Baked Orange Cauliflower "Chicken"
Baked cauliflower glazed with a sweet and spicy orange sauce that tastes just like your orange chicken takeout, but cauliflower instead.
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 20 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 head cauliflower, cut into 1 inch florets ((about 2 lbs.))
- 1½ cup all-purpose flour ((or as needed))
- 1/2 Tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cup water
- 2 Tablespoon oil
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 oranges, juiced and 1 zested ((about 1 C. juice and 1 TBSP zest))
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 2 Tablespoon granulated sugar ((or to your preference))
- 1½ Tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, minced ((about 1 tsp.))
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes ((or to your preference))
- ½ Tablespoon cornstarch ((mixed with 1 TBPS cold water))
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 425°F. Prepare parchment lined sheet pan.
- 2
If your making the seasoned flour, mix together flour, garlic powder, and salt in a bowl.
- 3
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, water, oil salt, garlic powder, and cornstarch until completely smooth.
- 4
In small portions, dredge the cauliflower florets in the wet batter. Make sure to shake off excess batter.Place the cauliflowers into the seasoned flour and lightly coat the florets. Shake off excess flour. Place the battered florets onto the lined sheet pan. Repeat with remaining florets.
- 5
Bake for 10 minutes. Flip each floret and bake for another 10 minutes or until cauliflower is lightly brown and tender. (The time may vary depending on your cauliflower floret size and oven).Once baked, you can shake off any excess dry flour from your cauliflower.
- 6
While the cauliflower is baking, start on the orange sauce.In a bowl, mix together orange juice and zest, ketchup, sugar, and vinegar until combined. Set aside.
- 7
In a sauce pan over medium high heat, add a small amount of oil and sauté garlic and red pepper flakes until fragrant, about 30 seconds.Add the orange juice mixture to the pan and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Once boiling turn it down to a simmer and stir in the cornstarch slurry*. The sauce should thicken once the sauce starts bubbling again. *Make sure to stir the cornstarch with water prior to adding into the sauce.*
- 8
Toss the baked cauliflower florets with the orange sauce in a heat proof bowl. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. Enjoy!