Try cooking this classic takeout dish at home and make deliciously crunchy, crispy air fryer orange chicken. Chicken pieces are tossed in corn starch, air-fried to golden brown perfection, and then bathed in a bright, slightly tangy orange sauce. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds, and pile this delicious chicken onto a bed of rice for a positively crave-worthy dinner.
Orange chicken is so simple to make in the air fryer! The key to crispy chicken pieces is to dredge and cook them in batches. Coat as much chicken as can fit in your air fryer basket, cook it completely, and then work on dredging the next batch. Don’t coat all the chicken in cornstarch at once, or it will become gummy as it sits. For more chicken recipes, try my air fryer chicken tenders, bourbon chicken, and honey garlic chicken.
What You Need To Make This Recipe
Chicken — you can use boneless skinless chicken breast or chicken thighs in this recipe. Cut them into 1-inch cubes and trim off any fat or tendons.
Egg — a beaten egg helps the cornstarch stick to the chicken to create a crispy coating.
Cornstarch — cornstarch or potato starch both work very well for a crispy, crunchy coating. Cornstarch also thickens the homemade orange sauce.
Orange juice and zest — you need orange juice and zest for the sauce. Two larger navel oranges should yield enough zest and juice for the recipe. If you don’t have fresh oranges, you can use bottled juice, but the chicken won’t have as much orange flavor without the zest.
Soy sauce — soy sauce adds sensational umami flavor and saltiness to the orange chicken sauce.
Brown sugar — brown sugar adds a caramelized sweetness to the sauce and also helps it thicken.
Rice vinegar — rice vinegar has a milder taste than white vinegar, with a hint of sweetness to it. If you can’t find rice vinegar, mirin, apple cider vinegar, or white wine vinegar can be used instead. Keep in mind that neither tastes exactly the same as rice vinegar, so your sauce will taste a little different.
Ginger — use fresh ginger for the most robust flavor. ½ teaspoon of ginger powder can be substituted if needed.
Sesame oil — toasted sesame oil has quite a rich, strong flavor, so you only need 1 teaspoon to add depth to the sauce.
Red pepper flakes — I only used ⅛ teaspoon of red pepper flakes, but you can add more if you prefer spicy orange chicken.
Garlic — minced garlic introduces a mild nutty flavor to the sauce, as well as a mouthwatering aroma.
For serving — sliced green onions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds are the perfect topping.
How To Make Air Fryer Orange Chicken
1. Combine the cubed chicken, egg, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir so the chicken is well coated.
2. Add the cornstarch to a separate shallow bowl and stir to break up any lumps.
3. Estimate how many pieces of chicken will fit in your air fryer at one time, and transfer only that amount to the corn starch mixture. Toss to coat. (Only dredge the next batch when the first batch of chicken is done cooking.)
4. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Place the chicken pieces in a single layer in the basket and spray the chicken generously with cooking spray.
5. Air fry for 6 minutes, flip the chicken, and spray it with cooking spray again. Air fry until golden brown and crispy, which will take about 6 minutes more. Transfer the cooked chicken to a large bowl, and repeat from step 3.
6. Make the orange sauce while the last batch of chicken cooks in the air fryer. Combine the orange juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, lemon zest, ginger, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, and garlic in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook until the sugar has dissolved.
7. Make a slurry by dissolving cornstarch in water. Whisk the mixture into the saucepan to thicken the sauce. Cook and whisk constantly for about 1 minute more.
8. Pour the orange sauce over the air fryer chicken and toss to coat. Serve immediately, topped with sesame seeds and sliced green onions, and enjoy!
Can I Make Orange Chicken Gluten Free?
This recipe as written only has one naturally gluten-containing ingredient: soy sauce. For gluten-free air fryer orange chicken, swap it out for gluten-free soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos. Please double-check ingredient labels for a gluten-free certification if you are concerned about cross-contamination.
How Do I Thicken The Sauce If It Is Too Thin?
If the sauce is too thin for your liking, mix an additional teaspoon of cornstarch with water and add it to the sauce. Cook the sauce for another minute. Keep in mind that the sauce will thicken more as it cools, so refrain from adding too much cornstarch slurry.
Do I Have To Use Orange Zest?
Orange zest brings lots of orange flavor to the sauce, but you can leave it out if you do not have fresh oranges on hand. However, since this recipe calls for fresh orange juice, the easiest thing would be to simply zest the oranges before you juice them.
How Do I Reheat Chicken In The Air Fryer?
Start by preheating your air fryer to 350°F. Add the chicken and air fry for about 5 minutes until heated through. Depending on your air fryer, this may take slightly more or less time. If the chicken is already coated in sauce when reheating, it will be very sticky and flavorful but no longer saucy after reheating it in the air fryer.
Can I Make This In The Oven?
Yes, you can make this air fryer orange chicken recipe in the oven with a few small tweaks. Instead of dredging the chicken in batches, you can do it all at once since you will be baking the chicken on a large baking sheet instead of a smaller air fryer basket.
Coat the baking sheet with cooking spray before arranging the chicken on it. Bake the chicken in an oven preheated to 425°F for about 20 minutes. Flip the chicken halfway through the cooking time. If you’d like to make fried orange chicken in a skillet, try my classic orange chicken recipe.
What To Serve With Orange Chicken
Air fryer orange chicken doesn’t need much more than a bed of fluffy white rice or fried rice! But, it is also delicious with a simple vegetable stir fry. I sometimes make a batch of air fryer egg rolls to start!
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Cut the chicken uniformly. Every chicken piece doesn’t need to be exactly the same size, but the size should be quite uniform so all the chicken cooks at the same speed.
- Don’t forget the cooking spray. Make sure to coat the dredged chicken with cooking spray so the cornstarch becomes crispy in the air fryer. Also, remember to spray the other side of the chicken after you flip the pieces.
- Dredge the chicken in batches. Don’t coat all the chicken with cornstarch at once since all the chicken does not fit into an air fryer basket, and it will become gummy as it sits. Instead, only coat as much chicken as will fit into the basket at once. When the first batch is cooked, work on dredging the next batch.
- Use orange marmalade! Swap out the fresh zest and brown sugar for 1/4 cup of orange marmalade. This is a great way to add that zesty flavor if you don’t have fresh oranges.
Frequently Asked Questions
For the ultimate crunchy chicken, I don’t recommend making this dish ahead of time. The chicken will lose its signature crispiness as it sits, so while it will still taste delicious, you will miss out on the texture. You can, however, coat the chicken pieces and freeze them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet to cook when you’re ready. Air fryer from frozen and add 3 to 5 minutes to the cooking time.
Once it has cooled completely, transfer leftover air fryer orange chicken to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat the chicken in the air fryer or microwave. Be aware that it will not be as crunchy as it was when it was cooked fresh, but the flavor will still be excellent.
Yes, you can freeze air fryer orange chicken for up to 3 months in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. Thaw completely overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this air fryer orange chicken recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Air Fryer Orange Chicken
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs cut into 1” cubes (450g)
- 1 large egg beaten
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup cornstarch or potato starch (112g)
For the Orange Sauce:
- ½ cup fresh orange juice (120mL) (about 2 oranges)
- ¼ cup soy sauce (60mL)
- ¼ cup packed light brown sugar (55g)
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon orange zest about 2 oranges
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- Sesame seeds and sliced green onions for serving
Instructions
For the Chicken:
- In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, egg, and salt, stirring to coat the chicken well.
- In a shallow bowl, add the cornstarch and stir to break up any large clumps. Work with a few pieces at a time, transfer the chicken pieces to the flour mixture and toss until well coated in the dredge. Dredge only what will fit in your basket at one time.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
- Place the dredged chicken pieces in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Spray the chicken generously with cooking spray.
- Air fry for 6 minutes. Flip the chicken pieces and spray them with cooking spray again. Continue to air fry until golden and crispy, about 6 minutes more. Transfer the cooked chicken to a large bowl, and continue dredging and cooking the remaining pieces.
For the Orange Sauce:
- While the last batch of chicken cooks, combine the orange juice, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, zest, ginger, oil, pepper, and garlic in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook until the sugar is dissolved.
- Dissolve the cornstarch in the water in a small bowl, and whisk it into the saucepan. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until thickened and translucent, about 1 minute.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken and toss to coat. Serve immediately, topped with sesame seeds and green onions.
Notes
- Cut the chicken uniformly. Every chicken piece doesn’t need to be exactly the same size, but the size should be quite uniform so all the chicken cooks at the same speed.
- Don’t forget the cooking spray. Make sure to coat the dredged chicken with cooking spray so the cornstarch becomes crispy in the air fryer. Also, remember to spray the other side of the chicken after you flip the pieces.
- Dredge the chicken in batches. Don’t coat all the chicken with cornstarch at once since all the chicken does not fit into an air fryer basket, and it will become gummy as it sits. Instead, only coat as much chicken as will fit into the basket at once. When the first batch is cooked, work on dredging the next batch.
- Use orange marmalade! Swap out the fresh zest and brown sugar for 1/4 cup of orange marmalade. This is a great way to add that zesty flavor if you don’t have fresh oranges.
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