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5 from 1 vote

Keto Orange Chicken

A low carb and keto-friendly version of Chinese orange chicken.
Servings: 3
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 12 oz chicken breast, cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp coconut flour
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tbsp heavy cream
  • oil, for frying
  • 1 green scallion, thinly sliced

Orange Sauce

  • 2 tbsp water
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp fresh squeezed orange juice, (approximately one orange)
  • 1/2 tbsp orange zest
  • 1/4 cup erythritol granular
  • 2 1/2 tbsp white vinegar
  • 1/8 cup low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 clove garlic , minced
  • 1/4 tsp ginger , minced
  • 1/2 tsp sriracha
  • 1 tsp sugar free ketchup
  • 1/2 tsp xanthan gum

Instructions
 

  • In a small bowl, whisk egg with heavy cream. Set aside. In a medium bowl, add coconut flour. Set aside.
  • Dip a piece of chicken into the egg wash. After it is fully coated, shake it a few times, making sure to shake off any excess egg drippings back into the egg bowl before adding it to the breading. The reason for doing this is that you don't want the egg drippings going into the breading. The moisture will cause the breading to clump and the clumped up breading won't stick to the chicken.
  • Roll the chicken in the coconut flour a few times until fully coated. Repeat with remaining chicken.
  • Add about 1 inch of oil to a pot being used for frying. When the oil reaches 350°F, add breaded chicken. Cook a few minutes until a deep golden brown. Remove chicken with a slotted spoon and place onto a paper towel-lined plate. If needed, you can fry in several batches.
  • While the chicken is frying you can begin making the sauce. Using a small saucepan, add all ingredients listed except the xanthan gum. Bring sauce to a simmer. Taste and adjust if needed. Sprinkle xanthan gum and stir until it dissolves into the sauce. Cook 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens. If sauce is not thickening enough you can add a little more xanthan gum. Keep in mind that while the sauce is simmering, it will still be very liquidy but will thicken once it starts to cool. You can tell if the sauce has thickened by observing the bubbles popping on the surface. They will slow down as the sauce thickens. You don't want the sauce too thick because then you won't have enough sauce to cover the chicken.
  • Working quickly, spoon sauce over chicken cubes. Garnish with scallions if desired. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • If you have ingredient substitution questions, I discuss some possible substitutions in the post.
  • Make sure to use fresh squeezed orange juice otherwise your sauce won't have enough orange flavor.
  • Heavy cream is mixed with the egg to create a thicker egg coating which makes it easier to bread the chicken.
  • I discuss more in detail in the body of the post that this coconut flour breading does not get as crispy as some other low carb breading options. If you want something super crunchy, you can use one of the other ones I mention in the post.
  • Xanthan gum can be replaced with cornstarch though keep in mind cornstarch is not as keto-friendly. If you use cornstarch, you need to dissolve it in water before adding it to the sauce otherwise it will clump up. You would likely need more cornstarch (between 1/2 to 1 tbsp).
  • The nutrition estimate is a very rough estimate. It does not include oil for frying since it is difficult to determine how much oil is absorbed into the chicken. It also assumes that all of the breading and all of the egg batter is used but in reality you will have some leftover. The estimated carbohydrates count excludes sugar alcohols. The net carbs exclude both fiber and sugar alcohols.
Serving: 0.3of recipe, Calories: 281kcal, Carbohydrates: 17g, Protein: 30g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Sodium: 611mg, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 4g, NET CARBS: 9
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. This is not a comprehensive list of all the nutrients in the recipe (i.e., does not include vitamins, cholesterol, etc). I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
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