Keto Orange Chicken
Crispy bites of chicken tossed in a sticky, tangy orange-ginger glaze. It tastes like the takeout favorite, made with orange zest and allulose instead of a cup of sugar.
Nutrition per serving
about 1 cup- Net carbs
- 4.1g
- Calories
- 431kcal
- Protein
- 39g
- Fat
- 27g
- Total carbs
- 15 g
- Fiber
- 1.9 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient (optional ingredients excluded). Brands vary — check your labels if you track closely.
Ingredients
Chinese lemon chicken: The same crispy chicken in a bright, sweet-tart lemon glaze, another takeout classic.
- Make the sauce with lemon zest and juice instead of orange. Taste once it thickens and add another spoonful of allulose if you like it sweeter.
Sesame chicken: Leave out the orange for a savory-sweet tamari glaze loaded with toasted sesame seeds.
- Make the sauce without the orange, adding 2 tbsp extra water. Stir in the extra sesame oil with the rest, and toss the chicken with the sauce and the toasted sesame seeds.
Unbreaded (egg- & nut-free): Skip the coating and stir-fry bare chicken pieces until browned before tossing them in the glaze. Quicker, lighter, and free of eggs and nuts.
- Season the chicken and stir-fry it in 2 tbsp of the oil in two batches, 5–6 minutes each, until browned and 165°F (74°C). Make the sauce in the same pan and toss everything together.
- Crispy chicken
- Orange sauce
- Nice to have (optional)
- Crispy chicken
- Orange sauce
- Nice to have (optional)
- Crispy chicken
- Orange sauce
-
1 tbsp orange zestleave out -
¼ cup fresh orange juiceleave out - Also add
- Nice to have (optional)
- Crispy chicken
-
1 large eggleave out -
½ cup blanched almond flourleave out - Orange sauce
- Nice to have (optional)
Estimated cost $10.63 for 4 servings ($2.66 each) · how we estimate
Instructions
-
Pat the chicken dry and season with the salt. Toss it with the beaten egg, then add the almond flour and toss again until every piece is coated.
-
Heat half the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Fry half the chicken in a single layer 5–6 minutes, turning every couple of minutes, until golden on all sides and 165°F (74°C) inside. Drain on a rack and repeat with the remaining oil and chicken.
-
Wipe out the skillet. Add the orange zest and juice, tamari, rice vinegar, allulose, water, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
-
Sprinkle the xanthan gum over the surface while whisking hard. Simmer 1–2 minutes, until the sauce turns glossy and coats a spoon, then stir in the sesame oil.
-
Add the chicken and toss quickly to coat; it loses its crispness if it sits in the sauce. Top with green onions and sesame seeds and serve right away over cauliflower fried rice.
Tips for success
-
Use allulose for the sauce. It thickens and caramelizes like sugar and stays smooth, while erythritol can turn gritty as the sauce cools. - The orange juice adds about 1.5 g net carbs per serving. For a lower-carb version, replace it with water and ½ tsp orange extract.
- Air fryer: spray the coated chicken with oil and cook at 400°F (200°C) for 10–12 minutes, shaking halfway, then toss with the sauce.
Nice to have, not needed
- A Microplane zests the orange without the bitter white pith — the fine side of a box grater works too.
Storage & meal prepMeal-prep friendly
- Keeps 3 days in the fridge
- Doesn’t freeze well
Reheat: Re-crisp the chicken in an air fryer or 400°F (200°C) oven for 6–8 minutes, warm the sauce in a pan, then toss.
Prep tip: Store the crispy chicken and the sauce separately so the coating doesn’t go soggy.
Best fresh. Refrigerate chicken and sauce separately up to 3 days; re-crisp the chicken in the air fryer or oven, then toss with the warmed sauce.
Variations
3 variations, each with its own ingredients and macrosChinese lemon chicken
FlavorThe same crispy chicken in a bright, sweet-tart lemon glaze, another takeout classic.
- orange zest → lemon zest
- fresh orange juice → fresh lemon juice
3.3 g net · 426 kcal · 39 g protein · 27 g fat · ≈$2.65 per serving (−0.8 g net carbs vs the original)
Sesame chicken
FlavorLeave out the orange for a savory-sweet tamari glaze loaded with toasted sesame seeds.
- + 2 tbsp extra sesame seeds
- + 1 tsp extra toasted sesame oil
- no orange zest
- no fresh orange juice
3 g net · 459 kcal · 40 g protein · 31 g fat · ≈$2.70 per serving (−1.1 g net carbs vs the original)
Unbreaded (egg- & nut-free)
DietSkip the coating and stir-fry bare chicken pieces until browned before tossing them in the glaze. Quicker, lighter, and free of eggs and nuts.
- no egg
- no blanched almond flour
2.8 g net · 330 kcal · 35 g protein · 19 g fat · ≈$2.33 per serving (−1.3 g net carbs vs the original)
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