Vegan Orange Chicken is a delicious plant based dinner made with chickpeas! Gluten free, healthy, delicious and done in 30 minutes!
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I really don’t play favorites with my recipes.. or at least I try not to.. but whenever someone asks me what my favorite recipe from my site it, I always say it’s this Healthy Orange Chicken Recipe.
This recipe is extremely popular, with millions of people visiting it and hundreds of 5 star reviews.
We don’t want our vegan and vegetarian friends to miss out on this easy dinner that has minimal ingredients and is so full of flavor so we decided to make Vegan Orange Chicken!
This vegan orange chicken is made with chickpeas but has a delicious sweet sauce that tastes just like takeout! There are tons of ways to customize it, but no matter how you make/serve it- it’s the perfect healthy meal!
What makes this dish healthy:
This dish is healthier than traditional takeout for a few reasons:
- Plant Based-We are all for eating high quality animal protein, but many people enjoy meatless options. This recipe is great if you’re looking to eat less meat.
- Refined sugar free – Many takeout recipes have lots of sugar in them. These chickpeas are sweetened with maple syrup!
- Low Calorie – These chickpeas have under 400 calories for the whole meal with veggies!
Ingredients for healthy orange chickpeas:
To make healthy orange chickpeas you’ll need:
There are many substitutions for this recipe listed below in the green shaded substitutions box!
How to make Vegan Orange Chicken:
Making vegetarian orange chicken is easy! We use canned chickpeas which cuts down on a ton of cooking time.
- Whisk together sauce mixture.
- Bring the sauce mixture to a boil for 15-20 minutes, stirring every minute or so until it starts to thicken. (You will know it has thickened when you scrape the pan and it pulls away from the pan)
- When the sauce thickens, add the rinsed + drained chickpeas into the pot. Stir to coat the chickpeas.
- Serve over steamed broccoli or green beans or rice/quinoa.
The sauce on the chickpeas is seriously the best part. It’s SO delicious!
SUBSTITUTIONS FOR ORANGE CHICKPEAS
This recipe is pretty versatile and can be customized depending on what you have at home
- Orange Juice– you can sub regular bottled orange juice with freshly squeezed orange juice
- Chickpeas- You can substitute chickpeas with tofu or chicken breasts. I haven’t tried tofu, seitan or soy curls but I’m sure it would work. Check out our Healthy Orange Chicken for chicken instructions. I haven’t tried subbing in other beans but I think it would work!
- Ginger– you can substitute fresh ginger with 1/2 tablespoon ground ginger
- Coconut Aminos – You can sub coconut aminos with soy sauce or bragg’s liquid aminos – but the recipe will no longer be paleo. If using Bragg’s Liquid Aminos, use HALF the amount – bragg’s is much saltier.
- Maple Syrup – I haven’t tried subbing maple syrup with agave nectar, but I think it would work. You can sub honey but that is not vegan.
- Garlic Powder – You can sub garlic powder with 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
- WW Points: Sesame Oil: 3SP, Orange Juice: 4SP, Coconut Aminos: 4SP, Maple Syrup: 9SP. Total for the dish = 20SP. Per serving = 5SP
Ways to serve Orange Chickpeas:
These chickpeas go with pretty much everything!
Over grains: Serve it over a giant bowl of brown rice/quinoa + broccoli.
Low Carb: Skip the rice entirely or do cauliflower rice.
Veggies: Broccoli, green beans, or steamed cauliflower are great for veggie side dishes
Storing Healthy Orange Chickpeas:
Storing: I keep this healthy orange chickpeas in the refrigerator for up to 4 days
Reheating: You can reheat this healthy orange chicken in a pan or in the microwave.
Freezing: We have not tried freezing this healthy orange chicken but I think it would work!
Have questions? We have answers!
This vegan orange chicken is made of wholesome ingredients like chickpeas, orange juice, maple syrup, and spices!
Yes! Orange chicken is typically sweet, while sweet and sour chicken typically has a tangy taste to it
Give it time, I promise! The sauce needs to boil for 15-20 minutes.
Stir the sauce every few minutes, and once the sauce starts to pull away from the pan as you scrape it back, you’ll know it’s ready!
Other healthy takeout recipes:
We love takeout but hate all the junky ingredients. Here are some of our favorite takeout foods made healthier!
Vegan Orange Chicken
Vegan Orange Chicken is a delicious plant based dinner made with chickpeas! Gluten free, healthy, delicious and done in 30 minutes!
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Instructions
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Whisk together the sauce mixture.
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Heat a large saute pan, and pour the sauce mixture into pan. Bring the sauce mixture to a boil for 15-20 minutes, stirring every minute or so until it starts to thicken. (You will know it has thickened when you scrape the pan and it pulls away from the pan)
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When the sauce thickens, add the rinsed + drained chickpeas into the pot. Stir to coat the chickpeas.
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Serve over steamed broccoli or green beans or rice/quinoa.
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Sprinkle with sesame seeds + enjoy!
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*** If substituting ground ginger for fresh ginger, cut the amount to 1/2 teaspoon
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Facts
Vegan Orange Chicken
Amount Per Serving (1 cup chickpeas covered in sauce with 1 cup vegetables)
Calories 362
Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Fat 7g11%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 380mg17%
Potassium 918mg26%
Carbohydrates 63g21%
Fiber 12g50%
Sugar 24g27%
Protein 14g28%
Vitamin A 847IU17%
Vitamin C 146mg177%
Calcium 126mg13%
Iron 4mg22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
