The Best Air Fryer Orange Chicken

Two bowls of air fryer orange chicken with brown rice and a lettuce garnish.

5 from 9 votes

The Best Air Fryer Orange Chicken

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.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian-Inspired

Servings:

Calories: 261kcal

Author: Olivia & Annie

Ingredients

For the Chicken

1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 3 chicken breasts)
2 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot powder

For the Sauce

¾ cup orange juice
¼ cup low sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos
2 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
¼ cup honey
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot starch
1 tablespoon 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.

Nutrition