30 Minute Ground Orange Chicken

Skip Chinese takeout and stay in tonight with this ground orange chicken. In about 30 minutes you have a meal you can pair with rice, serve in lettuce wraps or even noodles. A simple recipe using ground chicken that tastes better than ordering your usual dish.

This Chinese orange chicken is not diced chicken battered and fried. It is a ground chicken that you cook, mix in sauce and let it cook down. A true no fuss weeknight plate that takes minimal effort.

When we are feeling lazy, we reach for a minute rice to go with it. You just grab an extra pan and let it cook as you are cooking the chicken. Once done, ring the bell and devour.

This Ground Orange Chicken Is…

• Gluten free – swap soy sauce for coconut aminos
• A budget friendly meal
• Quick prep
• 30 minute dinner idea
• Chinese takeout inspired recipe
• Stores well for meal prep – orange chicken meal prep is legit a breeze!
• Kid friendly recipe

Ground Chicken – Traditional orange chicken is boneless chicken cubed. Then you batter and fry. We didn’t want to fuss with that so we used ground meat that crumbles as it cooks. Plus it speeds up prep and cook time.

Orange Marmalade – You can find marmalade in the aisle where the jelly is. This adds flavor to the dish.

Bbq Sauce – we used a Kansas City style sauce which is smoky but also has a sweetness to it. Feel free to buy whatever your usual sauce is.

Oil – Canola or vegetable oil will work for this dish for cooking chicken in. Then for the sauce you will use sesame oil for a kick of flavor.

Ground Ginger – Fresh ginger you grate with a zester helps to disperse this rich spiced flavor throughout the dish. If you don’t have fresh reach for ½ teaspoon ginger spice.

Garlic – Mince your garlic yourself or in a hurry buy jarred garlic that is minced already.

Rice Wine Vinegar – Rice wine vinegar is used in a lot of Cuisine dishes. If you don’t have rice wine you can swap with apple cider vinegar.

Soy Sauce – If gluten free use coconut aminos in replacement. Or if you are watching sodium use low sodium soy sauce.

Sesame Seeds and Green Onions – These two are optional toppings for the dish. It adds color but also more flavor to your chicken recipe.

Helpful Tools For Recipe

Here are a few helpful kitchen tools for this orange ground chicken dish. You don’t have to use these items, but they are handy!

• Meat Chopper – Helps to chop up the meat small with minimal effort. We use this all the time for any ground meat.
• Cast Iron Skillet – we are a lover of the cast iron. You can cook on any skillet but the cast iron is our personal go-to lately.
• Garlic Press – Here is a great way to mince garlic fast. You can also use a lemon zest to grate the garlic as well.

How to Make

Step 1: In a bowl you are going to mix up your orange chicken sauce. Combine orange marmalade, BBQ sauce, ginger, red chili flakes, minced garlic, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar and soy sauce. Mix until combined. Set sauce aside.

Step 2: In a skillet heat a tablespoon of oil in a skillet, and then add your ground chicken. Cook until it is no longer pink and cooked through. Pour the sauce in, and mix well.

Step 3: You will cook the chicken with the sauce for around 10 minutes on simmer. This is going to thicken the sauce. Make sure to stir occasionally.

Serve with a bed of white rice, and enjoy. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions if you would like.

Storing Leftovers and Meal Prepping

Here is how you can save leftovers on this ground chicken recipe. Use it for meals later on, freeze, and more.

Storage and Meal Prepping – In single serve containers add your cooked rice, and the orange chicken mixture on top. Seal with lid and store in the fridge for a simple grab and go lunches or even for dinners. The chicken stores for 3-4 days.

Freezing – Want to freeze leftover chicken? Go right ahead and freeze for up to 3 months, in the proper container. Then reheat from frozen or thaw in the fridge overnight.

Expert Tips and Variations

Here are a few ways to change up this orange chicken recipe with ground chicken.

• Add a splash of fresh orange juice in for added orange flavor.
• Use diced up boneless chicken to replace the ground chicken. Just cook until the chicken is fully cooked.
• Serve with cauliflower rice for a lower carb option.
• You can use sugar free marmalade and BBQ sauce to help lessen the carbs and sugar count.
• Double or triple the recipe if you want to serve a larger crowd or have more leftover.
• Serve with jasmine rice in replace of white rice, or even a brown rice.
• This is considered an Asian food or even Chinese. Call it what you will.

Practical notes

Here is some common questions on this meal with ground chicken.

What to serve with this orange chicken Asian ground chicken recipe?

We tend to pair the chicken with rice and a veggie like green beans or even broccoli. We make the dinner simple and easy. At times we will pair with a salad or something like that.

What is orange chicken sauce made of?

Depending on the recipe the sauce varies. Whether it is orange zest and orange juice, or orange marmalade. Then you will find ingredients like soy sauce, red chili flakes and more. Sweet and savory components.

Can we buy orange chicken sauce?

Panda Express Gourmet Chinese Orange Chicken Sauce can be purchased and used to pour in the pan once the chicken meat is fully cooked. It will save time and cut down the prep tremendously if you would like. There are other brands on the market as well.

Related Recipe

• Instant Pot Sesame Chicken
• Crab Rangoons
• Chicken Chow Mein

Ingredients

Makes 4 -6 servings

• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil, as needed
• 1 pound Ground Chicken
• 1 cup Orange Marmalade
• 1/2 cup BBQ Sauce
• 1 teaspoon Ground Ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon Red Chili Flakes, or more to taste
• 1 teaspoon Minced Garlic
• 1 teaspoon Sesame Oil
• 2 teaspoons Rice Wine Vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Soy Sauce
• Sesame Seeds, optional garnish
• Green Onions, optional garnish

Equipment

• Cast Iron Skillet
• Garlic Press
• Pampered Chef Meat Chopper

Method

1. In a bowl you are going to make your orange sauce. Add in your orange marmalade, BBQ sauce, ginger, pepper flakes, garlic, sesame oil, and rice vinegar. Whisk until mixed well. Then set aside.
2. In a skillet on the stove cook your ground chicken until no longer pink and crumbled.
3. Once done, pour in the orange sauce, stir, and lower the temperature to simmer.
4. Let the chicken simmer for 10 minutes and it will begin to thicken the sauce.
5. Serve the ground orange chicken with a bed of rice, cauliflower rice, veggies, etc.

Kitchen notes

Sugar Free Ingredients

– If you need reach for sugar free ingredients to make sure you can lower the carb count down. Orange Juice – Swap marmalade with orange juice and some orange zest if you would like. Then add 1 tablespoon water and 1 tablespoon cornstarch in at the end, to help thicken the sauce. Serve With Rice – Cook rice in a pan the same time you cook your chicken, if you want to pair with the rice. Storage – Store any leftovers you don’t eat right away 3-4 days in the fridge. Or you can freeze your leftovers for up to 3 months in a freezer approved container.