Vegan Orange Chicken
Plant-based vegan Orange Chicken with signature vegan Orange Sauce. A Panda Express copycat that you can make at home in 30 minutes, start to finish, with mostly pantry ingredients. Must try!
This homemade Vegan Orange Chicken with easy and delicious Orange Sauce is a complete plant-based recipe. It tastes like Panda Express's new vegan Beyond Meat Orange Chicken. I used plant-based pea-protein chicken strips made with chickpea and pea protein. Vegan, Gluten Free.
If you like to keep tofu or vegan chicken strips at home? Then you can make Vegan Orange Chicken at home without a grocery store tip! Orange Sauce recipe I'm sharing quickly comes together with pantry staples.
Let's get cooking!
Vegan Orange Chicken
Vegan Orange Chicken or Eggplant Tofu are my favorite at Panda's when I'm on vegetarian diet. I had noted to try Panda Express's Vegan Chicken recipe at home for a long time. Recently, when we were on a full vegetarian diet for a month... I made vegan chicken a couple of times. It was so well received by family that I decided to finally share it on blog.
The broccoli on the side is my another favorite vegetarian side from Panda's. Garlic Broccoli. (Recipe is on blog.)
Honestly, at home this meal comes together so quickly. Make Vegan Chicken and side of broccoli in just 10 minutes! A take-out style vegan dinner at home on 30-40 minutes.
What Do You Need To Make Vegan Orange Chicken?
If you love to cook Chinese at home, I'm sure many of these ingredients are already in your pantry and fridge. Here are the main ingredients for vegan Orange Chicken:
- Plant Based Chicken Strips (Beyond or your favorite brand)
- Orange Juice
- Orange Jam (Vegan)
- Corn Starch
- Soy Sauce
- Rice Vinegar
- Scallions
- Garlic
- Cooking Oil
- Chili Garlic Paste (Vegan)
The key ingredient for this recipe is plant-based vegan chicken strips. I used pea-protein based vegan chicken strips from Whole Foods. You can use your favorite chicken brand.
Cooking Vegan Orange Chicken
Panda Express Beyond Meat Chicken is crispy from the outside and moist inside. To achieve crispy texture and flavorful curst, I coat vegan chicken strips in mixture of soy and corn starch. And shallow pan fry in very little oil.
The corn starch makes a wonderful golden crust without deep frying the chicken strips. No one can tell, this is not deep fried!!
Vegan Orange Chicken Sauce
"Orange" in orange chicken sauce is all about the bright orange color of the dish. I use orange juice and orange jam to make thick and delicious sweet and sour vegan orange sauce just like Panda's.
To make the Orange Sauce, cook garlic, scallion, and chili in a tablespoon of fresh oil.
Next, mix in remaining orange sauce ingredients and heat until sauce is bubbling and thickens. Add fried vegan chicken and coat in the orange sauce. As you can see in the pictures sauce has well coated the chicken with delicious signature orange color.
No one can tell it is vegan orange chicken!
Orange Chicken is ready to devour. Garnish with scallions. Serve while still hot with side of broccoli and rice.
Friends, try homemade vegan Chinese for dinner tonight. Make some rice and this homemade vegan Orange Chicken. Side of garlic broccoli and dinner is served! I can't wait to hear how you liked it. Happy Cooking!
Serve Orange Chicken With:
Vegan Orange Chicken
(4 reviews)
Ingredients
Vegan ChickenDirections
- 1. Batter Vegan Chicken: To make the marinade, in bowl, add soy sauce, sesame oil, corn starch and 2 tbsp of water. Whisk until corn starch is fully mixed with liquid. If sauce resist to mix add 1/2 tbsp more water at a time. Mix after each addition. Don't dilute too much. Batter should have thick consistency. Add diced vegan chicken strips. Coat in mixture and set aside.
- 2. Orange Sauce: Meanwhile, in a small bowl add orange jam, ketchup, corn starch, orange juice, soy sauce, rice vinegar. chili paste and minced garlic. Whisk until jam is fully mixed with liquid. Set aside.
- 3. Cook Vegan Chicken: Heat oil in a large wide non-stick sauté pan. When oil is hot but not smoking, add battered vegan chicken in single layer. Don't crowd the pan. If using small pan then use half oil and work in batches. Cook chicken until crispy golden from both sides. About 3-4 minutes each side. Additional Notes: Check vegan chicken package directions for accurate cooking time.
- 4. Cook Orange Sauce: Remove cook chicken on a paper lined plate to drain excess oil. Set aside. Wipe clean the sauté pan with paper towel. Heat on medium heat. Add Orange Sauce mixed made in Step 2 along with white of scallions. Heat until bubbling and starts to thicken, about 1-2 minutes.
- 5. Assemble Vegan Orange Chicken: Add fried vegan chicken and coat in sauce, heat until chicken is heated through and glistens i.e. sauce has well coated the chicken with delicious signature orange color. (30 seconds to 1 minute) Garnish with sliced scallions. Enjoy with side of broccoli and rice.
Savita's Notes:
- Plant-based Chicken Strips: I used pea-protein based vegan chicken strips from Whole Foods. You can use your favorite chicken brand.
- Serve with rice, noodles, or steamed veggies. Try this Coconut Rice recipe to serve on the side.
- Gluten Free Orange Chicken. This recipe is gluten free. Only make sure to use Gluten Free Tamari Soy Sauce.
© Chef De Home. Post content including video and photos are copyright protected.
We Think You'll Love
Blogger behind Chef De Home. (...about me)
Leave a Message:
Did you try the recipe? Do you have feedback or a question? Leave a message below.
4 Responses
Kerri
This is one of my favorite meals and I love that its vegan! I'll definitely have to try!Dana
Delicious! Made this for lunch when my vegan friend came by and I was blown away at how tasty it was. Id totally eat this again just on my own!Toni
This is so good! A great recipe for my vegan friends!Tayler
I've been trying to eat less meat, so this vegan orange chicken is perfect for me! I cant wait to give it a try for dinner tonight!