Low Sodium Orange Chicken Recipe
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Jump to RecipeThis low sodium orange chicken recipe is sweet, tangy, and so flavorful. Crispy chicken is baked in the oven and tossed with a homemade orange sauce and served over rice.
Our step-by-step directions below will help guide you to making the perfect Asian-inspired meal at home. Skip the takeout and make this better-for-you orange chicken with a fraction of the sodium in your own kitchen!
Want more low sodium chicken recipes? Try our low sodium chicken wings, low sodium cashew chicken, and low sodium chicken lettuce wraps!
You can enjoy a delicious Chinese takeout-style dinner, even while on a low sodium diet! This delicious orange chicken is coated in a batter and baked in the oven until juicy and crisp.
And while the chicken is baking, you can make the zesty orange sauce, which is thick and delicious. Serve this chicken over white or steamed rice (or with our favorite low sodium fried rice!) for a delicious dinner the whole family will love.
Why This Recipe Works
- It’s sweet, citrusy, flavorful, and super delicious!
- Get all the classic flavors of orange chicken, with a tasty low sodium sauce!
- It’s crispy on the outside and juicy in the middle.
- The oven baked chicken is better than fried, and easy to make.
- The homemade orange sauce takes just 10 minutes.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chicken – I used chicken breasts, but you could always use boneless chicken thighs too if you prefer. Make sure you buy chicken with a nutrition label so you know exactly how much sodium is in your chicken.
- Batter – for the chicken batter (to make it crispy) I use corn starch, garlic powder, black pepper, egg, and all purpose flour.
- Orange sauce – for the sauce I use orange juice and zest, brown sugar, ground ginger, rice vinegar, more corn starch to thicken, and optional chili flakes for heat.
- Sesame seeds and green onion for garnish.
Additions and Substitutions
- You can use fresh ginger or fresh garlic in the sauce instead.
- Add chili flakes for a little bit of heat.
- Change your protein – you can substitute pork, beef, or tofu instead of chicken.
How To Make This Recipe
Make the Orange Chicken
Step 1: Dice your chicken and place it in a large mixing bowl. Add the corn starch and toss with the chicken to coat.
Step 2: In another mixing bowl, add the all purpose flour, egg, garlic powder and black pepper. Mix well to combine into a batter. To thin, add 1 tablespoon of water if better is too thick.
Step 3: Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Take a sheet pan and cover it with parchment paper. Add the vegetable oil and spread it evenly over the parchment.
Step 4: Take your chicken breast pieces and dip them in the egg/flour batter until coated. Place the coated chicken on the baking sheet.
Step 5: Place chicken in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, flipping halfway. Chicken is done when it’s crispy on the outside and 165 degrees Fahrenheit internally.
Step 6: While chicken is baking, make the sauce. Juice 2 oranges into a sauce pan, and add 1 teaspoon of orange zest.
Step 7: To the orange juice, add the brown sugar, garlic powder, ground ginger, rice vinegar, and chili flakes (if using).
Step 8: In a separate dish, mix the corn starch and cold water together (water must be cold) until the corn starch dissolves. Add this corn starch slurry to the orange sauce and stir well to thicken.
Step 9: In a large mixing bowl, add the crispy baked chicken, and toss with the hot orange sauce. Mix and coat well.
Step 10: Top the chicken with sesame seeds, green onions, and serve with steamed rice or vegetables.
Recipe FAQs
This low sodium orange chicken recipe has 63 mg sodium for a 3/4 cup serving, as this recipe has been developed with low sodium ingredients. If you get orange chicken from a restaurant, it will likely have more sodium – one popular food court orange chicken serving has over 800 mg sodium per serving! Always ask your server if their restaurant has nutritional information they can share before ordering.
If you have leftover low sodium orange chicken, place it in an airtight container, refrigerate, and enjoy within 2 days. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven (for crispier chicken).
Our recipe uses fresh orange juice and zest, unseasoned rice vinegar, garlic and ginger powder, chili flakes (optional if you like a little heat!) and a corn starch and water mixture to thicken the sauce.
Expert Tips
- Want to double this recipe? No problem! This orange chicken is easy to make two batches of at once. You can save leftovers for another easy freezer meal.
- When dicing the chicken, make sure the pieces are roughly the same size – that way each bite will be more consistent.
- Season to taste – while everyone’s tastes vary, you can add a few extras for added flavor. Add more garlic or chili flakes to the sauce, toss more green onions in with the chicken for a stronger flavor, or even drizzle a little low sodium soy sauce over your chicken if you wish.
Serve This Low Sodium Orange Chicken With
- Steamed white or brown rice
- Low Sodium Fried Rice
- Low Sodium Cilantro Lime
- Easy Low Sodium Grilled Vegetables
- Low Sodium Egg Drop Soup
- Low Sodium Sesame Cucumber Salad
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Low Sodium Orange Chicken
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- sauce pan
- sheet pan
- parchment paper
Ingredients
For the Crispy Chicken
- 1 lb chicken breasts or thighs
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 green onions
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
For the Orange Sauce
- ½ cup orange juice
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
- ¼ cup cold water
- ¼ teaspoon chili flakes optional
Instructions
- Dice your chicken and place it in a large mixing bowl. Add the corn starch and toss with the chicken to coat.
- In another mixing bowl, add the all purpose flour, egg, garlic powder and black pepper. Mix well to combine into a batter. To thin, add 1 tablespoon of water if better is too thick.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Take a sheet pan and cover it with parchment paper. Add the vegetable oil and spread it evenly over the parchment.
- Take your chicken breast pieces and dip them in the egg/flour batter until coated. Place the coated chicken on the baking sheet.
- Place chicken in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, flipping halfway. Chicken is done when it’s crispy on the outside and 165 degrees Fahrenheit internally.
- While chicken is baking, make the sauce. Juice 2 oranges into a sauce pan, and add 1 teaspoon of orange zest. Add the brown sugar, garlic powder, ground ginger, rice vinegar, and chili flakes (if using).
- In a separate dish, mix the corn starch and cold water together (water must be cold) until the corn starch dissolves. Pour this corn starch slurry into the orange sauce and stir well to thicken.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the crispy baked chicken, and toss with the hot orange sauce. Mix and coat well. Top the chicken with sesame seeds, green onions, and serve with steamed rice or vegetables.
Nutrition estimate (for 1 serving)
*Please note, all nutrition content is estimated based on the ingredients we used in our kitchen. It will vary based on your ingredients. Always check your nutrition labels to verify your nutrition content and sodium amounts.
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Better than carry out with ingredients I have in my pantry. So much more economical when I made it myself. The family loved it