Does anyone remember the days of Leeann Chin? During my high school years, my mom often took me there because it was connected to one of our favorite local Minnesota grocery stores (Lund’s & Byerly’s, baby!). We’d get a quick meal to go, and my go-to was the lemon or orange chicken.
Fast forward to adulthood (and motherhood), where life is vastly different. These days, I’m all about healthier takes on my favorite childhood meals, and today I’m here to prove that you can still enjoy those nostalgic meals with better-for-you ingredients. This healthy orange chicken stir fry is just one of those meals!
I lightened up this homemade orange chicken stir fry by stir-frying it with tons of veggies and a fresh orange sauce. You’re going to love it!
Orange chicken lightened up to perfection
Traditional orange chicken recipes call for coating your chicken in a thicker batter, deep-frying it, and then tossing it in an orange sauce with granulated sugar. While I LOVE classic orange chicken, I wanted to create a simple, lightened-up stir fry version that anyone can easily cook right at home using fresh orange juice and honey for the sauce.
The result? Juicy chicken and crunchy veggies coated in a lightly sweetened, zesty orange sauce. This version is also gluten-free, grain-free, and paleo-friendly!
Ingredients in this healthy orange chicken stir fry
We’re using up plenty of pantry staples to make this stir fry, which is really all you need to get super flavorful dish. Here’s everything you’ll need to make this recipe:
- Chicken: I like to cut up boneless, skinless chicken breast to use in this recipe. You’ll toss it with salt, pepper, and cornstarch to season and give it a lovely texture.
- Veggies: we’re stir frying the chicken with onion, garlic, a red bell pepper, and fresh green beans. You’ll need some sesame oil for cooking.
- Cashews: we’ll also be cooking cashews right into the stir fry. YUM.
- For the sauce: the super flavorful orange sauce is made with fresh orange juice and zest, honey, soy sauce, freshly grated ginger, sriracha, and a little more cornstarch to thicken.
- To garnish: I like to top this stir fry with fresh green onions and some toasted sesame seeds.
Customize your stir fry
This weeknight staple is super easy to customize with what you have on hand. We love switching up the veggies according to what’s seasonal! Here are more ways to make it your own:
- Swap your veggies. I also love this recipe with broccoli and asparagus, but mushrooms, snow peas, and even brussels sprouts would be great.
- Go vegetarian. Feel free to swap the chicken for a can of rinsed, drained chickpeas or cubed tofu!
- For the sauce: feel free to swap the soy sauce for tamari or coconut aminos, and the cornstarch for arrowroot starch. Some soy sauces are not naturally gluten-free, so either of those swaps will keep the dish gluten-free.
Our favorite sides
Looking to make this dish a little heartier? This recipe is so versatile and delicious with:
Delicious orange chicken stir fry in 6 simple steps
- Make the sauce. Whisk together all of the sauce ingredients in a bowl until the cornstarch is dissolved. Set this aside until you’re ready to use it.
- Prep the chicken. Add your cubed chicken to a separate bowl and toss with salt, pepper, and cornstarch.
- Cook the chicken. Cook the chicken in a skillet with the sesame oil, then transfer to a clean bowl and keep the heat in the pan.
- Cook the veggies. Add a little more sesame oil to your pan and saute the onion, then add in the rest of the veggies and cashews. Be sure not to overcook — we want the veggies to still have a little crunch!
- Add the sauce. Pour the orange sauce into the pan with your veggies and stir while the sauce thickens up. Add the chicken back in, reduce the heat, and let the sauce thicken for a few minutes.
- Garnish & serve. Garnish with sesame seeds, green onion, and cilantro, then serve with rice or your fav side!
Storing & freezing tips
- To store: this easy orange chicken stir fry is perfect for your weekly meal prep! Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. Simply reheat in intervals in the microwave.
- To freeze: let the stir fry cool completely, then transfer everything to an airtight glass container or reusable silicone bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw the meal in the fridge and then reheat everything on the stovetop. I recommend waiting to cook your rice (if using) until you’re ready to eat.
More delicious dinners you’ll love
Get all of my dinner recipes here!
You’re going to love healthy orange chicken! If you make it, be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!
The
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
Healthy Orange Chicken Stir Fry
by
Delicious, healthy orange chicken stir fry with a rainbow of crisp veggies and a fresh, sweet & tangy orange sauce. This orange chicken stir fry recipe packs over 30g of protein and is perfect for meal prep!
Ingredients
- Sauce
- zest from 1 large orange
- ¾ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce (or sub coconut aminos)
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot starch
- 1 teaspoon sriracha (or sub ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes)
- Chicken
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- Veggies
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- ½ medium white onion, cut into chunks
- 1 large red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
- 8 ounces fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
- ½ cup raw cashews
- Garnish
- Green onion, for garnish
- Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions
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Make your sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together the orange zest and juice, honey, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, cornstarch/arrowroot starch, and sriracha until the cornstarch is dissolved. Set aside.
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Coat the chicken: Place chicken in a large bowl, season with salt and pepper and add in the cornstarch. Toss to evenly coat the chicken.
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Cook the chicken: Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add in the sesame oil. Add in chicken and cook for 5-6 minutes or until fully cooked, golden brown and no longer pink. Once chicken is cooked, transfer to a bowl and set aside. Reduce the heat to medium in the pan.
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Add in another tablespoon of sesame oil to the pan and then add in onion and saute until they become slightly translucent, about 2 minutes. Next add in the bell pepper, green beans and cashews and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 to 7 minutes total. You want the green beans to still have a little bit of crunch!
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Once veggies are just slightly tender, pour the orange sauce into the pan. Stir frequently as the sauce will start to thicken up, 1 to 2 minutes. Add in chicken and stir again so the sauce coats the chicken. Reduce heat to medium low and let the sauce simmer and thicken some more, about 2 minutes.
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Serve immediately over rice. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds, green onion and cilantro if desired. Serves 4.
Recipe Notes
To make vegetarian: use 1 can of chickpeas in place of the chicken.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving (based on 4, without rice)Calories: 439calCarbohydrates: 33.6gProtein: 33.5gFat: 20.5gSaturated Fat: 6.2gFiber: 5.2gSugar: 19.1g
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
This post was originally published on May 9th, 2019, the recipe was updated on February 19th, 2026, and the post was republished with new photos & a video on March 22nd, 2026.
