Garlic and Orange Chicken with Broccoli (Gluten Free)

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Chinese cuisine is often a difficult cuisine to find gluten free. We love P.F. Chang’s but unfortunately many have closed here, with just one in all of San Jose and none in Santa Cruz or even Monterey. So we need some easy and flavorful Asian dishes with flavors that satisfy our cravings. So, here’s an easy Garlic and Orange Chicken in our recipe box.

These are some of the flavors that have been missed most often since needing to be on a gluten free diet. Now, even if you don’t need gluten free you can still enjoy this dish! You can use regular wheat soy sauce instead of the coconut aminos or tamari (gluten free soy sauce) and use a sriracha that isn’t gluten free.

Gluten free sauces for stir fry and noodle dishes

There are lots of ways to make a yummy stir fry or noodle dish with Asian flavors. You can simply pull a gluten free sauce from the shelf to use or you can make your own. I do both, although sometimes it is difficult to find a gluten free sauce in the store.

So, most often, I will make my own. Using items like coconut aminos which are gluten free, or tamari, sometimes a citrus, red pepper or sriracha, garlic and/or ginger rice vinegar, gluten free hoisin, gluten free cornstarch, honey and/or molasses, and sesame oil. I’m always on the lookout for gluten free chili oil. This one I just can’t seem to find.

Stir fry and noodle dishes at home

It’s easy to make your own stir fry or noodle dishes at home. I start by making the sauce if I’m not using a store bought one. Grate fresh ginger. Set some aside to heat in the skillet. Put the rest in the sauce. Do the same for the garlic, leaving some of the garlic in slightly larger minced or sliced pieces. I like to make sure there’s plenty of garlic, especially in this dish. After all, it is Garlic and Orange Chicken! If you’d rather have more ginger, just change the recipe a bit!

Gather your other sauce ingredients. I like to use Sky Valley Gluten Free Sriracha Sauce. It’s plant based and gluten free. Another great choice for a gluten free sriracha is Flying Goose Sriracha. They make both an original and extra hot. They are both gluten free as well as vegan.

If your dish will have noodles, par cook the rice noodles as directed on the package.

Cut all your veggies and par cook any that need it. Typically, I par cook broccoli florets and stems, first removing the exterior of the stem and cutting into small pieces. You can par cook it for steaming for a few minutes or with a small amount of water and covered in the microwave for about 2 -2 1/2 minutes, depending on their size and how done you want it.

I do the same for carrots and green beans, but typically it will be quicker for the beans.

More success tips

If I am serving with rice, I heat water the water when I’m getting the vegetables cut. Add the Jasmine or long grain rice, stir and cover, and set a timer for 14 minutes (for the brand I use). It’s almost always done at 14-15 minutes. There should be no water remaining at the bottom of the pan when you check with a spoon. Simply turn off the burner and leave covered.

In this dish, and many of my stir fry dishes, I start with a tablespoon or two of vegetable oil in the skillet or wok. Next I add my meat, if the dish contains it. Cook and brown the chicken or meat, removing to a covered bowl when each batch is cooked.

When all of the chicken or meat is cooked, then add a small amount more of oil. Heat and add the diced onions (reserving any green onions to add in later), and orange or red bell pepper, the reserved garlic and ginger, and any other vegetables that don’t need a par cook. Cook over medium or medium low heat until just beginning to soften.

Now you are ready to add everything back into the skillet or wok

Next, just add the par cooked veggies in or any bamboo shoots, or chopped water chestnuts at this time. Followed by add the chicken or meat back in to the skillet.

With the skillet over medium or medium low heat, make a space in the skillet by moving the vegetables and meat to one side. Pour the sauce onto that side, stirring constantly as you do so it thickens to a smooth sauce.

Coat the chicken and vegetables completely. Then spoon the Garlic and Orange Chicken onto a serving platter. Add some roasted cashews to the top. I try to stay away from salted cashews, since the tamari gives plenty of salt to this dish.

You can also add some sliced green onion for more color, or even some toasted sesame seeds.

What should I serve with Garlic and Orange Chicken?

Honestly, you could just do a simple steamed white rice or brown rice. But if you want to do another dish, maybe a garlic and green beans or garlic and snap peas dish would be nice.

I also love this noodle dish, Gluten Free Rice Noodles and Vegetables, if you want a delicious noodle dish to serve the Garlic and Orange Chicken with.

Variations to the recipe

For another variation, change the amount of ginger to be two times the amount in the recipe. Leave the minced or sliced garlic out, leaving just the garlic in the sauce. This makes the dish a delicious ginger and orange chicken!