding refined sugars.

Is the avocado oil suitable for high heat cooking?

Yes, avocado oil has a high smoke point, making it ideal for high-heat frying like in this dish.

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