Orange Chicken Meal Prep (Paleo, Whole30, AIP)
This orange chicken meal prep is perfect for making on the weekend to have lunch throughout the week! It’s gluten-free, paleo, and can be made whole30 and AIP.
Orange chicken is a take out classic! Seriously, who doesn’t want to have some takeout fakeout in the middle of the workday? This orange chicken meal prep is midday comfort food without feeling tired and icky afterward! It’s gluten-free, paleo, and easy to make AIP and whole30 compliant as well.
How to make this orange chicken meal prep
- Prepare the cauliflower rice and broccoli and set aside
- Whisk together the orange juice, orange zest, coconut aminos, honey (optional), and arrowroot starch.
- Saute the garlic and ginger in a small saucepan until fragrant. Add the sauce mixture to the saucepan and whisk. Allow to heat and thicken. Set aside.
- Slice the chicken into cubes, salt, and coat in arrowroot starch
- Heat the oil in the pan and cook the chicken until crispy and cooked through.
- Add the sauce to the chicken and stir to coat. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Assemble the meal prep bowls with broccoli, cauliflower rice, and orange chicken. Top with additional orange zest and green onions.
How to make orange chicken paleo
Use arrowroot instead of corn starch
I highly recommend using arrowroot starch instead of tapioca starch in this recipe.
Use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce
Coconut aminos is a great swap for soy sauce!
How long does this orange chicken last in the fridge?
This orange chicken will last for about 3-4 days in the fridge. Perfect for making on a Sunday and bringing for an easy work lunch throughout the week. I recommend storing it in glass Tupperware!
The Ingredients for the Orange Chicken
Chicken breast
You can also use chicken thigh, but I’m used to having chicken breast with orange chicken.
Broccoli and cauliflower rice
These simple sides pair perfectly with the orange chicken.
Orange juice, coconut aminos, arrowroot starch, honey, and orange zest
The honey is optional and you can leave it out if you’re on a whole30, but it really adds some nice flavor to the orange chicken!
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Orange Chicken Meal Prep
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 3 servings 1x
Description
This orange chicken meal prep is perfect for making on the weekend to have lunch throughout the week! It’s gluten-free, paleo, and can be made whole30 and AIP.
Ingredients
For the sauce
- 3/4 cup fresh orange juice
- 2 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey (omit for whole30)
- 2 tsp fresh orange zest (plus additional for topping)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp arrowroot starch
For the chicken
- 1 lb chicken breast
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper (omit for AIP)
- 1 tbsp arrowroot starch
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 thumb ginger, minced
For serving
- 3 cups broccoli, steamed
- 3 cups cauliflower rice
- 2 tbsp green onion, sliced
Instructions
- Whisk together the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Slice the chicken into bite sized cubes. Add salt and pepper, and coat in arrowroot starch.
- Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes until crispy and cooked through. Set aside.
- Add the garlic and ginger to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant.
- Add the chicken back to the pan and stir in the sauce, coating the chicken. Simmer for 3-4 minutes to allow to thicken.
- Assemble the meal prep bowls with broccoli, cauliflower rice, and orange chicken. Top with additional orange zest and green onions.
Notes
All nutritional information are estimations and will vary. Information does not include optional ingredients.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 25
- Category: Meal prep
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 376
- Fat: 14.1g
- Carbohydrates: 23.6g
- Fiber: 4.9g
- Protein: 40g
AIP
Low Carb
Paleo
Whole30
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Painfully salty:(. Are liquid aminos the same as coconut aminos?
Hi Jennifer, liquid aminos are actually different than coconut aminos as it’s still made from soy, and coconut aminos is soy-free. Liquid aminos actually almost has over twice as much sodium as coconut aminos, so that could definitely contribute to the salty taste. Sorry, you didn’t enjoy!
Very delicious! This made 3 meals for me to take for lunches this week. Very excited for lunch now!
★★★★★
How about some ginger in this dish? Excited to make this for dinner tonight!
This was SO good! I sautéed diced onion, mushrooms cabbage, carrots, and broccoli. Added a bag of broccoli slaw and diced water chestnuts. Added diced cooked chicken. This sauce was perfect. Huge batch of orange chicken for the week and the win. thank you!
★★★★★
Thank you so much, Kelly!!
Yum! Yum! Yum! Again, another recipe my whole family devours! And they are not AIP/paleo. It has the perfect orange flavor. Do yourself a favor and make it. You won’t miss your takeout, I promise!
★★★★★
I am LOVING your recipes. I tried this orange chicken recipe without honey and loved it. My boys requested the honey next time but still ate it so that’s a win. I love the layout of your recipes and that they taste amazing while still following healthy eating. Thank you.
★★★★★
So glad you and your family enjoyed!