Love air fryer dinners? Try my air fryer salmon bites, air fryer steak, air fryer chicken breast, and air fryer pork chops next. I clearly have an obsession with using my air fryer for anything and everything, and this includes making my family’s weeknight dinners in it. We collectively LOVE Chinese takeout, so as you can imagine, my air fryer orange chicken recipe is made on repeat. It’s not just healthier than takeout, but it’s cheaper and tastes better too.
Why I love this recipe
Made from fresh orange juice. While I absolutely love the crispy and juicy chicken pieces in this dish, the homemade orange sauce is the real star. Making it with freshly squeezed orange juice and real orange zest gives it the best zingy flavor! Uses a hands-off cooking method. Just toss the marinated chicken in the air fryer and let this hands-off tool work its magic. A 30-minute dinner. From cooking the chicken to making the sauce to putting it all together, this dish is ready to enjoy in about 30 minutes. Budget-friendly. Put the takeout menu down. My homemade recipe is so much better AND inexpensive to make, too!
Ingredients needed
Chicken breasts. This is my favorite protein when I’m making orange chicken at home. Boneless skinless chicken breasts soak in the marinade easily and cook quickly in the air fryer compared to chicken thighs. It’s also leaner too, which is always a plus. Salt and pepper. To season the chicken breast marinade. Soy sauce. To marinate the chicken. You can use tamari or coconut aminos if you’re gluten free. All purpose flour and cornstarch. I like to coat the chicken pieces in both flour and cornstarch for extra crunch. You can also sprinkle some panko for even more crunch.
For the orange chicken sauce:
Sesame oil. For the signature sesame notes. A little goes a very long way (hence the small amount used). Garlic and ginger. Fresh ginger and garlic cloves are a must. Please do not use the dried kind! Soy sauce. Like I said, you can use tamari or coconut aminos if you’re gluten free. Orange marmalade. Optional, but I sometimes like to add this in to intensify the orange flavor and to add some sweetness. You can omit this or swap it out for some honey or brown sugar. Orange juice and zest. Use freshly squeezed orange juice and grated zest from Valencia or Navel oranges. Hot sauce. Use any hot sauce you like. Sriracha is my preference! White vinegar. The vinegar cuts through the overly tangy and sweet flavors. Rice vinegar works well as a mild-flavored substitute. Cornstarch slurry. A slurry made from cornstarch and water thickens the orange sauce and ensures it sticks to every bite of chicken. You can also use potato starch if you prefer.
How to make air fryer orange chicken
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Arman’s recipe tips
Marinate ahead of time. If you want to save some time, you can marinate the chicken in the soy marinade for up to 4 hours ahead of cooking. Just cover the bowl and leave the chicken in the fridge. Don’t overcrowd the air fryer. In testing, I found that chicken pieces that were overlapping in the air fryer didn’t get as crispy as when the pieces were cooked in a single layer. If your air fryer isn’t big enough to avoid overlapping, cook the chicken in two batches instead. Use other protein. You can swap the chicken breasts for chicken thighs, salmon, tofu, or shrimp. Skip the bread crumbs. The breading is optional here! Feel free to skip it to lighten up the dish. Make it spicier. I find that the hot sauce gives the orange sauce a nice kick but you can add a pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes for extra heat.
Storage instructions
To store: Pack the leftover sauce-covered chicken in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days. To freeze: After it cools, store the orange chicken in an airtight container and freeze for up to 6 months. Let the leftovers thaw in the fridge before reheating. To reheat: You can quickly reheat leftover orange chicken in the microwave or toss it in a non-stick skillet over medium heat until heated through.
Frequently asked questions
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