Want healthy meals your kids will love?

Freezer Friendly Healthy Orange Chicken

10 Comments

Freezer Friendly Healthy Orange Chicken that’s baked in the oven and not fried!  Delicious tangy flavor that is much healthier than store bought! 

Freezer Friendly Healthy Orange Chicken

Oven Baked Orange Chicken

Orange chicken is a favorite of just about everyone!  But once it’s fried in oil the calories really start to pile up.  So today I dredged the chicken pieces in flour, eggs and Panko and baked them!  No frying here!  Plus, I included instructions on how to make this a freezer recipe.  I made a double batch and did all the prep work and just cooked up half fresh and froze the other half for next week! It was a life saver when I was in a pinch for dinner.

Everyone needs a few freezer friendly recipes on hand.  You never know when soccer practice will run long, you’ll be too sick to go to the grocery store, or a snow day may hit and you can’t get out of the driveway.  Have your freezer stocked with more than just a frozen pizza.  This Freezer Friendly Healthy Orange Chicken is just what you need.

Freezer Friendly Healthy Orange Chicken to make at home

Freezer Friendly Orange Chicken with Panko

This recipe is all about the sauce!  Oh my!  It is orangey goodness and you won’t be able to get enough!  Serve the chicken over white rice, brown rice or even make an orange chicken salad with lettuce, bell pepper and other favorite veggies! The sauce can double as a salad dressing so once you toss it with the chicken that orangey flavor will get everywhere!

Freezer Friendly Healthy Orange Chicken made with Panko

You can make your chicken pieces whatever size you want.  The smaller the pieces the quicker they’ll cook up, so just adjust the time as needed!  If you kids older or if you’re making this just for you, add some red pepper flakes to the sauce to give it a kick!

Freezer Friendly Healthy Orange Chicken the kids will LOVE

Looking for a Crock Pot Orange Chicken? We have that too!  Enjoy my Freezer Friendly Healthy Orange Chicken!

Freezer Friendly Healthy Orange Chicken for dinner
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
4.4 from 20 votes

Freezer Friendly Healthy Orange Chicken

Freezer Friendly Healthy Orange Chicken that’s baked in the oven and not fried!  Delicious tangy flavor that is much healthier than store bought! 
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 1/2 cup
Calories: 455kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 thigh chicken thigh, boneless, skinless
  • 1/2 cup flour, all-purpose
  • 2 medium egg
  • 1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce, low sodium
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar, rice
  • 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon ginger root, fresh
  • 2 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 3 tablespoon water

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees and grease a large cookie sheet.
  • Cut chicken into bite sized pieces and place flour, eggs, and panko in separate bowls.  Gently whisk eggs.
  • Coat each bitesize piece of chicken in flour, then egg, then panko.  Place on cookie sheet.  Do this until all the chicken is done. (For freezer recipe see below)
  • Bake chicken for about 15 minutes or until done.
  • SAUCE: In a small sauce pan over medium high heat add orange juice, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic and ginger.  (I also added crushed red peppers for a little kick.)  In a small dish, add cornstarch and water, whisk until smooth and then add to sauce pan.  Bring to a boil or until thickened.  Pour over cooked chicken and serve with rice or steamed veggies.

Notes

FREEZER FRIENDLY:

Place cooked and cooled chicken into a freezer bag. Place uncooked sauce (all the listed ingredients) into small bag and freeze both.  To make: Bake chicken on parchment paper for 15 minutes or until heather through in a 350 degree oven.  Place your bag of sauce into a bowl of hot water to thaw quickly. Then pour of of the plastic bag and into a sauce pan and bring to a boil to thicken.  Pour over chicken and serve!

Nutrition

Calories: 455kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 62g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 317mg | Sodium: 594mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g
Keyword : Freezer Friendly Healthy Orange Chicken

www.superhealthykids.com

Natalie Monson

I'm a registered dietitian, mom of 4, avid lover of food and strong promoter of healthy habits. Here you will find lots of delicious recipes full of fruits and veggies, tips for getting your kids to eat better and become intuitive eaters and lots of resources for feeding your family.

Learn More about Natalie

Leave a Comment:
Did you make this recipe? Leave a review!

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




10 Comments

How long will this last in the freezer?
Would it make a big difference if I utilized chicken breast? Would the freeze time allowance be the same?

Thank you!

Hi Ashley, you can freeze the chicken before cooking but you’ll have to increase the cooking time to make sure the internal temp reaches at least 165F.