Orange “Chicken”
A vegan take on a popular Asian-inspired dish made with rice, broccoli, and tofu simmered in a delicious orange sauce for an easy, flavorful, healthy weeknight meal!
You guys, let me start by apologizing. I’ve been keeping this dish from you, and there’s just no excuse really- but let me tell you what happened. I stopped eating chicken. That’s really what it comes down to, so naturally this recipe got pushed way back to the back of my brain and until my hubby requested that I make it, it was destined to just collect cobwebs.
Until now. I decided to bring it back and make it with tofu, and now I’m kicking myself for not posting this recipe sooner. We used to make this all.the.darn.time. This Orange “Chicken” recipe is so flavorful and even easier to make (and the leftovers are fantastic too!).
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I’ve never been a huge chicken fan… my parents would always look at me funny because I would pick it apart looking for “nasty” stuff and eventually I would just get disgusted and wouldn’t eat it anymore. When I got married, it was just an easy option to turn to, and although I didn’t like it really, I would eat small amounts. It’s really no surprise that I ended up not eating it altogether, but it is a main staple in lots of recipes, like this Orange “Chicken”. So I wasn’t sure how replacing the chicken with tofu would be, but guys, I’m kicking myself for not trying it sooner.
SO now that I’ve divulged how much I hate eating chicken, haha, let’s get to this amazing Orange “Chicken” recipe that will definitly be added to the “staple recipes” in my house from now on!
Orange "Chicken"
A vegan take on a popular Asian-inspired dish made with rice, broccoli, and tofu simmered in a delicious orange sauce for an easy, flavorful, healthy weeknight meal!
Ingredients
- 1/2 (6oz) block extra firm tofu
- 3 cups uncooked rice, (I use calrose rice)
- ~4 cups broccoli florets
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Orange Sauce, (below)
- (optional but recommended) tofu marinade, (below)
- sesame seeds, (for garnishing)
Tofu Marinade
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1/2 tsp minced garlic
- 1/4 cup liquid aminos/tamari gluten-free soy sauce
- 1 tbsp honey, (if vegan, sub maple syrup)
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
Orange Sauce
- 1.5 cups orange juice
- 1/2 cup honey, (if vegan, sub maple syrup)
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp dried orange peel
- 3/4 cup liquid aminos/tamari gluten-free soy sauce
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1-2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp arrowroot/tapioca powder
Instructions
- Whenever you have time, drain and press your tofu. Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a glass container, slice your tofu into squares/pieces and then place the tofu into the marinade, cover and place in your fridge
- **NOTE: you can keep in your fridge for 20 minutes to up to a few hours. I made mine in the early afternoon and let it marinade for a few hours
- Cook your rice according to package directions
- In a large skillet or wok heat the olive oil over medium heat, then add the minced garlic and sautee until it starts to turn golden brown
- Whisk in the arrowroot until it absorbs the olive oil
- Next, whisk in the orange juice, liquid aminios/tamari, ginger, honey/maple syrup, and orange peel and bring the mixture to a slow boil, then reduce to simmer, whisking occasionally
- Spray a seperate skillet with coconut oil, heat to medium, then add the tofu and just a small amount of the marinade, then reserve the rest of the marinade to add into the orange sauce. Cook the tofu until it starts to brown, then flip
- If not already done, cut your broccoli florets into smal-medium sized pieces, then add into the skillet/wok with the orange sauce. Bring the heat up to a slow boil, and cover to cook the broccoli for about 5-7 minutes
- **NOTE: I like my broccoli a little bit crispier, but feel free to cook a few minutes longer if you desire it more cooked
- Spoon some rice inro your bowls, top with broccoli and orange sauce and then top with tofu and sesame seeds
