Orange Chicken with Soy Curls | Vegan recipe (2024)

Homemade vegan orange chicken recipe with soy curls, sitting on a bed of white rice and topped with sesame seeds and green onions.

Orange Chicken with Soy Curls | Vegan recipe (1)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 (2)

Orange Chicken with Soy Curls | Vegan recipe

Orange Chicken with Soy Curls | Vegan recipe (3)

Save Print

Cook time

Total time

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

Orange Sauce

Instructions

  1. Rinse rice well in a fine mesh sieve until the water runs almost clear.
  2. Place rice and 1 ¾ cups water in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil.
  3. Once boiling, turn the heat down as low as possible and cover with a lid.
  4. Cook on low for 15 mins, without removing the lid.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. Transfer ½ of the sauce to a large bowl or plastic zipper bag.
  9. Drain the soy curls well and press them firmly with paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible.
  10. 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
  11. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large skillet or wok over medium high heat.
  12. Add the saucy soy curls to the skillet and cook until heated through and slightly crispy.
  13. Remove soy curls from the skillet and reduce heat to medium-low.
  14. 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.
  15. Add cooked soy curls, green onions and toss to coat.
  16. Divide rice between 4 bowl or plate (about 1 cup per dish) and top with cooked soy curls.
  17. Garnish with sesame seeds and extra sliced green onions.

Orange Chicken with Soy Curls | Vegan recipe (4)Orange Chicken with Soy Curls | Vegan recipe (5)

Orange Chicken with Soy Curls | Vegan recipe (2024)

FAQs

How much water do you use for Soy Curls? ›

Place soy curls in a bowl then pour 2 cups boiled water over soy curls. Let stand 10 minutes to rehydrate. Drain and pat dry, squeezing liquid out of the soy curls(I use my salad spinner to remove liquid then pat dry in a towel).

Can you soak Soy Curls too long? ›

Soy curls come dehydrated and require soaking before use. Soak in warm water for 10 minutes. Be careful not to soak for too long or they will become mushy.

How do I substitute Soy Curls? ›

Soy Curl Substitute for vegan satay skewers

Soy Chunks, Soya Chunks, and TVP Chunks are all basically the same thing, just in different shapes, so try looking out for those instead. You could also try subbing extra-firm tofu but it won't work exactly the same.

What do Soy Curls look like? ›

Soy curls come dry—they look a lot like pork rinds—in a cellophane bag. The first step is to rehydrate them in warm water—or better, in warm vegetable broth (I add a bit of soy sauce sometimes, too).

How many cups is 8 oz of soy curls? ›

Soy Curls or approx. 4 cups dry.

How many cups are in a bag of soy curls? ›

bag of Soy Curls™ (approx. 2 1/2 cups) in a container large enough to cover with warm water and soak for 8-10 minutes to re-hydrate, then drain excess water.

How to tell if soy curls are bad? ›

The most obvious sign that soy curls have gone bad is a change in smell. They should have a neutral odor; if they smell sour or strange, it might indicate that they're no longer good.

Do dehydrated soy curls go bad? ›

Storage: The dehydrated Curls are shelf-stable and keep indefinitely, though using them within six months of purchase is recommended. Rehydrated Soy Curls can be kept covered in the refrigerator for up to four days before using.

Do you have to refrigerate soy curls? ›

The soy curls can be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to five days or frozen for up to six weeks. This makes them a really nice option for weekly vegan meal prep, if that's your thing.

Are soy curls healthy? ›

In addition to protein and healthy fats, soy curls are high in fiber, containing 6 grams of fiber per serving, which can help aid in digestion and prevent constipation. They are also a good source of iron, calcium, and other essential minerals that are important for maintaining a healthy body.

Can soy curls be reheated? ›

To reheat, lightly fry the soy curls in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of oil or broth until warmed through. You can also warm them in a covered dish in the microwave in 30-second intervals until hot, but they won't be as crispy this way.

Are soy curls the same as soy chunks? ›

what are soy curls? While Soy Curls are a specific product, the concept behind them is not new. It's essentially just TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein) and there are variations of it around the world. Sometimes they are called Soya Chunks too.

How much water do you soak soy curls in? ›

Four ounces of Soy Curls is about ½ of a standard 8oz bag - and will make 4-6 servings. Soy curls are dried and crispy, so they will need to be rehydrated before you can use them. Simply place them in a bowl and add about 1.5 cups of hot water and let them soak.

Are soy curls healthier than tofu? ›

To prepare soy curls, you rehydrate them, squeeze out the excess liquid, and then marinate them or cook them in whatever recipe you want. They have a very chewy texture and are high in fiber, even more so than tofu.

What is the shelf life of soy curls? ›

Store dry soy curls in a cool place, ideally the refrigerator or freezer. If stored in the pantry, soy curls will last up to 6 months. The packages are printed with a "best by" date. Since soy curls are a natural product that doesn't contain preservatives (other than being dried) they will eventually go rancid.

How much water does soy need? ›

Estimated seasonal water requirements for soybean range from 20 to 26 inches depending on planting date, maturity, growth stage, location, and weather. The most critical time to avoid water stress is during the mid- to late-reproductive stages.

How much water is needed for soy milk? ›

Step 1: Ingredients. To make about 2 quarts and 1 1/2 pints of soy milk, you will need: 1 cup of soybeans (I bought my soybeans for $0.89 a pound- so this recipe would only cost about 2 quarters :) 11 total cups of water (this will be added two to three cups at a time)

How much water do you need to soak soybeans? ›

To pre-soak soybeans (not in the Instant Pot), immerse the beans in 4 times their volume of water for 4-6 hours. Use four cups of water in the Instant Pot for every 2-3 cups of soaked soybeans.

How much water does it take to make a soy burger? ›

The water footprint of a 150 g soy burger produced in the Netherlands is 158 litres, of which 99.9% refers to the supply chain. Although most companies focus on just their own operational performance, this study shows that it is important to consider the complete supply chain.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Duncan Muller

Last Updated:

Views: 6191

Rating: 4.9 / 5 (59 voted)

Reviews: 82% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Duncan Muller

Birthday: 1997-01-13

Address: Apt. 505 914 Phillip Crossroad, O'Konborough, NV 62411

Phone: +8555305800947

Job: Construction Agent

Hobby: Shopping, Table tennis, Snowboarding, Rafting, Motor sports, Homebrewing, Taxidermy

Introduction: My name is Duncan Muller, I am a enchanting, good, gentle, modern, tasty, nice, elegant person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.