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Easy Baked Orange Chicken Meatballs

A fake-out for Take-out! Baked Orange Chicken Meatballs, loaded with fresh garlic, ginger, and scallions, then baked for a quick 15-minutes to seal in all that moisture and flavor. This recipe makes excellent savory sticky and sweet meatballs that can pull double-duty – in a nod to one of my once favorite take-out guilty pleasures.

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Take-out Inspired Baked Orange Chicken Meatballs

Make these meatballs big to serve over rice or with a side of steamed broccoli or cauliflower rice to keep your meal Whole30/Paleo, or heap alongside a skillet of fried rice for a hearty supper that even the kiddos will love. You can even make and bake them small as a savory snack or appetizer. However you serve them, these tender chicken meatballs are a healthier, fresher upgrade to classic orange chicken with all the deliciousness, and they’re gluten-free!

Baked Orange Chicken Meatballs on a plate with chopsticks.

ABOUT THIS RECIPE (per serving)

Gluten FreeNut FreeEgg FreeWhole30PaleoKetoHealthy ChoicesPescetarian
Servings:  5
AVG. Maker RATING: 
5 from 2 votes
Write a Recipe Review
Prep Time :5 minutes
Cook Time :15 minutes
Total Time :20 minutes
Course : Appetizer, Dinner, Hors d'oeuvres, Lunch, Main Dish, Snack
Cuisine : American, Chinese American
Diet : Gluten Free, Low Calorie, Low Fat
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
Calories 379
Fat 14
Carbohydrates 39.9
Protein 26.1

IMPORTANT UPDATE: November 1, 2022

Please note that some ingredient links in this post may have been removed or changed from our original recipe published to reflect new affiliate partnerships.

Baked Orange Chicken Meatballs is a Great Weeknight Go-to-Meal and a Healthier Option

Not getting “glutened” is always top of mind when eating out for me and I think for anyone with celiac disease or gluten intolerance, but that’s not to say that we don’t crave the signature tastes of iconic restaurant take-out foods.

One of those foods and personal guilty pleasures from before my diagnosis was take-out orange chicken. So instead of playing Russian roulette with the “can-I-trust-it” version, it became essential for me to find a recipe with those rich flavors from the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, orange, and spices that filled my cravings. And honestly, this recipe fits those requirements perfectly.

The bonus is how easy and quick it is to make, so it scores right up at the top of weeknight go-to-meals with only a little prep work required!

Because these meatballs bake, they’re a healthier option, and it cuts down on both the calories and the mess of the favorite take-out fried version without the breading.

Getting That Signature Taste

To get the signature taste, we finish these meatballs off by tossing them in an easy-to-make sweet and tangy glaze made with orange marmalade and a few on-hand pantry staples for a super easy dish that’s delicious and quick.

The Secret Ingredient to Make the Incredible Sauce

We chose a jar of orange marmalade from one of our gluten-free affiliate partners, but any jar of prepared gluten-free orange marmalade will work.

A Fake-out for #Takeout! Make Healthy #baked #orangechicken #meatballs from #fromscratch! Make this #GlutenFree #Healthy #Recipe

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Do You Prefer Them Zesty?

We’ve kept the sauce pretty mild for this recipe, but if you want to bump up the heat a little bit to make the orange chicken sauce spicier, I suggest adding about ½ tablespoon of Siracha mixed in during the simmering to kick it up a notch or two.

Will You Be Short on Time Later in the Week?
Make Them In Advance

This recipe works great for prepping! Make the meatballs ahead of time and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. You can also make the sauce in advance for saucing the meatballs when reheating them. And everything freezes well too!

To freeze, transfer the cooled meatballs to an airtight container, vacuum seal bags, or freezer-safe zipper-top bag. Close, seal, and remove as much air as possible. Next, freeze the sauce in a small airtight container leaving about ½-inch headspace at the top. Both will freeze beautifully for up to two months.

Before we go...

Just 20 minutes is all the time you’ll need to make these Orange Chicken Meatballs the star of your table, whatever route you decide to take for eating them.

To make them look fancy before serving, garnish with a sprinkle of freshly chopped scallions and sesame seeds, and enjoy!

XXO

Kymberley

P.S. When you give this recipe a try, let us know how you like it! Leave a comment below, share it, and rate it – it’s super helpful for other readers and us. Just click the blue-green comment bubble on the bottom left of your screen to jump to the comment area below.

For more healthy recipes that you can meal prep, check out the round-up of ideas in the Meal Prep Collection!

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Baked Orange Chicken Meatballs on a plate with chopsticks.

Baked Orange Chicken Meatballs

Kymberley @GFreeDeliciously
A fake-out for Take-out! Baked Orange Chicken Meatballs, loaded with fresh garlic, ginger, and scallions, then baked for a quick 15-minutes to seal in all that moisture and flavor. This recipe makes excellent savory sticky and sweet meatballs that can pull double-duty – in a nod to one of my once favorite take-out guilty pleasures.
5 from 2 votes
Gluten FreeNut FreeEgg FreeWhole30PaleoKetoHealthy ChoicesPescetarian
This recipe may contain affiliate links. For more information, visit our Affiliate Disclosure.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Appetizer, Dinner, Hors d'oeuvres, Lunch, Main Dish, Snack
Cuisine American, Chinese American
Servings 5
Calories 379 kcal

EQUIPMENT

  • SheetpPan or Mini Muffin Pan
  • Small saucepan
  • Cutting Board
  • Utensils (Cooks Knife, Whisk, Measuring Cups & Spoons, Rubber Spatula or Large Spoon)

INGREDIENTS
 
 

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INSTRUCTIONS
 

  • Preheat oven to 400°F and grease a sheet pan. Thoroughly combine ground chicken, milk, bread crumbs, 2 teaspoons ginger, garlic, scallions, and 2 tablespoons soy sauce. Shape into meatballs —Bake for about 15 minutes or until cooked through to 165°F. [1]
    1 1/2 pounds ground chicken, 1/4 cup milk, 1/4 cup gluten-free bread crumbs, 3 teaspoons ginger,, 2 cloves garlic,, 1 scallion,, 4 tablespoons low sodium gluten-free soy sauce,
  • Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. Add Orange Marmalade, Garlic Seasoning Blend, sesame oil, Natural Grapeseed Oil, crushed red pepper flakes, remaining 1 teaspoon ginger, and 2 tablespoons soy sauce to a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat until simmering.
    3/4 cup Orange Marmalade, 2 teaspoons Garlic Seasoning Blend, 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons Natural Grapeseed Oil, 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 3 teaspoons ginger,
  • Transfer the cooked meatballs to a bowl. Add sauce and toss gently to coat. Garnish with scallions and sesame seeds if desired.
    Sliced Scallions and a sprinkle of Sesame Seeds for garnish

KITCHEN NOTES

Footnotes:
[1] Making meatballs for a crowd or struggling to get uniform-size meatballs? An easy trick we've found is to use a mini-muffin pan. Spray each mini-muffin cup with a small amount of high-heat cooking spray and scoop equal-size portions of the chicken mixture into each cup. Bake 12-15 minutes until the internal temp of each meatball is 165°F. When using this method, you should end up with about 24 equally-proportioned bite-size Meatballs.
Make The Meatballs and Sauce in Advance!! 
This recipe works great for prepping. Mix up and bake the meatballs ahead of time and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. You can also make the sauce in advance for saucing the meatballs when reheating them. And everything freezes well too!
To freeze, transfer the cooled meatballs to an airtight container, vacuum seal bags, or freezer-safe zipper-top bag. Close, seal, and remove as much air as possible. Next, freeze the sauce in a small airtight container leaving about ½-inch headspace at the top. Both will freeze beautifully for up to two months.

Nutrition

Calories: 379kcalCarbohydrates: 39.9gProtein: 26.1gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 3.5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3.7gMonounsaturated Fat: 5.7gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 115.8mgSodium: 500.4mgPotassium: 1154.5mgFiber: 0.9gSugar: 30.6gVitamin A: 11.6IUVitamin C: 3.2mgVitamin D: 0µgCalcium: 57mgIron: 1.6mg
Keyword 20-Minute Meal, chicken, Chicken Meatballs, Meatballs, orange, Orange Chicken
Tried this recipe?Review it ! Or leave a comment. It’s super helpful for others and us!

Recipe Card with Nutrition powered by WP Recipe Maker

Copyright © 2017-2023 Kymberley Pekrul | GfreeDeliciously | gfreedeliciously.com | All content and photographs are copyright protected. The sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. However, copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please read my Photo Use Policy for detailed guidelines and further clarification.

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Where there's a whisk, there's always a way to enjoy it gluten-free...

Kymberley @gfreedeliciously

Kymberley @gfreedeliciously

Hi, I'm Kymberley, the creator of GfreeDeliciously and the Amazing, Glorious Journey Programs. I pray that my work will inspire you to honor your body through God and Good Food from the inside out, all while enjoying your Amazing, Glorious Journey!

Take a peek at the behind GfreeDeliciously

Being creative, cooking, fresh veggies, the violin, decorating for holidays, sewing, hand-quilting, cowgirl boots, country music, fresh herbs in pots, blowing dandelions to the wind, walking barefoot in the grass, hanging out with eclectic interesting people, reading, writing, warm lazy summer days, and yoga!

Gluten, cilantro, mixed vegetables (the frozen kind I grew up with), negativism, rudeness, narcissism, overstaying a welcome,
not helping out, liars, promiscuity, cockiness, know-it-alls, being overly-dramatic, goal-less-ness, poor hygiene, chauvinism, lacking a sense of humor, excessive competitiveness, Laziness, horrifying spellers, people-bashing, criticism and mockery of others and their beliefs, flakiness (because flaky people are really unappealing), more swagger than substance, people who constantly manage others (those folks who think they have all the answers…)

Lambrusco, my iPad, popcorn suppers, dark chocolate, cookbooks, Almond-Rocca, historical romances, sun-bathing, weekend coffee with a good book in bed, PBS cooking shows, romantic comedies, cozy sweaters, fuzzy socks, and fragrant bubble baths with soft music and wine…

Say please and thank you, LAUGH, Pray often, ENCOURAGE others, Be KIND, HONEST, HAPPY, Keep your PROMISES, Be GRATEFUL, Wash your hands, FORGIVE yourself and others, LISTEN, Have FAITH, Be CONFIDENT, Honor your parents, CHERISH your children and grandchildren, TREASURE your family, ABIDE in GOD’s love, Be POLITE, Guard your HEART, SEEK your purpose, FEED your mind, body and soul, Be HOPEFUL, Resist temptation, Lay your burdens down, TRUST your gut, CONNECT with nature, Know that GOD made you perfect just the way you are, SERVE others, LIVE to love, Be COURAGEOUS, Shine bright, OPEN your mind, RESPECT differences, HONOR your inner hunger, SING loud, Be PROUD of who you are, Practice PATIENCE, Never give up, WEATHER the storms of life, Say I love you, LOVE one another

  • I’ve traveled to 32 states in the USA where I’ve enjoyed the food, history, people and the local culture while visiting.
  • Among the states, I’ve lived in are Arizona, California, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
  • My favorite island is Maui.
  • I’ve also been to Canada and Mexico.
  • I rode horses as a kid, and barrel-raced.
  • I broke my neck when I was 18 and went to senior prom in a neck brace.
  • As a little girl, I grew up living next door to my grandma and grandpa on a small lake in rural southern Michigan.
  • The first thing I learned to cook was pancakes.
  • The craziest thing I ever made was mint-flavored green cupcakes when I was 13. My family didn’t like them much…
  •  

Kymberley @gfreedeliciously
Coach | Cook | Creator | Publisher

Meet Kymberley [Upson] Pekrul

A professional writer and self-taught Gfree lifestyle expert on [most] gluten-free things, I’ve always loved cooking and creating delicious foods from scratch for myself and those I love.

My journey began when everything I thought I knew about cooking and eating suddenly changed one day when I discovered I was celiac. So, I re-learned how to eat, cook, and navigate through life gluten-free – trusting God and His plan for me.

I live in what’s known as the Holylands of Central Wisconsin. All the recipes you’ll find here are gluten-free and inspired by the people and places I love most. Whenever possible, I cook with seasonal ingredients using whole foods – Making dishes suitable for everyday life and all food lovers gathered at the same table.

Gfree cooking, health, and wellness ARE my life. And this little corner of the internet is where I share what I’ve learned – Where my passion IS to nourish everyday GfreeDeliciously!

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Simple and delicious gluten-free recipes, family-friendly meal ideas, healthy cooking, encouragement, and easy-to-implement lifestyle strategies to live fully nourished from the creator and publisher of GfreeDeliciously.com Kymberley Pekrul.

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