Air Fryer Orange Chicken

Crispy air fryer orange chicken in just 20 minutes with a homemade sticky orange sauce. Bettert and cheaper than takeout, with simple ingredients and steps.

Course Main Course

Cuisine North American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 520kcal

Author Emmeline Kemperyd

Equipment

Air Fryer*
Sauce pan
Measuring spoons*
Measuring cups (metric or US)*
Chopping board*
2 Deep plates

Ingredients

Fried Chicken

1 lb chicken thigh filets cut in bite-size pieces
2 eggs
2 teaspoon fine table salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoon cooking oil
½ cup corn starch
1 cup flour

Orange Sauce

1 cup orange juice 1 cup is about 3 oranges
2 teaspoon orange zest 2 teaspoon is about half an orange
4 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoon Japanese soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
¼ cup cold water
1 tablespoon corn starch

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a saucepan, mix together all the ingredients for the sauce, except water and corn starch. Place over medium heat and simmer for at least 10 minutes, stirring only occasionally. Take care that it does not burn and lower the heat if needed to keep it at a slow simmer.
1 cup orange juice, 2 teaspoon orange zest, 4 tablespoon honey, 2 tablespoon rice vinegar, 2 tablespoon Japanese soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Crack the eggs on a deep plate or in a shallow bowl, and add the salt, pepper and oil. Mix well.
2 eggs, 2 teaspoon fine table salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, 2 tablespoon cooking oil
On another deep plate or shallow bowl, mix together the flour and the corn starch for the chicken.
½ cup corn starch, 1 cup flour
Dip the chicken first in the egg mixture, and then the flour. In both instances, make sure the chicken gets completely covered. Repeat for all the chicken pieces.
1 lb chicken thigh filets
Preheat the air fryer by running it at 390°F (200°C) for 5 minutes.
Place the chicken in the air fryer basket, without creating multiple layers. You might need to fry the chicken in batches. Air fry for 3 minutes at 390°F (200°C).
After 3 minutes, bring out the air fryer basket and use kitchen forceps or another tool to mix the chicken and break apart any pieces that are stuck together. Then place back in the air fryer and air fry for 3 more minutes at 390°F (200°C).
Mix the cold water and corn starch for the sauce, then add to the orange sauce. Mix well and allow to simmer for a minute more, until thickened.
¼ cup cold water, 1 tablespoon corn starch
Check to make sure the chicken is done, then place fried chicken in a large bowl and pour over ⅔ of the sauce. Mix well, then serve with the remaining sauce on top.

Video

Notes

This recipe has been tested in the following air fryer models (affiliate links): Philips HD9252/90 Air Fryer, Ninja DZ401 DualZone XL Air Fryer and Cosori Pro II. Cooking time can vary with your specific model.

Keep a close eye on the sauce. It should only simmer, if the heat is too high it can end up burning.

To save time you can bread all the chicken at once. It won't get as evenly breaded, but it definitely works. Place the chicken in a large mixing bowl and mix with the egg mixture, then pour over the flour mixture and mix again.

Preheat your air fryer for best results and quicker cooking. If you don't preheat you might need to add a minute to the cook time.

Cook the chicken in a single layer. A little bit of overlap is fine, but you should not have multiple layers on top of each other. Cook in batches if necessary.

Mix the chicken gently halfway. Make sure to break apart any pieces that are stuck together, for an even cook on all sides.

Use a meat thermometer. This is the best way to know exactly when the chicken is done. The internal temperature should reach 165°F (74°C).

Flour or Corn Starch - Or Both!

I use both flour and corn starch for the best combination of color + crisp. You can use just either, but the result will not be quite as good.

Make It Gluten-Free

If you want to make this gluten-free, you can swap flour for rice flour and use a gluten-free soy sauce. Also make sure the sesame oil, rice vinegar and honey you're using are actually gluten free.

Can I make this in the oven instead?

Yes! Just bake on a lined baking sheet for 12-15 minutes at 400°F (200°C), turning halfway.

What to Do with Leftovers

Storing: Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Freezing: Store leftovers in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Reheating in microwave: Reheat leftovers in the microwave in 30-second increments.

Prep ahead: You can cook both the sauce and chicken in advance. Store separately, then reheat and combine just before serving. Cooking the chicken in advance saves time but it will not be as crispy.

Prep ahead #2: Cook the sauce in advance, and coat the chicken in egg and flour. Store separately, then just before serving reheat the sauce, cook the chicken, and combine.

Nutrition