Easy Orange Basil Chicken

Refresh your dinner routine with this easy, healthy, Thai-inspired orange basil chicken that's made simple with 100% Orange Juice and ready in less than 30 minutes! (dairy-free, gluten-free option)

This post is sponsored by Florida Department of Citrus. As always, all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep Lively Table running! 

Are you tired of cooking at home yet? I love cooking dinner every night (that's why I made it my job!) but I know for some people, it's hard to draw inspiration for dinner Every. Single. Night. And I'm sure after wrangling children while trying to work from home all day, you're probably just as worn out as I am, and you want something fast, easy, and good for you. Since National Orange Juice Day is today (May 4th), and many of us already have OJ in the fridge, I took some inspiration from Florida Orange Juice for a tasty, healthy recipe. 

This 30-minute orange basil chicken is inspired by Thai basil chicken and uses just a few simple ingredients, like 100% orange juice, to get a tasty, healthy dinner on the table fast that’s full of naturally sweet and spicy flavor and important nutrients, like potassium, magnesium, vitamin C, and folate.

Why You'll Love This Orange Basil Chicken Recipe

• This chicken recipe is so quick and easy to make.
• It's made with minimal, simple ingredients like chicken breast, peppers, fresh basil, and a 6-ingredient homemade sauce.
• It's so delicious! This orange basil chicken is not your typical chicken dinner. A spicy-sweet Thai-inspired orange sauce with hints of garlic and ginger coats tender chunks of chicken swimming with wilted fresh basil leaves. You can customize the spice level to suit your tastes, from mild to fiery!
• It's way better for you than takeout! This orange basil chicken is loaded with protein thanks to pan-seared chicken breast, has just a touch of oil, and has no added sugar thanks to naturally sweet Florida Orange Juice. It's dairy-free and can be made gluten-free and corn-free easily if necessary. 

Why Florida Orange Juice?

I love using 100% orange juice in savory recipes like this one. Florida Orange Juice is not only a way to add sweetness without added sugar, but it's also a source of lots of important nutrients, including vitamin C (which is important to support your immune system), potassium, magnesium, and folate (which is important for expecting moms!). All of these nutrients in one easy ingredient make 100% orange juice an easy choice for everyday recipes, and especially on National OJ Day! 

How To Make Orange Basil Chicken

This dinner couldn't be simpler.

1. First, chop the chicken, pepper, shallot and garlic. Then mix the sauce.
2. Once your ingredients are prepped, sear the chicken in a nonstick skillet. Add the shallot and pepper and continue cooking until the shallot is softened.
3. Pour in the sauce and let it cook until it's thickened up and then chicken is cooked through.
4. Roughly tear the basil leaves and stir them in, letting it all cook until the basil is just wilted. Then serve!

Tips For Making The Best Orange Basil Chicken

• Since this dish comes together quickly, make sure you do the prep work first. It all cooks very fast!
• If you need to make it gluten-free, swap the soy sauce for tamari or coconut aminos. Tapioca starch or arrowroot starch can be used in place of cornstarch.
• Thai chiles are usually more difficult to find, so you can use a serrano (which is what I used here). Thai chiles are also very spicy, so you probably only need one!
• For a mild dish, use ½ to one jalapeño pepper or one fresno chile in place of the Thai chile. For medium spice, use ½ a serrano or Thai chile, and for a very spicy use a whole Thai chile or serrano.
• If you don't have fresh peppers, you can use ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (more or less to taste) mixed in with the sauce ingredients.
• If your sauce gets too thick, thin it out with a bit of water or broth as needed.
• Add the basil just before serving. It only needs to heat a bit to wilt. You want it to still be green!

What To Serve With Orange Basil Chicken

• I like to serve this with cooked brown rice and a simple steamed veggie, like broccoli.
• You can also serve with fried rice, cauliflower rice, or cooked quinoa.
• For a fresh dinner or lunch, serve in lettuce cups.

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the comments!

Easy Orange Basil Chicken

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 5 reviews

Refresh your dinner routine with this easy, healthy, Thai-inspired orange basil chicken that's made simple with 100% Orange Juice and ready in less than 30 minutes! (dairy-free, gluten-free option)

• Author: Kaleigh
• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 15 min
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 3-4 servings 1x
• Category: main dish
• Method: stovetop
• Cuisine: Thai

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the sauce:

• ½ cup 100% orange juice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp fresh grated ginger or ginger paste
• 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp cornstarch

For the chicken:

• 1 ½ lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 2 tsp oil
• 1 small shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 Thai chile or serrano pepper, seeded and thinly sliced (see notes for substitutions and spice levels)
• 1 ½ cups fresh basil leaves, lightly packed

Instructions

1. Thinly slice shallot and chile, discarding chile seeds. Mince garlic and grate ginger. Cut chicken breast into bite-sized pieces.
2. Whisk together all sauce ingredients. Set aside.
3. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sear 2-3 minutes per side, until all sides are browned.
4. Add shallot and chiles, reduce heat, and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes.
5. Add sauce and continue cooking and stirring until sauce is thickened.
6. Roughly tear basil (big pieces are fine) and stir into the chicken, cooking until just wilted. Serve.

Notes

• Since this dish comes together quickly, make sure you do the prep work first. It all cooks very fast!
• If you need to make it gluten-free, swap the soy sauce for tamari or coconut aminos. Tapioca starch or arrowroot starch can be used in place of cornstarch.
• Thai chiles are usually more difficult to find, so you can use a serrano (which is what I used here). Thai chiles are also very spicy, so you probably only need one!
• For a mild dish, use ½ to one jalapeño pepper or one fresno chile in place of the Thai chile. For medium spice, use ½ a serrano or Thai chile, and for a very spicy use a whole Thai chile or serrano.
• If you don't have fresh peppers, you can use ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (more or less to taste) mixed in with the sauce ingredients.
• If your sauce gets too thick, thin it out with a bit of water or broth as needed.
• Add the basil just before serving. It only needs to heat a bit to wilt. You want it to still be green!

Keywords: easy orange basil chicken, thai orange basil chicken, healthy orange chicken with basil