Air fryer orange chicken is made with crispy air fryer chicken tossed in a sweet and sour flavor-packed orange sauce. Better than takeout and so much healthier. You will not want to make it any other way!
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About this recipe
There’s a reason why takeout-style orange chicken is so irresistible – the crunch of fried chicken tossed up in an orange sauce that’s sweet, spicy, and so full of flavor. I like to make a little extra sauce, and spoon it over the chicken and serve that over trice – extra saucy orange chicken over Jasmine rice is simply perfection!
This version of air fryer orange chicken has everything you love about the takeout version – crunchy chicken, a delicious orange sauce - but in addition, it is so much healthier – better still, it is made in the air fryer – so there’s just a teaspoon of oil used in air frying the chicken.
Are you a fan of takeout-style recipes? do check my better-than-takeout General Tso's Tofu or Chicken Satay - these are tried and tested reader favorites!
Why this recipe works
- Healthier than takeout - This recipe is so much healthier than Panda Express Orange Chicken – just a teaspoon of oil is used in air frying the crispy chicken, all-natural ingredients used in this recipe
- Flavor-packed orange sauce made with orange zest and juice
- Extra Saucy! – I’ve made more orange sauce in this recipe, for a saucier version that pairs well with Jasmine rice.
Ingredients
Here is all you will need for making air fryer orange chicken:
(head to the recipe card at the bottom of this page for the exact ingredient measurements)
Ingredient Notes
Boneless Chicken – Use boneless thighs for best results, but the chicken breast will also work.
Oranges – Use freshly squeezed orange juice and orange zest for maximum flavor. Optionally, store-bought orange juice will work well as a substitute.
Sesame oil - Use sesame oil (for both the chicken batter and orange sauce) for that unique flavor that works so well for many Asian recipes. You can substitute it with vegetable oil or olive oil, but the taste will not be the same.
Corn Starch - I have used only corn starch (no all-purpose flour) for making the batter for dredging the chicken. The best kind of flour for this recipe is tempura flour which is perfect for crisping up because it has no gluten. Since I couldn't find tempura flour, I have used corn starch - which is also gluten-free. Rice flour will also work well for this recipe. Avoid using flour with gluten, such as all-purpose flour, because the presence of gluten will not make the batter crisp up as well.
For the Orange Sauce:
Orange juice and zest - Use freshly squeezed orange juice and zest for best results. Store-bought orange juice also works well!
Sauces - Oyster sauce, soy sauce, and rice vinegar is the combination that makes all the magic happen! Try not to omit the oyster sauce, because it adds loads of flavor, and you will see a big difference in the taste of the orange sauce. Rice vinegar can be substituted with white vinegar.
Optional Ingredients:
Veggies – To make this a more balanced meal, you can also add steamed broccoli and red bell peppers.
Make it Spicy – If you like your spice, I recommend adding some sriracha sauce to make a spicier version of this orange chicken.
Step by Step Image Instructions
Start by chopping up the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add them to a mixing bowl along with a beaten egg and a teaspoon of sesame oil.
Mix until the chicken pieces are coated in the beaten egg. Then add the corn starch and paprika, black pepper, and salt.
Mix until the chicken pieces are well coated in the corn starch mixture.
Preheat the air fryer at 400 F for 5 minutes. I am using an Instant Vortex air fryer here. Place the batter-coated chicken in a single layer, without overlapping.
Air fry the chicken at 400F for 20 minutes, flipping the chicken pieces halfway through to let the air fry evenly. Once done, take out the air-fried chicken.
The chicken should be golden and crispy (see below), if they are not crispy enough, you can fry them for an additional 5 minutes until done.
In a separate wok on the stovetop, make the orange sauce.
Heat sesame oil and add the minced ginger and garlic. Saute for 2 minutes.
Add the oyster sauce, soy sauce, and rice vinegar, followed by the orange juice and orange zest (if using fresh zest) and the brown sugar.
Simmer for 3 minutes, and add a cornstarch slurry (a 1:1 mixture of corn starch and water) made with 2 tablespoons corn starch mixed with 3 tablespoons cold water.
Cook the sauce until the sauce thickens enough to easily coat a spoon.
Turn off the heat and toss in the air fried crispy chicken. Mix well until chicken is coated in the orange sauce.
To serve, garnish with sesame seeds and chopped scallions. Serve over a bed of Jasmine or Basmati rice, spoon over more sauce, if you like!
Recipe Tips and Recipe Variations
Do not use all-purpose flour - If you are air frying the chicken, I recommend using corn starch or tempura flour or even rice flour to make the batter. All-purpose flour is fine for traditional deep frying in oil, but it won't crisp up the chicken as well in the air fryer.
Don't skip the Oyster sauce - Oyster sauce adds so much additional flavor to this recipe. If you don't have it in your pantry, I recommend getting a bottle. I use Oyster sauce for my favorite Asian take-out recipes, such as Basil Fried Rice and Instant Pot Peanut Noodles.
Add Veggies - Adding some veggies to this dish makes it a more balanced meal. You can add stir-fried bell peppers, peas, or steamed broccoli and toss them up in the sauce before serving.
Make it Spicy - I have kept the spice at a minimum, but if you like making spicy orange chicken, you can add sriracha or even gochujang paste to make it spicier.
Air Fryer Orange Chicken Recipe
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb Boneless Chicken
- 1 Egg beaten
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- ½ teaspoon Paprika powder
- 1 teaspoon Sesame Oil
For the orange sauce:
- 1 tablespoon Sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ¼ cup Oyster sauce
- 2 teaspoons Soy Sauce
- 2 teaspoons Rice Vinegar or White Vinegar
- 150 ml orange juice fresh or store-bought
- ½ teaspoon fresh orange zest (optional)
- 3 tablespoons light Brown Sugar
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Start by chopping up the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add the chicken pieces to a mixing bowl along with a beaten egg and a teaspoon of sesame oil.
- Mix until the chicken pieces are coated in the beaten egg.
- Toss in the corn starch and paprika, black pepper, and salt.
- Mix until the chicken pieces are well coated in the corn starch mixture. Optionally, you can roll the chicken pieces in a plate with corn starch to ensure the pieces are evenly coated in corn starch.
- Preheat the air fryer at 400 F for 5 minutes (I have used an Instant Vortex air fryer here). Place the batter-coated chicken in a single layer, without overlapping.
- Air-fry the chicken at 400F for 20 minutes, flipping the chicken pieces halfway through to let the air fry evenly. The chicken should be golden and crispy, if they are not crispy enough, you can fry them for an additional 5 minutes until done.
For the orange sauce:
- In a separate wok on the stovetop, make the orange sauce.
- Heat sesame oil and add the minced ginger and garlic. Sauté for 2 minutes.
- Add the oyster sauce, soy sauce, and rice vinegar, followed by the orange juice and orange zest (if using fresh zest) and the brown sugar.
- Simmer for 3 minutes, and add a corn-starch slurry (a 1:1 mixture of corn starch and water) made with 2 tablespoons corn starch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water.
- Cook the sauce until the sauce thickens enough to easily coat a spoon.
- Turn off the heat and toss in the air fried crispy chicken. Mix well until chicken is coated in the orange sauce.
- To serve, garnish with sesame seeds and chopped scallions. Serve over Jasmine or Basmati rice.
Your recipe calls for Oyster sauce, the video has hoisin sauce. Are they the same?
thanks for letting me know, it was an error in the video, and I'm working to update the video. Please use oyster sauce as mentioned in the written instructions, as Hoisin sauce is more like a barbeque sauce, until oyster sauce. Hope you give it a try!
Thank you. It’s planned for tomorrow nights dinner. I can’t wait.
Carol
Looks good, I'll give it a try. The recipe card is missing the orange zest BTW.
thank you! I've updated the recipe card