Air Fryer Orange Chicken
Crispy Air Fryer Orange Chicken coated in a tangy, sweet orange sauce with a hint of spice. A lighter, faster twist on the classic Panda Express favorite — and it cooks in about 10 minutes!
Servings: 4
Calories: 357kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 1 ½ lb (675g) chicken thighs , cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 4 tbsp cornstarch (cornflour)
For the sauce
- 2 tsp vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp fresh ginger grated
- 1 cup (250ml) orange juice , freshly squeezed
- 1 tsp orange zest (optional)
- ¼ cup (85g) honey or maple syrup
- 4 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tsp sriracha or to taste
- 1 tbsp cornstarch (cornflour)
To serve
- 3 green onions finely sliced
- ½ tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
Marinate chicken
- Cut the chicken into even-sized smallish cubes, trimming any fat. Place in a bowl and add the soy sauce, rice vinegar, oil, baking soda and red pepper flakes. Mix well to coat the chicken then add the cornstarch and toss again. Set aside to marinate while you make the sauce.1 ½ lb (675g) chicken thighs, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp vegetable oil, 1 tsp rice vinegar, ¼ tsp baking soda, ¼ tsp red pepper flakes, 4 tbsp cornstarch
Make the orange sauce
- Heat a little oil in a saucepan and quickly fry the garlic and ginger. Add the orange zest, juice, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, red pepper flakes and sriracha. Stir well and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes over low heat.2 tsp vegetable oil, 2 cloves garlic , 2 tsp fresh ginger , 1 cup (250ml) orange juice, 1 tsp orange zest, ¼ cup (85g) honey , 4 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 2 tsp sriracha
- Dilute the cornstarch in a little cold water to make a slurry. Stir into the sauce and simmer until it thickens . Take off the heat and set aside. The sauce can be made up to 3 days in advance – store in a jar in the fridge.1 tbsp cornstarch
Cook the chicken
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C). Place the chicken pieces in a single layer in the air fryer basket, spaced slightly apart. Air fry for 10 minutes, shaking the basket once or twice during that time.
- Drizzle about half of the sauce onto the chicken and air fry for 2 more minutes, or until the chicken is slightly caramelized at the edges.
Serve and enjoy!
- Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions. Serve over coconut rice with the extra orange sauce on the side!3 green onions, ½ tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Video
Notes
- The chicken takes between 8-12 minutes to cook in the air fryer, but this will also depend on how big the chicken pieces are and your model. Cook until the chicken registers at least 165°F (75°C) on an instant read thermometer. If you cut into the largest piece it should be cooked all the way through.
- Storage: Orange chicken tastes best when freshly made but in the unlikely event you have leftovers, store the cooked chicken and sauce separately in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat the chicken in the air fryer then add the sauce before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 357kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 162mg | Sodium: 1535mg | Potassium: 622mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 207IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 2mg
