Air Fryer Orange Chicken

Healthier and better than takeout, this Air Fryer Orange Chicken has a homemade sauce with just six simple ingredients.

Everyone in my house loves this Air Fryer Orange Chicken. I love it because it is surprisingly quick to make. The sauce is practically drinkable. The air fryer makes the chicken juicy and tender. And it’s so much healthier than the takeout version of Orange Chicken. Serve it over cauliflower rice to make it even lower in calories. With the sugar in the sauce, this is not a low-carb dinner. However, you can always save some carbs by swapping out regular rice for cauliflower rice.

Ingredients needed for Air Fryer Orange Chicken

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Orange juice
• Light brown sugar
• Cornstarch
• Soy sauce
• Crushed red pepper
• Sesame oil
• Butter
• Green onions
• Rice or cauliflower rice

How to make Air Fryer Orange Chicken

Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Lightly coat the chicken with corn starch. Place the chicken into the air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook the chicken at 400 degrees F for 8 minutes. While the chicken is cooking, melt a tablespoon of butter in the microwave. Brush the chicken evenly with the melted butter. Cook the chicken an additional 2 – 5 minutes at 400 degrees F, or until the chicken is 165 degrees F in the center (check a few of the pieces with a digital meat thermometer).

While the chicken is cooking, prepare the sauce. Combine the orange juice, cornstarch, brown sugar, soy sauce and crushed red pepper in a non-stick sauce pan. Bring the sauce to a boil then reduce the heat to simmer the sauce for about 10 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the sesame oil.

Once the chicken is done cooking in the air fryer, toss it with about half of the orange sauce. Serve the chicken on top of your choice of rice with the rest of the sauce (plus chopped green onions) to pass at the table.

Kitchen Tips

• I use a Philips XXL Air Fryer to test all of my recipes
• This is the best instant read digital thermometer – always check the temperature of your protein before serving
• An OXO dusting wand is ideal for coating the chicken with cornstarch, making sure it doesn’t clump
• Use this pastry brush for lightly coating the chicken with melted butter
• Find all the rest of my delicious air fryer recipes HERE

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5 from 5 votes

Air Fryer Orange Chicken

Healthier and better than takeout, this Air Fryer Orange Chicken has a homemade sauce with just six simple ingredients.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 294kcal

Author Jill McOwen

Equipment

• Air Fryer

Ingredients

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 tbsp cornstarch divided
• 1 tbsp butter melted
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp crushed red pepper
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1/4 cup green onions sliced

Instructions

• Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Lightly coat the chicken with one tablespoon of the corn starch.
• Place the chicken into the air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook the chicken at 400 degrees F for 8 minutes.
• While the chicken is cooking, melt a tablespoon of butter in the microwave. Brush the chicken evenly with the melted butter.
• Cook the chicken an additional 2 - 5 minutes at 400 degrees F, or until the chicken is 165 degrees F in the center (check a few of the pieces with a digital meat thermometer).
• While the chicken is cooking, prepare the sauce: whisk together the remaining one tablespoon of the cornstarch with a couple of tablespoons of the orange juice until the cornstarch is completely dissolved.
• Add the cornstarch dissolved into the orange juice to a non-stick sauce pan.
• Add the remaining orange juice, brown sugar, soy sauce and crushed red pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer the sauce for about 10 minutes, until the sauce has reduced and thickened.
• Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the sesame oil.
• Once the chicken is done cooking in the air fryer, toss it with about half of the orange sauce.
• Serve the chicken on top of your choice of rice with the rest of the sauce (plus chopped green onions) to pass at the table.

Nutrition

Calories: 294kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 695mg | Potassium: 638mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 901IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 1mg

More Asian-Inspired Recipes

• Crispy Crockpot Orange Beef
• Air Fryer Crab Rangoon
• Slow Cooker Satay Pork
• Thai Ramen
• Air Fryer Egg Rolls