Author: Better than takeout, this Vegan Orange Chicken recipe is easy to make, healthier than Panda Express, and so tasty! Just 1 pan and 20 minutes is all it takes. Tofu is coated in a sweet, tangy, and deliciously sticky orange sauce, then served over rice for a quick and delicious dinner.
Whenever I crave take-out, I usually prefer to make it at home since it is so easy to make, way more affordable, and so much healthier. Inspired by the famous Panda Express vegan orange chicken recipe, I knew I had to make a copycat version with tofu. Tofu is torn into pieces (which gives it a chicken-like texture), then lightly dredged in cornstarch and then pan-fried to make it crispy and golden. No deep frying is needed. Then a simple sweet and sour orange sauce is added to the pan and simmered until it is irresistibly delicious! Serve this Vegan Orange Chicken over rice or noodles with a side of broccoli or veggies for the perfect homemade dinner that has those same classic takeout tastes.
Why This Vegan Orange Chicken Recipe Belongs on Your Menu
- Quick and easy to make: You just need 1 pan and 20 minutes to put this vegan orange chicken recipe together!
- So much healthier than take-out: No chicken and no deep frying needed.
- An easy weeknight dinner idea: This is the kind of back pocket dinner recipe you'll return to again and again.
Vegan Orange Chicken Ingredients
- Orange juice: Freshly squeezed or from a carton, either way works great!
- White sugar: To sweeten the sauce.
- Soy sauce: For salty and savory umami flavors.
- Cornstarch: To thicken the sauce and crisp up the tofu.
- Fresh ginger and garlic: For a delightful burst of flavor
- Sesame oil: Adds a nutty and rich flavor. Omit for oil-free option.
- Crushed red pepper flakes: For a little fiery kick. Omit if you don't like spice.
- Extra firm tofu: The perfect vegan substitute for chicken.
- Green onions and orange zest: Optional for garnish,
How to Make Vegan Orange Tofu
- Make the orange sauce: Mix the orange juice, sugar, soy sauce, cornstarch, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes.
- Prep the tofu: Tear it into 1-inch chunks. Some chunks will be bigger and others will be smaller and that's perfect! Add the tofu to a bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch.
- Fry the tofu: Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a cast iron skillet or non-stick pan. Once hot, add the tofu, and stir-fry for about 5 minutes, flipping as needed until the tofu is lightly browned all over.
- Add the sauce: Pour all of the sauce mixture into the pan with the tofu.
- Simmer to thicken: Continue to simmer for another 2 - 5 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Serve: Serve the tofu with rice and garnish with green onions and orange zest if desired.
Variations
- Swap out the tofu: Feel free to substitute the tofu for your favorite vegan chicken alternative. Some of mine are cauliflower florets, store-bought vegan chicken pieces, or rehydrated soy curls.
- Make it oil-free: Omit the cornstarch. Spread the tofu on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, then bake for 15 - 20 minutes in an oven preheated to 400℉ (200°C) until golden. Make the orange sauce in a sauce pan but omit the sesame oil. When the sauce has thickened, add the baking tofu and toss to combine. Serve over rice with garnishes as desired.
- Use an alternative sweetener: Most orange chicken recipes call for ½ cup or more of sugar, but I reduced it in my recipe to just ¼ cup. Feel free to reduce the sugar even more or if preferred substitute it with your favorite alternative sweetener. Brown sugar, agave, maple syrup, or coconut sugar should all work well.
- Make it gluten-free: The only change needed is substituting soy sauce for a gluten-free alternative such as tamari.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Allow any leftovers to cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Microwave or return to a pan with a splash of water and gently reheat.
More Chinese-Inspired Vegan Recipes
If you try this recipe let us know by leaving a comment, rating it, and don't forget to tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram.
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull.
(click stars to vote)
Vegan Orange Chicken
Better than takeout, this Vegan Orange Chicken recipe is easy to make, healthier, and so tasty! Just 1 pan and 20 minutes is all it takes. Tofu is coated in a sweet, tangy, and deliciously sticky orange sauce served over rice for a quick and delicious dinner.
Servings:
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Ingredients
For the orange sauce:
- 1 cup orange juice
- 4 tablespoons white sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce, (gluten-free if preferred)
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced or grated (or ¾ teaspoon powdered ginger)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed (or ¾ teaspoon garlic powder)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, (optional for spice)
To cook the tofu:
- 1 block (350 g/ 12.3oz) extra-firm tofu, drained (no need to press it)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons light oil, (such as canola or vegetable)
For garnish (optional):
- 2 green onions, chopped
- orange zest
Instructions
- For the orange sauce: In a small bowl, mix the orange juice, sugar, soy sauce, cornstarch, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
- For the tofu: Use your fingers to tear it into chunks about 1" in size. Some chunks will be bigger and others will be smaller and that's perfect! Tearing the tofu will make for the best chicken-like texture and also helps grip the sauce better. Add the tofu to a medium bowl and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Toss to coat.
- Heat the light oil over medium-high heat in a cast iron skillet or non-stick pan. Once hot, add the tofu, and cook for about 5 minutes, flipping as needed until the tofu is lightly browned all over.
- Pour all of the sauce mixture into the pan with the tofu, and cook for another 2 - 5 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Serve the tofu with rice and garnish with green onions and orange zest if desired. Allow any leftovers to cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Microwave or return to a pan with a splash of water and gently reheat.
Notes
Tofu substitute: feel free to substitute the tofu for your favorite vegan chicken alternative. Some of mine are cauliflower florets, store-bought vegan chicken pieces, or rehydrated soy curls.
Oil-free: for an oil-free version, prepare the tofu by tearing into bite sized pieces. Omit the cornstarch. Sprea on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, then bake for 15 - 20 minutes in an oven preheated to 400℉ (200°C) until golden. Make the orange sauce in a sauce pan but omit the sesame oil. When the sauce has thickened, add the baking tofu and toss to combine. Serve over rice with garnishes as desired.
White sugar substitute: Most recipes call for ½ cup or more of sugar, but I reduced it in my recipe to just 4 tablespoons. Feel free to reduce the sugar even more if preferred or substitute it for your favorite sweetener. Brown sugar, agave, maple syrup, or coconut sugar should all work well.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving without rice (recipe makes 4 servings) | Calories: 320kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Sodium: 515mg | Potassium: 331mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 258IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 94mg | Iron: 3mg
Cathy Derezinski says
I used chicken of the woods mushrooms I harvested last summer. This was a great sauce for them. They are so much like chicken.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Oh yum! Lucky to have such nice mushrooms 🙂
Jennifer says
Tbe tofu in this recipe is Awesome. I don't normally love tofu (more of an eat it because it's good for you relationship)
The part I didnt love was the sauce. The orange was VERY overwhelming and sweet. Next time I make it I'm going to substitute half the oj with veggie broth and use a smidge less sugar. 🙂
I do love most all your recipies! keep up the good work!
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
Thanks for sharing your experience and we hope you find the right adjustments in your next go at it!
Carolyn Dabney says
Another easy and delicious recipe. I browned the tofu in my non-stick pan and it worked just fine. It probably took a minute or two longer than the cast iron skillet would have, I always have to add more garlic than the recipe calls for and ended up adding too much, but that was my fault. I made this with your wonton soup and rice. It made a great meal!
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
That does sound like a great meal!
Angela says
Absolutely delicious! I used the sauce with some plant based beef strips, broccoli, orange pepper, onion & served with baked sweet potato. To be honest the sauce could be used with just vegetables and served with rice. I think I’ll try it with the tofu next time but I do love lots of veggies - the sauce lends itself to lots of options.
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
Lots of options! We agree and we're glad you liked it!
Laurie says
Very much enjoyed this but in the future I will cut way back on the sweetener. I used maple syrup and I’ll only use 2 T next time. I think the OJ provided a lot of sweetness, so next time I’ll cut back. I will also add some chili garlic paste and top with toasted sesame along with the green onion. I baked the tofu and really liked the texture. This recipe is a “do again” for this house!
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed this Laurie!
CB says
I wanted to love this, but for some reason my tofu stayed mushy and like runny scrambled eggs - were my pieces too small? I turned up the heat to try to get it to brown, which sort of worked.
Recommendations? (I love the idea of the air fryer someone mentioned below.)
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
We're sorry to hear it! Runny scrambled eggs is definitely not the texture we're going for here. It does sound like the tofu was a bit small but also not browned in the skillet enough before adding the sauce mixture.
Liz says
This dish was so easy to prepare and tasted amazing. Plate licking good! I opted for oil free variation and airfried the cornstarch coated tofu chunks with excellent results. Dish was bursting with flavour.
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
We're so happy it turned out well!
Rochelle says
This was really good and easy. Quick to make while the kids were hungry too. I made it as written.
My 1 year old loved it and my 4 year old ate it without complaining too much (which is a win). Thanks!
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
That's incredible! Thanks for sharing.
Owenna Nagy says
I made Vegan Orange Chicken following recipe exactly. It was amazing. Two of us added coconut on top, and one added chow mein noodles. Delicious plain or fancy.
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
We love to hear the customizations!
blr says
sam, i have a recipe i love for 'dump and bake' general tso chicken, made with hoisin sauce et al. if you could figure out how to make it with tofu like this, or your sheet pan recipes... i think that would go over REAL well!
just found your site today; it looks amazing! will be coming back for more recipes. 🙂
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
Thanks for the request - we'll add it to the list!
Allison Norris says
I am a HUGE fan of your recipes and a HUGE tofu fan and this is one of the best of both I’ve ever had. So delicious!
Matt says
This was really, really good. I made it in the wok after sauteeing broccoli, bok choy and mushrooms and served it all over brown rice.
This will be a regular go to.
Thanks so much, Sam!
Nope says
I can't eat chickpeas or broccoli anymore, but I bet this sauce (minus the garlic, yuck) would be good on either!
Sam Turnbull says
Enjoy!
Rose says
Thanks very nice! How can I email this recipe to my self?
Sam Turnbull says
You could copy the URL and paste it in an email. EnjoY!
Michelle Conley-Kane says
It’s not vegan chicken if it has chicken in it !
Gretche says
There is no chicken in this recipe. I did try it tonight and it was delish!
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you loved it Gretche!
Sam Turnbull says
There is no chicken in this recipe, it's tofu! Haha.
Shannon says
seriously? where did she say actual chicken? she didn't!
Heidi filippi says
Absolutely fantastic as usual!
Sam Turnbull says
Yay! So happy you enjoyed!!
Karen Becker says
I haven't made this recipe yet, but I am thinking of using soy curls rather than tofu. How much should I use?
Sam Turnbull says
I'd probably use around 4oz (when dry). 🙂
Hilda says
Soy curls substituted for tofu worked great!
Sam Turnbull says
Yes they would!
Megan says
This looks delicious! Do you need to press the tofu before using?
Aimee B. says
The directions say to drain it with no need to press. 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
No you do not! I like that it retains some moisture making it meaty and juicy. Enjoy!
Judith Bennett says
I am not commenting on this particular recipe as I haven’t made it yet. However, I have made dozens of your recipes and would give as many stars as allowed to each! As a member of a vegan family, you, with your amazing and delicious recipes, have changed our lives. No more searching for vegan recipes, we just automatically go to your site. You are truly a genius! Thank you. Thank you.
Sam Turnbull says
Aww thank you Judith! That makes me so happy 🙂