Vegan Orange Chicken

5 from 38 votes

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.

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 15

Servings: 4

Author: Sam Turnbull

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

US Customary - Metric

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

Find it online:

https://itdoesnttastelikechicken.com/vegan-orange-chicken/