Looking for a quick and flavorful dinner that beats takeout? This Ground Chicken in Orange Sauce is a sweet and savory dish made with simple pantry ingredients and lean ground chicken. It’s perfect for busy weeknights and delivers all the bold flavors of your favorite Chinese orange chicken—without the deep frying. Serve it over fluffy white rice or your favorite grain for a complete meal that the whole family will love.
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Why my recipe
Unlike traditional orange chicken, this version is lighter, easier, and faster. Using ground chicken cuts down on prep time and makes it more accessible for weeknight cooking. The homemade orange sauce is naturally tangy and sweet, with no need for store-bought bottles. Plus, you can adjust the sweetness or spice to your liking. Whether you’re meal prepping or just need a new healthy dinner idea, this recipe has you covered.
Love Asian flavor? Try my Coconut Milk Curry Chicken next!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Ground chicken – You can substitute ground turkey or ground pork if desired.
- Grated orange rind – Fresh zest gives the best flavor, but bottled orange zest or a splash of orange juice concentrate can work in a pinch.
- Green onions – Adds a fresh bite; substitute with chopped yellow onion or chives.
- Rice vinegar – Apple cider vinegar or white vinegar can be used instead.
- Soy sauce – Tamari or coconut aminos are great for gluten-free options.
- Sesame oil – A small amount gives great depth, but you can leave it out or use a neutral oil if necessary.
- Brown sugar – Swap for honey or maple syrup for a natural sweetener.
- Ketchup – Tomato paste with a touch of vinegar and sugar can be used as a homemade alternative.
- Cornstarch – Helps thicken the sauce. Arrowroot powder or flour could be used as a substitute.
- Green bell pepper - adds a nice flavor and crunch.
- Cooked rice – White rice, brown rice, or even cauliflower rice works for serving.
Directions
- In a small bowl, whisk together water, ketchup, brown sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and cornstarch until smooth. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.
- Add ground chicken and cook, breaking it up with a spatula, until browned.
- Stir in the grated orange rind and green onions. Season with salt and pepper.
- Reduce the heat to medium, then slowly pour in the orange sauce mixture while stirring.
- Add bite sized pieces of green bell pepper and stir into sauce.
- Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken.
- Serve over hot cooked rice and garnish with orange slices if desired.
Tips
- Don’t skip the orange zest—it’s the key to the bright citrus flavor!
- Adjust the sugar to taste if you prefer a more savory or tangy profile.
- For added texture, toss in steamed broccoli, snap peas, or cauliflower florets.
How to store
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of water if needed to loosen the sauce. This dish also freezes well for up to 2 months—just thaw and reheat before serving
Rice dishes to serve with orange chicken
More Asian Inspired Recipes
- Air Fryer Bang Bang Cauliflower
- Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs
- Chinese Chicken on a Stick
- Cabbage Crunch Salad with Ramen Noodles
Email me the recipe!
Enter your email and I'll send it to your inbox!
Plus get all our new recipes too!
Ground Chicken in Orange Sauce
Ingredients
Orange Sauce
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup ketchup
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce low sodium
- 2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mix with 1 tablespoon water to make slurry
- 2 teaspoon oil
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 2 tablespoon green onions chopped finely
- 1 cup green bell pepper chopped into ½ inch pieces
- Hot cooked rice
Instructions
- Mix sauce ingredients (water through cornstarch) and set aside.
- Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.
- Add ground chicken and cook, breaking it up with a spatula, until browned.
- Stir in the grated orange rind and green onions. Season with salt and pepper.
- Reduce the heat to medium, then slowly pour in the orange sauce mixture while stirring.
- Add chopped green pepper to the sauce.
- Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken.
- Serve over hot cooked rice and garnish with orange slices if desired.
Erin
I was super excited to try this and was somewhat disappointed when I tried it. The flavors were OK but something in mine made it taste really bitter. Also I didn’t see anything in the recipe where the measurements of cornstarch were. I am willing to try again if you have any tips 😊.
Nikole
Sorry this didn't meet your expectations Erin! Perhaps the orange zest made it bitter? My tips would bet to try less zest and to be sure you're only removing the orange part, not any of the white. Or you can just replace with orange juice- about 1/4 to 1/3 cup. Make a cornstarch slurry with equal parts water and cornstarch- up to one tablespoon depending on how thick you need the sauce to be! Thanks for the feedback--I'll give this one another test and make any changes to the recipe card.
ed
Nice looking meal. I'm assuming that the 1/4 soy sauce is intended to be 1/4 cup of soy sauce.
Nikole
Yes, thanks for noticing that!