This air fryer orange chicken will make you think twice about ordering take-out. It's easy, delicious, packed with protein, and made right in the air fryer. Dinner will be ready in under 30 minutes and it may just become a family favorite.
Why You’ll Love This Orange Chicken Recipe
- Made in under 30 minutes from start to finish with simple steps making it a realistic meal for a busy weeknight
- You skip the tedious work of hand breading all of the chicken and deep frying
- No soggy breading when you're reheating leftovers
- The chicken is made right in your air-fryer with a sticky-sweet orange sauce made on the stove
- You can pair it with different sides like rice or steamed veggies
- The flavorful orange sauce will rival your favorite Chinese takeout orange chicken and become a dish your whole family will love
- The air fryer is a game changer and you'll be happy to skip the deep fryer
Ingredient Notes
- Boneless skinless chicken breast - you'll need about 3 medium sized breasts for this recipe. We prefer using chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs.
- Cornstarch or arrowroot powder - instead of breading each piece of chicken, you'll toss the chicken in a few tablespoons of corn starch or arrowroot powder. You'll also use it to create a thicker sauce.
- Orange juice - we recommend using Simply Orange Juice. You can use fresh orange juice, but the end result may be slightly less sweet and orange flavored.
- Low sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos - you can use either soy sauce or coconut aminos for this recipe. Use coconut aminos for gluten-free.
- Rice vinegar, minced ginger, minced garlic - all of these are ingredients are needed to make the perfect orange sauce.
- Honey - gives the perfect sweetness!
See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and measurements.
Equipment You’ll Need
- Air fryer
- Large bowl
- Medium saucepan
- Measuring cups & spoons
- Sharp knife and cutting board
Step by Step Directions
For the full recipe instructions, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Begin by cutting the chicken breasts into bite-sized 1-inch pieces. Add the chicken to a medium bowl and add 2 tbsp of the cornstarch or arrowroot powder. Toss the chicken until the pieces are evenly coated.
Once the air fryer is hot, spray the basket with olive or avocado oil non-stick cooking spray. Add the chicken to the air fryer in a single layer. Make sure the chicken pieces are not overlapping or touching for best results. You may need to air fry the chicken in two separate batches depending on the size of your air fryer. Let the chicken cook for 6-9 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked through and reaches 165 degrees.
While the chicken cooks, prepare the orange sauce. Add the orange juice, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, garlic, and ginger to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once the sauce begins to boil, reduce the heat to low. Add 1 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder and 2 tbsp cold water to a small bowl. Stir until the cornstarch is fully dissolved. Add the cornstarch/water mixture to the saucepan with the sauce and mix constantly until the sauce begins to thicken, about 7-9 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat.
When the chicken is fully cooked and the sauce is ready, add the chicken to the saucepan and toss the chicken pieces in the sticky orange sauce. Serve with steamed vegetables and rice, if desired.
Tips & Variations
- If you have to cook the orange chicken in two batches, after the second one is cooked simply add all of the chicken back to the air fryer to warm it up evenly.
- If you don't have an air fryer, simply skip cooking the chicken in an air fryer and use about 3 cups of rotisserie chicken. Toss the rotisserie chicken in the orange sauce and you'll have an easy meal!
- To add a kick to this recipe, add red pepper flakes or sriracha to the orange sauce.
- Feel free to top the orange chicken with fresh orange zest, sesame seeds, or red pepper flakes if desired.
- Serve this orange chicken with white rice, brown rice, steamed veggies, ramen noodles, or cauliflower rice for a more complete easy dinner.
FAQ
Store leftovers in an air tight container and reheat in the microwave or on the stove. We don't recommend freezing this meal.
Yes, this recipe is gluten-free with the use of coconut aminos or gluten-free soy sauce. This recipe is naturally dairy-free. As always, ensure each individual ingredient fits your dietary needs.
If you like this crispy air fryer orange chicken, check out a few of our other easy weeknight meals:
If you make this easy air fryer orange chicken, please let us know how it turns out in the comments below and/or rate the recipe! Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram to show us your finished product—it makes our day every time we see you trying the recipes we love!
The Best Air Fryer Orange Chicken
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 3 chicken breasts)
- 2 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder
For the Sauce
- 3/4 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- 1 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot starch
- 1 tbsp cold water
- Optional: red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Begin by cutting the chicken breasts into bite sized 1-inch pieces. Add the chicken to a medium bowl and add 2 tbsp of the cornstarch or arrowroot powder. Toss the chicken until the pieces are evenly coated.
- Once the air fryer is hot, spray the air fryer basket with olive or avocado oil non-stick spray. Add the chicken to the air fryer in a single layer. Make sure the chicken pieces are not overlapping or touching for best results. You may need to air fry the chicken in two separate batches depending on the size of your air fryer. Let the chicken cook for 6-9 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked through and reaches 165 degrees.
- While the chicken is cooking, prepare the orange sauce. Add the orange juice, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, garlic, and ginger to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once the sauce begins to boil, reduce the heat to low.
- Add 1 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder and 1 tbsp cold water to a small bowl. Stir until the cornstarch is fully dissolved. Add the cornstarch/water mixture to the saucepan with the sauce and mix constantly until the sauce begins to thicken, about 7-10 minutes until syrupy in consistency. Remove the sauce from the heat.
- When the chicken is fully cooked and the sauce is ready, add the chicken to the saucepan and toss the chicken pieces in the orange sauce. Serve with steamed vegetables and rice, if desired.
Notes
- To add a kick to this recipe, add red pepper flakes or sriracha to the orange sauce.
- Feel free to top the orange chicken with fresh orange zest, sesame seeds, or red pepper flakes if desired.
- Serve this orange chicken with white rice, brown rice, steamed veggies, ramen noodles, or cauliflower rice for a more complete easy dinner.
The recipe can be found on My Fitness Pal by searching "BWB Air Fryer Orange Chicken."
The nutrition content provided for each recipe is an estimate created through the My Fitness Pal database. Please be aware that the nutritional content of each recipe may vary based on the products you use, the precision of your measurements, and the source you use to obtain nutrition data. While we try to provide accurate information, we give no guarantee regarding the accuracy of the nutritional information provided.
Leave a Reply