Orange Chicken Sauce Recipe

This orange chicken sauce recipe is sweet, tangy, and citrusy, and makes an incredible stir fry that tastes better than takeout! It’s easy to make at home, and contains fresh, healthy ingredients. Use it as a stir fry sauce, or toss it with chicken, beef, shrimp, or roasted cauliflower! 

A solid stir fry sauce is a must when it comes to cooking meals at home. While this orange sauce goes perfectly with my Healthy Orange Chicken, it can be used with a variety of proteins and vegetables, and gives new flavor and definition regular meals.

This orange sauce recipe is my favorite stir fry sauce because it’s the perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and savory. The ingredients are simple and healthy, and you can make it ahead of time and store it in the fridge to use throughout the week. It’s This recipe is also easy to double if you’ve got a bigger family!

Because the ingredients are simple and fresh, this is a paleo orange chicken sauce recipe that’s completely gluten free and dairy free. Freshly squeezed orange juice is packed with vitamin C and antioxidants, and there are no additives since it’s homemade. It’s sweetened with a little coconut sugar, which you can add more or less of to taste! This orange sauce fits a variety of needs, so it’s great for everyone at the table.

How to Make Homemade Orange Chicken Sauce

I love how easy this orange chicken sauce recipe is! Just throw all of the ingredients into the pan, simmer, and let it cool! Here’s how to make it in four easy steps:

1. Mix the ingredients. In a medium saucepan, add the orange juice, water, coconut aminos, coconut sugar, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Stir until combined.
2. Bring to a boil. Bring the sauce to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and let it cook for 2 minutes. 
3. Let the sauce thicken. In a separate small bowl, whisk the arrowroot and water together. Add the arrowroot mixture to the sauce and stir well. Simmer the sauce until it starts to thicken, about 5-7 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and serve. Remove the pan from the heat and let the sauce cool. Toss immediately with cooked chicken, beef, or roasted vegetables, or store it in a sealable glass container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Ingredients in This Orange Chicken Sauce Recipe

There are just a few simple ingredients you’ll need to make this homemade orange sauce. The ingredients are fresh, healthy, and super flavorful. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Fresh orange juice 
• Water 
• Coconut aminos 
• Coconut sugar 
• Unseasoned rice vinegar 
• Garlic powder
• Ground ginger
• Red pepper flakes (optional for kick)
• Arrowroot flour

How to Use Orange Sauce

Did you know orange chicken sauce is not just for Healthy Orange Chicken? It’s true! You can toss it with cooked chicken, beef, shrimp, or roasted cauliflower, or drizzled on top of rice or cooked vegetables. You can also use it as a stir fry sauce! This homemade orange sauce is actually my favorite stir fry sauce because the flavors work with so many different foods.

Here’s how to use this orange chicken sauce recipe to make stir fry:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add 1 pound of protein (thinly sliced beef, cubed chicken breast or thighs, or peeled and deveined shrimp) and cook until browned and just cooked through. Remove the protein from the pan and transfer to a clean plate.
3. Add 1 more tablespoon of oil and 4-5 cups of raw cut up vegetables to the pan. I like to do freshly diced onion, broccoli florets, sliced bell peppers, sliced mushrooms, chopped asparagus, or snow peas. Stir fry until crisp-tender, about 4-5 minutes.
4. Return the protein back to the pan and add 1 recipe of my orange chicken sauce (about ¾ to 1 cup). Stir until everything is evenly coated and continue to cook until the sauce thickens, about 2-3 minutes.
5. Serve over rice or cauliflower rice.

Cooking Tips + Tricks

• While I love using fresh oranges for the juice, you can purchase freshly squeezed bottled orange juice for this recipe.
• This recipe can be cooked up in a small 1.5 quart saucepan.
• Want a spicy orange chicken sauce recipe? Start with the ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, and add a pinch more at a time to taste.
• This recipe is easy to double! When doubling the recipe, you’ll get 1 ½ cups of sauce.
• When using this sauce, you can use sesame seeds or diced green onion as a garnish.

Can I Make Substitutions?

Sure can! However, this is where I make that special note that you won’t get the same consistent results if you vary from the original recipe. But, if you find yourself short, here’s a few swaps you can make:

• Coconut aminos: Use soy sauce! Coconut aminos is a delicious alternative to soy sauce that is gluten free and soy free. It’s made from the sap of the coconut palm. You can swap this for soy sauce, however, because it has less sodium than soy sauce, I recommend using 3 tablespoons soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon filtered water in place of the ¼ cup coconut aminos.
• Coconut sugar: This can be swapped for any granulated sugar, including brown sugar.
• Arrowroot flour: As a thickener, this can be swapped easily for corn starch.

How Do I Store Orange Chicken Sauce?

The best part about this recipe? You can make it ahead of time and use it for weeks! If you’re not using the sauce immediately, transfer it to an airtight glass container and store it in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

To freeze, place the sauce in a freezer-safe airtight container and store it in freezer for up to three months.

Is Orange Sauce Spicy?

Nope! It’s a little sweet and tangy with a hint of savory. It’s my favorite stir fry sauce because the flavors work with so many different foods. If you want to make it more spicy, start with the ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, and add a pinch more at a time to taste.

What I Love About This Orange Chicken Sauce Recipe

• This recipe makes incredibly flavorful sweet and tangy orange sauce!
• Orange sauce can be used in many ways—use it in my Healthy Orange Chicken recipe, or toss is with beef, shrimp, or roasted cauliflower.
• This orange chicken sauce recipe is so easy to make! You’ll have homemade orange sauce in under 10 minutes.
• You can make this sauce in advance and keep it in the fridge for up to two weeks.
• This recipe is completely gluten-free, dairy-free and paleo!

Stocking the Pantry

I personally use Thrive Market for most of my pantry needs because it saves me some cash—especially when it comes to commonly used items like coconut sugar and coconut aminos. For a complete list of my recommend pantry items and what I use in my home, check out my Baking and Cooking Resources Page.

Other Recipes You’ll Love

• Healthy Orange Chicken
• Egg Roll in A Bowl
• Healthy Chicken Broccoli Casserole
• Sheet Pan Chicken, Broccoli, and Sweet Potatoes with Garlic Herb Aioli
• Paleo Chicken Tenders

What did you think about this orange chicken sauce recipe? Please come back and let me know below—I’d love to hear from you!

Recipe by: Noelle Tarr / Coconuts and Kettlebells | Photography by: Casey Colodny / The Mindful Hapa