Homemade vegan orange chicken recipe with soy curls, sitting on a bed of white rice and topped with sesame seeds and green onions.
You lovely folks have been requesting an Orange Chicken recipe forever! I have finally given in a recreated this Panda Express favourite. This Budget-friendly vegan dinner is much healthier than the Panda Express counterpart and is made in under 30 mins! It’s a quick and easy week day dinner recipe that everyone will enjoy. Making vegan copy-cat recipes of popular Chinese takeout-style recipes has become my new obsession. Once I have perfected the Chinese fried rice- I will be sharing that as well. Yummy!
This crispy, sticky, tangy orange chicken is so much better than Panda because it’s made with soy curls! I’ve been dying to use soy curls in a recipe and figured why not now! The soy curls have such a similar texture to chicken, and take the flavour of whatever you marinate, or cook it with!
To cook the soy curls simply, pour them into a large bowl and cover with vegetable broth or vegan chicken-style broth and set aside to soak for 10 mins. This will soften them and give them flavour.
While you’re waiting for that, you can prepare the delicious orange chicken sauce. Whisk together orange juice, orange zest, coconut sugar, 2 tbsp soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, grated ginger, and if you like it spicy- sriracha. Then transfer half of the sauce into a large bowl or plastic zipper bag.
Drain the soy curls well and press them firmly with paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible. Using your hands is best here. Then add the rehydrated soy curls to the bowl with the sauce and toss to coat them completely. If you are not pressed for time, allow to marinate from 1 hour to overnight- If you are pressed for time, allow to marinate until needed. Like while you cook your rice.
When you’re ready, heat 2 tbsp oil in a large skillet or wok over medium high heat. Add the saucy soy curls to the skillet and cook until heated through and slightly crispy. Or really crispy if you like them that way. Remove soy curls from the skillet and reduce heat to medium-low and add the remaining sauce to the skillet along with a cornstarch slurry. Cook stirring frequently until the mixture thickens about 1-2 minutes. Add the cooked soy curls, green onions and toss to coat. The serve, divide cooked rice between 4 bowls or plates (about 1 cup per dish) and top with cooked soy curls. Garnish with sesame seeds and extra sliced green onions and voila! Dinner is served.
Orange Chicken with Soy Curls | Vegan recipe
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This tangy vegan orange chicken is so much better than Panda Express and only takes 25 mins to prepare. Perfect for a quick dinner after school or work.
Author: The Edgy Veg
Recipe type: Dinner
Cuisine: Chinese
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 1½ cup uncooked white rice
- 1¾ cup water
- 1 -8oz bag of soy curls
- 3-4 cups vegetable broth or vegan chicken-style broth
- 2 tbsp peanutor vegetable oil
Orange Sauce
- 1 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 tbsp orange zest
- 3 tbsp coconut sugar
- 4 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tbsp vegetarian hoisin sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp ginger, grated
- 1 tsp sriracha sauce (optional)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp water
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 1-2 tbsp sesame seeds
Instructions
- Rinse rice well in a fine mesh sieve until the water runs almost clear.
- Place rice and 1 ¾ cups water in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil.
- Once boiling, turn the heat down as low as possible and cover with a lid.
- Cook on low for 15 mins, without removing the lid.
- Meanwhile, pour soy curls into a large bowl and cover with vegetable broth or vegan chicken-style broth and set aside to soak for 10 mins.
- After 15 mins, remove rice from heat and use a fork to fluff up the rice and let it sit for 5 mins to dry out. Cover until ready to use.
- Meanwhile, prepare the sauce by whisking together orange juice, orange zest, coconut sugar, 2 tbsp soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, grated ginger, and if you like it spicy- sriracha.
- Transfer ½ of the sauce to a large bowl or plastic zipper bag.
- Drain the soy curls well and press them firmly with paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible.
- Add the rehydrated soy curls to the bowl with the sauce and toss to coat. If you are not pressed for time, allow to marinate from 1 hour to overnight. if you are pressed for time, allow to marinate until needed
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large skillet or wok over medium high heat.
- Add the saucy soy curls to the skillet and cook until heated through and slightly crispy.
- Remove soy curls from the skillet and reduce heat to medium-low.
- Add reserved sauce to the skillet along with cornstarch slurry, and cook stirring frequently until the mixture thickens about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Add cooked soy curls, green onions and toss to coat.
- Divide rice between 4 bowl or plate (about 1 cup per dish) and top with cooked soy curls.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and extra sliced green onions.
