Air Fryer Orange Chicken
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This air fryer orange chicken tastes better than takeout. It’s crispy, full of flavor, and cooks up in under 30 minutes. It makes a fabulous weeknight dinner.
I clearly have an obsession with using my air fryer for anything and everything, and this includes this air fryer orange chicken. It’s not just healthier than takeout, but it’s also cheaper and tastes better.
I tested this recipe multiple times to ensure the chicken was as crispy as when deep-fried. Coating the chicken in a mixture of flour and cornstarch mimics the crunch of deep-fried chicken, but the air fryer makes it lighter without the need for oil. I also made the sauce a little healthier to reduce the sugar without compromising the taste. My family requests this weekly!
Table of Contents
Why I love making orange chicken in the air fryer
- Uses a hands-off cooking method. Just toss the marinated chicken in the air fryer and let this hands-off tool work its magic.
- Wholesome ingredients. Growing up, orange chicken was always on the table when we ordered takeout, so I wanted to create a version that kept the nostalgic flavor but fit into weeknight cooking.
- A 30-minute dinner. From cooking the chicken to making the sauce to putting it all together, this dish is ready to enjoy in no time.
- Budget-friendly. Put the takeout menu down. My homemade recipe is so much better AND inexpensive to make, too!
What readers are saying
★★★★★ – “Arman, your air fryer orange chicken recipe is sensational! I saw your TikTok video for it and knew I had to try it out. The sauce is delicious and the chicken was fast to cook.” – Suzanne
★★★★★ – “This is so easy and it reminds me of Trader Joe’s orange chicken…but without the nasties!” – Lynn
Key Ingredients
- 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. I tested this with chicken thighs, too. They turned out juicier but less lean. Either works.
- Salt and pepper. To season the chicken.
- 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 a mixture of both flour and cornstarch for extra crunch. You can also sprinkle some panko for an even crunchier texture.
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 substitute it with 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.
Recipe variations
- Use other protein. You can swap the chicken breasts for salmon bites, 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.
How to make air fryer orange chicken
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Step 1- Marinate. Toss the chicken pieces, salt, pepper, and soy sauce in a shallow bowl.
Step 2- Air fry. Coat marinated chicken in flour, cornstarch, and optional breadcrumbs. Air fry until crispy.
Step 3- Make the sauce. Heat sesame oil in a saucepan, add remaining ingredients, stir, then pour in cornstarch slurry.
Step 4- Combine. Transfer cooked chicken to a bowl, pour over orange sauce, toss to coat, and sprinkle with green onion and sesame seeds.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Marinate ahead of time. To save time, you can marinate the chicken in the soy marinade for up to 4 hours ahead of cooking. Cover the bowl and leave the chicken in the refrigerator.
- 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.
- You’ll know the chicken is fully cooked once it reaches an internal temperature of 165F. Use a meat thermometer to double-check.
Frequently asked questions
Yes! If you’d rather air fry the chicken as whole breasts instead of chunks, follow the same process as my air fryer chicken breasts. Once cooked, douse in the sauce. From testing, I found whole breasts take about 18-20 minutes, depending on the thickness. Use a meat thermometer to double-check they’ve reached 165°F.
You can. Place the crumbed chicken pieces on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 180C/350F for 15-17 minutes, flipping once. In my trials, the oven-baked version wasn’t quite as crisp as the air fryer, but it was still a solid option if you don’t have one. For extra crunch, place the baking sheet on the top rack and broil for the last 1-2 minutes.
I recommend serving this dish once the chicken is coated in the sauce. The more time it sits in the sauce, the less crispy it is. To keep the coating crunchy, you can serve the sauce on the side and let everyone dip or drizzle at the table. If you’re meal prepping, store the chicken and sauce separately, then toss them together just before eating.
✅ Nutrition reviewed
Since this orange chicken recipe references health claims, the nutrition information has been reviewed by registered dietitian Felicia Newell, MScAHN, RD, CPT.
Air Fryer Orange Chicken
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breast chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour or panko bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
Orange chicken sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger minced
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon orange marmalade
- 1 large orange juiced and zested
- 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 190C/375F.
- In a bowl, combine the chicken pieces, salt, pepper, and soy sauce. Let it marinate for 5-10 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine the flour and cornstarch. Dip each piece of chicken in the flour mix until well coated.
- Place the coated chicken pieces in a single layer in the air fryer basket and spray generously with oil. Air fry for 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- While the chicken is cooking, prepare the orange sauce. In a saucepan, heat the sesame oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and ginger, and sauté for about 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add the soy sauce, orange marmalade, orange juice, orange zest, hot sauce, and white vinegar to the saucepan. Stir well to combine all the ingredients. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
- In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water to create a slurry. Slowly pour the slurry into the simmering sauce while stirring continuously. Allow the sauce to simmer for an additional minute or two until it thickens.
- Once the chicken is cooked, transfer the cooked chicken pieces to a large mixing bowl. Pour the prepared orange sauce over the chicken. Gently toss the chicken until completely coated.
I tweaked the salt a bit but this was DELICIOUS!
I left out some salt but this was so easy i didnt even miss ordering the take out version.
I see rice as a side dish. Do you have any other suggestion such as potatoes,
This chicken sauce wil be my best sauce. I like combination sweet and meat. Thanks!
Will it be too sweet with orange marmelade what you think?
This was so easy! I impressed everyone haha
Arman, your air fryer orange chicken recipe is sensational!
Thanks, Brandi!
I tried this last night and it was utterly incredible! I used chicken thighs and it came out, just beautiful! The sauce was a little too salty for my taste, so I might use less sauce, next time. But definitely making this again!
You added soy sauce 2 times….once to marinate chicken pieces and again in the sauce, but it is not listed in the 1st section of ingredients. How much did you use the 1st time to soak the chicken in?
Sorry! Fixed now, it’s 1/4 cup!