Healthy Orange Chicken Asparagus Stir-Fry
This Healthy Orange Chicken Asparagus Stir-Fry tastes light, fresh, filling and requires only 10 ingredients & one pan to make it happen! Full of golden-brown chicken, crisp asparagus, and a tangy naturally-sweet sauce, it’s the perfect last minute dinner to make any night of the week.
This recipe was originally published with the title “One-Pan Orange Chicken Asparagus Stir-Fry”, we’ve changed the name and updated it to improve the post but it’s the same great recipe!
About this Healthy Orange Chicken Asparagus Stir-Fry recipe
One-pan dinners are pretty much a staple in our house, they’re so easy to get on the table and you can switch up the flavors season to season!
This easy orange chicken recipe tastes like your favorite takeout dish but is naturally gluten free and made with good-for-you ingredients.
The craveable combination of crispy chicken pieces cooked in a thick, delicious garlic-citrus sauce pairs perfectly with fresh, sauteed asparagus spears.
But the beauty of this versatile chicken & veggie dinner is that you can customize it to work with whatever you’ve got.
It works with either chicken thighs or chicken breasts, and almost any green vegetable – so you can enjoy this gluten free orange chicken all year long!
Process & Tips
This gluten free recipe comes together in just one pan with minimal ingredients & prep steps – making it one of my go-to last minute dinner ideas!
Simply add your chicken to a hot pan until browned & crispy, toss in your asparagus and pour over your simple sauce.
The coconut oil gives the chicken the most amazing golden brown color, which my family LOVES – if you don’t have coconut oil, though, olive oil will work just fine in this recipe.
But the secret to making this gluten free orange chicken taste like the real-deal is in what I use to naturally thicken the sauce… arrowroot powder!
If you haven’t used this ingredient before, it’s simply a grain-free alternative to cornstarch.
Tossing the chicken in a little bit of arrowroot powder results in crunchy, almost nugget-like, chicken pieces and helps to thicken the sauce naturally.
Tip: Be sure to taste your dish before serving and add additional orange juice, vinegar, or salt to make the sauce exactly how you like it. If the sauce is too thick, simply add additional orange juice or chicken stock to thin it out a bit.
What to Serve with this Healthy Orange Chicken Asparagus Stir-Fry
Enjoy this orange chicken stir fry with asparagus as-is, or pair with some cooked quinoa, rice or cauliflower rice.
This would also make a fun build-your-own rice bowl dinner!
Simply set out warm, cooked rice along with any of your favorite toppings – like chopped green onions, fresh cilantro, sriracha or chili paste, lime wedges, chopped peanuts or sesame seeds.
Meal Prep Tips & How to Store or Freeze Leftovers
Cooked chicken will keep well in the fridge for up to 3-4 days, in a sealed container
This recipe also freezes well, store in a sealed freezer friendly container for up to 2-3 months
This recipe can be made ahead! Double it for meal prep on busy weeks (or anytime you need to feed a crowd quickly & easily).
Ingredients & Modifications
Chicken breasts: I used boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe but boneless skinless chicken thighs would also work great.
Asparagus: If you don’t like asparagus (or if it’s out of season & you can’t easily find it), you can swap in any crisp, green veggie in its place. Green beans, snap peas, snow peas, or broccoli are all great options.
Garlic: I love the flavor that the fresh garlic adds to this simple recipe, especially since we’re using so few ingredients! But you can also use garlic powder in its place if you prefer.
Orange juice: The orange juice adds that signature orange chicken flavor to this dish, use fresh OJ for the best flavor.
Orange zest: My secret to adding extra orange flavor without a lot of extra effort is to put the zest of the orange to good use and add a bit of it into the sauce. Bonus points: it adds some extra color to your finished dish!
Chicken stock: I used reduced sodium chicken stock but you could also use regular chicken stock or vegetable stock if that’s what you have on hand.
White wine vinegar: The vinegar adds a bit of lift and brightness to the recipe when added right at the end after cooking. You could also use lemon juice in its place.
Coconut oil: Coconut oil gives the chicken the most amazing golden brown color and it pairs so well with the other ingredients in this dish. If you don’t have coconut oil, though, olive oil will work just fine in this recipe.
Arrowroot powder: Arrowroot powder comes from the root of an arrowroot plant and is a great grain-free, corn-free alternative to cornstarch. You can find it in well-stocked grocery stores and online. If you can’t find it or prefer not to use it, cornstarch can be used in its place.
Kosher salt: Look for kosher salt with the regular iodized salt at the grocery store (it has a subtler flavor). Use less iodized salt if that’s what you have on hand.
If you like your chicken with a little bit of spice & heat, feel free to add in red pepper flakes to the orange sauce or add a bit of sriracha on top before serving!
More Easy Healthy Stir-Fry and Skillet Dinner Recipes
Skillet Chicken and Sweet Potatoes
Easy Italian Chicken Zucchini Skillet
20-Minute Ground Turkey & Green Bean Skillet
Quick & Easy Crustless Chicken Pot Pie
This Recipe Is…
dairy free , egg free , gluten free , grain free , mayo free , nut free , paleo , soy free
Healthy Orange Chicken Asparagus Stir-Fry
Ingredients
For the Stir-Fry
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
- 2 tablespoon coconut oil, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4 cups asparagus, ends trimmed, and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 bunches)
- 2 large garlic cloves, grated or finely minced
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, or lemon juice
For the Orange Sauce
- zest of 1 orange, about 1 tablespoon
- ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice, from about 2 oranges
- ½ cup reduced sodium chicken stock
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder*
Instructions
- Sprinkle the chicken with 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder and ¼ teaspoon salt. Toss together until the chicken is evenly coated.
- In a large pan, heat 1 tablespoon coconut oil over medium heat. Add the chicken in an even layer and cook for 5 minutes, then flip and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes, or until both sides are browned and the chicken is cooked through.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. To the same pan, add an additional 1 tablespoon coconut oil and the garlic. Saute over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, until the garlic is golden (garlic burns easily, so keep an eye on it). Add the asparagus, sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt, and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the asparagus is bright green and slightly tender.
- Meanwhile, In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, the orange juice, orange zest, and the chicken stock.
- Add the chicken back to the pan with the asparagus, then pour in the orange juice mixture. Cook over medium-low heat for 1-2 minutes until the stock thickens.
- Off the heat, add the vinegar or lemon juice. Taste and add additional orange juice, vinegar, or salt to taste. If the sauce is too thick, add additional orange juice or chicken stock. Serve over rice, quinoa, or on its own.
Hi Robyn – what pan are you using here? Love your recipes!
Ali, so glad you’re enjoying the recipes! It’s a Le Creuset Enameled Cast-Iron 10-1/4-Inch Skillet. Here’s an amazon link: http://amzn.to/1nzUL9M. Definitely an investment piece, but super high quality and one the will last a lifetime! 🙂
Thank you!
Can’t wait to make this one! Kris loves asparagus. Also, crushing on that pan 🙂
I hope your family enjoys! xxoo
another winner! i only had 1 bunch of asparagus so i did end up serving it over quinoa just to give it a little more substance…delicious!!
Sounds like a perfect dinner, Shannon. So glad you enjoyed!
I found your site about 3 weeks ago and have been cooking retry much exclusively from it since. Everything is so fresh, simple, and delicious. Both my husband and 4year old have loved everything. I made this tonight and my son ate ever piece of asparagus first before finishing off the meat and rice entirely. He even asked for more asparagus after and announced that he LOVES asparagus! ,
Amanda, I’m so glad we connected and that you’re enjoying the blog! And I absolutely love that your family enjoyed this recipe. Yay for babies loving asparagus! 🙂
I stumbled on this recipe tonight by accident. At 6pm my starting point for dinner was chicken. This recipe having only 10 ingredients that I just happened to have on hand made this a winner…and what a winner it was!!! Quick and easy to put together, one pan to clean and the flavor was fantastic! This is a keeper! You’ve got a new fan and a new subscriber!
Catherine, yay, I’m so glad you found the site and that the recipe was a hit. Thanks so much for subscribing. I hope you discover more recipes that you love!
Success! This wa so good and easy. The vinegar at the end took it over the top. THe zest and juice added so much flavor. I only got 1/4 cup of juice from 2 oranges so I just added more chicken stock. I have not hadn’t any fails from your recipes. Thank you.
Kari, that is so awesome! So glad you enjoyed this one!!