Air Fryer Zesty Orange Chicken
Light + crispy chicken pieces fried to perfection in the air fryer with a homemade zesty orange chicken sauce
Author: Leslie Stokes
I am kicking off this air fryer series with one of my go-to’s- Zesty Air Fryer Orange chicken is definitely one of those meals my whole family loves!
You will need an air fryer for this recipe, but if you don’t have one, don’t worry! You can totally use your oven for this, it might not be as crispy, but it will work! If using an oven, set it to the convection setting at 425 degrees!
I hope you enjoy this recipe!
Ingredients:
Fresh orange juice and orange zest is key to this sauce, don’t skip it!
- orange juice
- orange zest
- honey
- sesame oil
- coconut aminos– or soy sauce
- garlic
- srirachaÂ
- corn starch
- chicken breast or thighs
- panko bread crumbs
- paprikaÂ
- salt
*** see full recipe belowÂ
The Zesty Orange Sauce-
Â
The best part about orange chicken is the sauce, it’s sweet + tangy, but there is just something about this homemade one that makes it even better! Using fresh ingredients and knowing what is actually in the sauce makes me not feel as bad for eating a double serving! haha
Cooking this sauce is so easy, you really just throw it all into a pot, boil it for a second and then turn the heat down. If it gets too sticky or too runny you can always add more orange juice or add a little extra corn starch. I like my sauce to stick to the spoon, just like the picture below, that’s how I know it’s perfect!
Breading the Chicken-
Ok- I’m not going to lie, this part can get kind of messy! I did use some fancy bowls for my reel, but my favorite way to bread it is actually in gallon size ziplock baggies!
You will need 3 baggies-
- Place the chopped chicken in one- add in the cornstarch + salt and give it a toss.
- In the second bag- add the eggs, remove the chicken from the cornstarch and just add to the egg bag. I do all of it at once, saves so much time.Â
- In the third bag- mix together the bread crumbs and seasoning, in maybe 3-4 batches add the chicken into the bag, seal and give it a toss to coat the chicken.
- Transfer to the air fryer tray or basket, coat in oil and air fry!
Using this method will really help with the mess and save on dishes!Â
I hope you and your family enjoy this recipe! Please reach out if you have any questions or simply just want to tell me how amazing it is, I love connecting with my fellow healthy food lovers out there! Don’t Forget to follow along on social media for more recipes like this!
Â
Air Fryer Orange Chicken
Equipment
- Air Fryer or use the oven on the convection setting at 425°
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breast- sliced into 1 inch chunks
- 6 eggs- beaten
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ cup corn starch subsitute with flour
- olive oil spray or about 3 tbsp of olive oil
Bread Crumb Mixture
- 2 cup panko bread crumbs
- ¼ tsp paprkia
- ¼ tsp salt
- â…› tsp garlic powder
For the Sauce:
- 1 cup fresh orange juice
- ½ cup honey
- 4 tbsp sesame oil
- ½ cup coconut aminos or soy sauce
- 2 tbsp orange zest
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 2 tsp corn starch or tapioca flour
Let's Make It
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°. If using a larger air fryer, preheat to 425°.
- You will need 3 seperate bowls:- first bowl will be the chicken + the cornstarch, toss to coat- second will be the eggs + salt, beat the eggs for about 30 seconds- third bowl will be all of the ingredients for the bread crumb mixture***See my baggie hack above!
- After the chicken is completely coated in the cornstarch, dip in the egg mixture, and then into the bread crumbs.
- Lay the chicken pieces flat onto the air fryer tray or baket, spray both sides generously with olive oil spray and place into the air fryer for about 10-12 minutes or until the chicken reaches and internal temperature of 165°. You might need to do this in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
- While the chicken is cooking add all of the ingredients for the sauce into a small pot, making sure there are no clumps from the cornstarch. Cook on medium high heat, stirring occasionally until the sauce begins to thicken, lower the temp to low and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Once the chicken is done add to a bowl and toss with the sauce to coat the chicken.
- Serve with steamed rice and veggies!
