Gluten Free Orange Chicken

This gluten free orange chicken tastes EXACTLY like your favorite Chinese take-out! Plus it is just as easy because it is made in the slow cooker. So if you’re favorite part about take-out is not doing dishes, this recipes uses just one dish!

This easy meal is the perfect combination of a sweet and tangy orange sauce! This gluten-free dinner recipe is also a dairy-free recipe.  Making this gluten free orange chicken at home is a lot easier than you think! Just throw all the ingredients in the slow cooker, set it and forget it.

If you love easy weeknight recipes with chicken, you’ll also love my slow cooker chicken satay, my chicken teriyaki and my black pepper chicken!

What Makes this Gluten free Recipe Special?

• This orange chicken sauce is so good, you’re going to want to double it and put it on EVERYTHING.
• The best part about this slow cooker orange chicken recipe is that it is a one pan meal…all you need is the slow cooker! Which means only one slow cooker to make it and only one slow cooker to clean up! My ideal situation since I hate doing dishes.
• This recipe is allergy friendly. You can use gluten free corn startch and gluten free soy sauce like I did for gluten free orange chicken. This is a naturally dairy free and nut free recipe without having to make any changes.
• It’s an easy freezer friendly meal, which means it is a great option for a meal prep lunches or dinners! I love to have it ready to go when I need to just pull a dinner out of the freezer and heat it up quick.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Chicken: I used boneless skinlesss chicken breasts here that I cut into 1″ pieces. You can also use chicken thighs if you prefer. Because this is a slow cooker orange chicken recipe, the cook time will be different if you use chicken thighs because they are bigger peices.

Cornstarch: Naturally gluten free! This is used to thicken the sauce. If you don’t have cornstartch you can use gluten free flour but the texture will be a little different. The Gluten Free Orange Chicken sauce will taste the same.

Apricot preserves: This is to sweeten the orange sauce. You can also use orange jelly or orange marmalade.

Oranges: Used to get that traditional orange flavoring in the sauce. If you don’t have fresh oranges you can use orange juice.

Gluten free soy sauce: You can use tamari or coconut aminos instead.

Rice vinegar: I used this to sweeten the sauce and acheive that traditional orange chicken flavors.

Sesame oil: Used to add that savory, nutty flavor to the traditional orange chicken sauce.

How do I make this recipe?

First, I combine all the ingredients in the crockpot or slowcooker. I add the apricot preserves, orange juice, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes (if using). I wisk the sauce together then add in the chicken.

Next, add the chicken pieces to the slow cooker. I always stir gently to ensure all the pieces are coated in the sauce. Then put the top on.

Next, set the slow cooker. Cook on HIGH for 3 hours, or on LOW for 6-8 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly.

Once the gluten free orange chicken is done, I like to serve the Orange Chicken over a bed of cooked white rice. I garnish the slow cooker orange chicken with chopped green onions and fresh orange wedges.

Can you freeze this recipe?

Yes! Freezing this Gluten Free Orange Chicken is easy and great when you need a quick meal to pull out from the freezer in a pinch. I always recommend cooking the chicken and sauce, and then freezing together without any rice.

To thaw, you can let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight before heating on the stovetop.

What Is The Difference Between General Tso And Orange Chicken?

General Tso and orange chicken are SUPER similar. The major difference though is in the sauce. Orange chicken sauce is made with orange juice or fresh squeezed oranges and has a sweetness to it. General Tso’s sauce is still sweet and savory but with a little bit of spice and it is NOT made with any orange flavoring.

Is this orange chicken dairy free?

It is! There are naturally no dairy containing ingredients in this gluten free orange chicken recipe.

What makes this orange chicken gluten free?

Often all you need to do to convert a chinese sauce is substitute the regular soy sauce for gluten free soy sauce, coconut aminos or tamari. But what can be a little harder is the recipes that are breaded.

I love ordering orange chicken from a chinese restaurant but it is the breading that is not gluten free, so for this recipe the chicken has no breading.

How do I serve this gluten free orange chicken?

This recipe is great served with green beans or even broccoli. You can throw them into the slow cooker or make on the side and add when serving. I also often serve over white rice. You can use white rice, brown rice or cauliflower rice. I like to use frozen rice to save time. Microwaveable rice also is a great hack to save time.

For a quick and easy garnish on top of my gluten free orange chicken, I add sliced green onions, or some sesame seeds.

For a little bit of a kick I like to add red pepper or chili flakes on top.

How do I Store and Meal Prep this recipe?

To store, I let the Gluten Free Orange Chicken cool completely before refrigerating in an airtight container for up to four days.

For longer storage, I love to portion into freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 2 months.

To meal prep into individual portions, divide the Gluten Free Orange Chicken into separate containers. These individual portions are my favorite for great grab-and-go lunches or quick dinners during the week.

How do I reheat the slow cooker orange chicken leftovers?

If Gluten Free Orange Chicken leftover are stored in the fridge, I add to a skillet and warm on medium low heat so it does not burn. Make sure to only heat it until it is warm and not overcook.

If leftovers are stored in the freezer, let thaw overnight. Then, add to a skillet and warm on medium low heat so it does not burn. Make sure to only heat it until it is warm and not overcook.

Looking for more gluten free recipes?

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