I never thought I’d be making a grain-free, gluten-free, SCD orange sesame chicken using simple, nutritious ingredients including oranges, honey, chicken thighs, and tomato paste.
There was a time in my life when I subsisted on New York City Chinese takeout, late at night after work and a workout. My favorite dish was orange chicken, lightly floured and fried, and then bathed in a syrupy sweet and tangy orange sauce. I doubt I need to describe it any further—I have a feeling you know which dish I’m referring to, especially if you’ve ever ordered Chinese takeout in America.
There’s also the timeless tradition of having Chinese food at Christmas time, especially if you’re Jewish. Here’s a great summary of the Chinese-on-Christmas tradition.
This is the slow-cook version of orange sesame chicken, and I posted the fast-cook version as well. I use an InstantPot, but any slow-cooker, including the InstantPot, will work.
I love eating this dish with steamed vegetables—snap peas, broccoli, cauliflower and carrots or any other favorites. It’s great on rice if you eat gluten-free grains, or try the simple stovetop cauliflower rice recipe for grain-free white “rice”.
Orange Sesame Chicken {slow cook}
Ingredients
- 3 pounds skinless chicken thighs
- 3/4 cup honey or maple syrup
- 1/2 cup orange juice save the rind if you use fresh oranges
- 1/2 cup tomato paste or thick tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 4 garlic cloves peeled and minced
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 3 Thai chillies optional; or 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Optional toppings
- 1 green onion trimmed and diced
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Trim any excess fat off of the chicken thighs, cut them into bit-size pieces (about 1 inch or 2.54 cm long), and place them in your slow cooker.
- In a bowl, whisk the honey, orange juice, tomato paste, sesame oil, garlic, salt, ground ginger, and chilies until well-blended.
- Pour the marinade over the chicken and blend the sauce and chicken to fully coat the chicken pieces.
- If you use a fresh orange, peel some of the outer rind and place it in the cooker.
- Cover and slow cook for 2 to 4 hours, or until the sauce is reduced by about 1/4 and the chicken is tender. If you'd like to thicken your sauce, simmer it over a low heat for about 10 minutes, or until it is reduced by 1/4.
- Serve warm over white cauliflower rice and steamed vegetables (recipe follows). Optionally, add toasted sesame seeds and green onion slices on top.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for a few days, or freeze for a few months.
Nutrition
White Cauliflower Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or other oil
- 1 small yellow onion peeled and minced
- 1/8 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- 2 small cauliflower heads cut into pieces
Instructions
- Preheat a large skillet over medium heat and add the oil, onions and 1/8 teaspoon of salt.
- Sauté the onions for 5 minutes or until they start to become translucent.
- Place the cauliflower in a food processor and pulse until it resembles rice grains.
- Add the cauliflower rice to the skillet and stir to blend well. Season with salt.
- Cook the rice, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until it is slightly tender (not mushy).
- Serve warm.
Hi Erica! I would like to try this in my InstantPot. Have you tried yet? Do you have any suggestions? Also I don’t see the answer to if using a slow cooker, 2-4 hours on HIGH or LOW? In case I use either my slow cooker or slow cook feature on the InstantPot. Thanks!
Good question! I use the InstantPot for this recipe and cook it on the low setting. I just updated the post to add that info. Thank you!
Thanks so much! Looking forward to making this for Christmas dinner. Might make it a new family tradition to celebrate the 1/2 Jew in me
Ha! Happy holidays 🙂
I needed an orange sauce to baste a duck with. This works wonderful!
ooh, great idea!
Sorry to post 3 times but did not realize the question was posted.
no worries. all the exceptions and tidbits are usually in the headnotes 🙂
Is this recipe cooked in a slow cooker on low or high for 2 to 4 minutes and also sesame seeds are not listed in the ingredients but they are in the text of the recipe.
Thank You
In the body of the text in this recipe you mentioned sesame seeds but they’re not on the ingredients list but even more important is the slow cooker on low or high for 2 to 4 hours ?
Thank You
Just trying my first recipe from your site. In the recipe ingredients you leave out sesame seeds and yet you have them in the body of the text also is the slow cooker on low or high for 2 to 4 hours ?
Thank you
Hi Erica,
I love your website and have your book. Love them both! Thank you for your recipes I have made dozens of them. I want to try this orange chicken tomorrow, but I have 2 questions…can I use breast meat I stead of thighs? And tomato paste is not listed as a legal item on SCD. Could I use diced tomatoes or do you have another suggestion? Thanks!
Thanks! Yes, chicken breast is fine too, it just cooks faster. tomato paste with no additives is ok with SCD. just check the label to make sure the only thing added is tomatoes (citric acid is ok too).
Erica, thanks for clarifying that about tomato paste. Also on the list as illegal is sesame seeds on the Breaking the Vicious Cycle book. Is there something I don’t know about sesame seeds because I have been avoiding them.
Would like a menu plan ie breadfast lunch, dinner and snacks that I can follow
Thanks for this site. Can’t wait to start
Thanks, Pamela! working on it 🙂
This looks wonderful and I can’t wait to try it this week!Thanks!
it is wonderful – thanks!