Vegan Orange Chicken
This vegan orange chicken is a great plant-based alternative to classic orange chicken! This tofu is fantastic to serve with vegetable stir fry and some freshly steamed sticky rice.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 164kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Crispy Tofu
- 1 16-ounce package tofu
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
- 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 2 green onions sliced
For the Orange Sauce
- 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger root minced
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce or liquid aminos/tamari for gluten-free version
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 1 tablespoon cold water
Instructions
For the Tofu
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, tear the tofu right off the block into large chunks, about 1 square inch. Place the tofu in the bowl, and toss it with corn starch, sunflower oil, garlic powder, and turmeric. Mix well to combine.
- Place coated tofu on the lined sheet pan, and bake for 40 minutes, flipping halfway.
For the Sauce
- In a large saucepan, add the sunflower oil, garlic, and ginger root. Saute over low heat for 4-5 minutes until garlic and ginger begin to brown.
- Add the soy sauce, orange juice and chili flakes and bring to a boil.
- In a small bowl, whisk the corn starch into the cold water (note: water must be cold for corn starch to dissolve). Once dissolved, add the mixture into the orange juice sauce to thicken it, and continue to stir over low heat.
- Once tofu has finished cooking, toss with the orange sauce. Top with sesame seeds and green onion, and serve with rice and veggies. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Additions and Variations
- Serve this crispy orange tofu with cauliflower rice or cauliflower florets. Or steamed green beans, shiitake mushrooms, sliced bell pepper, or a side of broccoli.
- For a spicier version, add red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.
- Instead of the brown sugar in the spicy orange sauce, substitute maple syrup, coconut sugar, or agave nectar.
- Substitute brown rice or jasmine rice for plain white rice.
Nutrition
Calories: 164kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 60mg | Potassium: 123mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 148IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 138mg | Iron: 2mg