What’s Inside: This 30-minute gluten-free Orange Chicken and broccoli rice is the ultimate “fakeout” meal you can feel good about since it’s low-carb, Paleo, AIP, and Whole30-friendly!
What’s better than fast, hot, savory takeout? Fakeout! Using simple, wholesome ingredients and just one skillet gets you a flavorful gluten-free Orange Chicken you can trust since it’s homemade! No need to second guess or worry about harmful ingredients and allergens, and no need to compromise on flavor, either.
We’re serving this on top of a bed of easy broccoli rice, making this low-carb and packed with vitamins and minerals.
Just getting started on AIP (or need a refresh)? Sign up here to receive a 1-week AIP Meal Plan using some of my most popular AIP recipes to make it stress-free and delicious.
The benefits of organic, pasture-raised poultry are hard to deny. From the booming nutrient content and fatty acid composition to the ethical issue of treating animals without cruelty, choosing meat from happy, healthy chickens is a no-brainer.
Firstly, it’s important to understand that pastured raised chicken is a completely different bird from organic chicken. Pasture-raised chickens are allowed to roam freely while eating what they forage for natural foods like grass, leaves, and seeds. Organic chicken is not necessarily raised as humanely as pasture-raised poultry, and it may still be fed primarily grains albeit, organic grains.
Additionally — and like pigs and even cows — chickens will have a better or worse fat quality depending on what they eat and how freely they can move. The biggest sources of Omega-3 fatty acids in a chicken’s diet come from green plants (aka grass and leaves) and the bugs that eat them. So, it makes sense that free-range, pasture-raised chickens that are able to eat their natural plant diet, would have higher contents of healthy fats. Pasture-raised chicken also contains 50% more vitamin A compared to conventionally raised chicken. Vitamin A is important for vision, immune system strength, skin health, and cell division and growth.
Of course, buying higher quality meat like organic, pasture-raised chicken can be more of an investment than big-name brand poultry meat that doesn’t take diet or humane treatment for these birds into consideration. However, there are many ways to alleviate cost as you’re able to. And like most health-conscious steps, this is well worth the investment in your health.
When you decide to purchase and consume pasture-raised meat, consider sourcing your product directly from the farmer, as the price of grass-fed/pasture-raised meat can steeply vary from grocery store to grocery store. It’s also beneficial to connect with or at least know of the farms your meat comes from and the farmers who are raising those animals for your consumption.
Sourcing Tip: Grass Roots Coop is one of our favorite sources of sustainably raised meats. Grass Roots farmers use regenerative agriculture, which means they replenish the nutrients in the soil rather than deplete them. Their rotational grazing practices also improve our environment and slows climate change. Using Grass Roots helps to take the guesswork out of finding farms that are “up to snuff” on their methods, you can learn more here.
Check out my 10 Tips for Eating Healthy on a Budget to learn more about how you can invest in your health and in causes you care about, while saving money!
Nutritional Therapy Practitioner Tip: When making a switch to where you source quality, more nutrient-dense food, it’s just like picking up any new healthy habit! Low and slow wins the race, incorporate this into your life bit by bit so it becomes a sustainable lifestyle for you instead of a drain. You’ll feel better even by making small changes.
Looking for more sides beyond or in place of broccoli rice? Any of these grain-free side dishes would pair perfectly with my Gluten-Free Orange Chicken:
If you like this Gluten-Free Orange Chicken, then you’ll love my other Asian-inspired recipes:
This recipe was made in partnership with Grass Roots Coop. As always, I only recommend and partner with brands I trust and use myself.
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20 comments
I love how easy this Healthy Gluten-Free Orange Chicken is to make! I will be making it again!
YAY – So happy you love it!
Yum this was good and easy to make! I just roasted the broccoli instead of making it into rice and I added some fresh grated ginger on top! Yummy
Easy to make and absolutely delicious!! I followed the recipe exactly and wouldn’t change a thing. It is my new favorite go-to recipe as I usually have all the ingredients on hand. The broccoli rice was an unexpected surprise and equally tasty.
So happy to hear this, Von! I agree about the broccoli rice… it’s a nice change.
Absolutely delicious. I’ve sent many people to this link to make for themselves. The arrowroot flour adds a stickiness to the chicken and I can’t wait to have this again – I may try making a “lemon chicken” version too.
That makes me so happy to hear, Tracee – thanks for sharing!! I love the idea for using it in lemon chicken, the possibilities are endless!
Orange chicken is a favorite at my house. This recipe was a hit and I love that it isn’t breaded and fried.
Love how easy this recipe is. It’s perfect for our family!
We ALWAYS order orange chicken when we go out to eat, so I don’t know why I have never tried to make it at home!! This looks so perfect, thank you so much for the recipe 🙂
you’re so welcome, it’s super easy to do at home and way tastier!
Great recipe and I really appreciate your explanation of the different methods of raising chickens.
I love orange chicken! I love that your version is healthy and has so much flavorl
So flavorful and delicious. My whole family loved this chicken recipe.
I love when I can make my favorite takeout foods healthier at home! I can’t wait to try this for dinner soon!
Not only was this recipe full of flavor, but I loved the ingredients you chose!
Great flavor! Love the broccoli rice too!
Just added this to our weeknight favorites! It is so good!
Orange chicken is a favorite in this house, can’t wait to try your healthier version ~ I’ve never used arrowroot flour or coconut aminos!
Orange chicken is one of my favorite take out foods. I love your homemade version!