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Close up of orange chicken bite.

Easy Air Fryer Orange Chicken (Best Healthy Recipe)

Jenni Cole
Learn to air fry crispy, juicy, and delicious air fryer orange chicken in the best homemade orange sauce! Serve with fried rice and sauteed veggies on the side.
5 from 2 votes
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Healthy Air Fryer Recipes
Cuisine Asian Recipes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 256 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ pounds Boneless skinless chicken breasts cubed

Chicken Marinade Ingredient

  • 2 tablespoons Cornstarch
  • ½ teaspoon Salt
  • ¼ teaspoon Black pepper
  • 3 cloves Minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon Sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon Soy sauce or wheat-free tamari sauce

Breading Ingredients

  • ⅔ cups Cornstarch
  • Olive oil cooking spray

Orange Sauce Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons Soy sauce or wheat-free tamari sauce
  • 1 cup Fresh orange juice
  • ¼ cup Chicken stock
  • ½ cup Brown sugar coconut sugar or golden monk fruit
  • 1 tablespoon of Cornstarch
  • ¼ cup hot water
  • Sesame seeds and sliced green onions for garnish

Instructions
 

Marinate the chicken

  • Add the chicken cubes, 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch, salt, black pepper, garlic, sesame oil, and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce (or tamari sauce) to a medium sized bowl.
  • Cover the bowl and put it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes up to 24 hours.

Air fry

  • Preheat the air fryer to 400 F.
  • Add ⅔ cup of cornstarch and the chicken pieces to a Ziplock bag and add the chicken pieces to it. Close and shake the bag until all the pieces are evenly coated.
  • Using tongs, transfer the meat to the air fryer basket in a single layer. Spritz the chicken pieces with olive oil or cooking spray.
  • Air fry for 10-15 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until they turn crispy and golden brown (and they're cooked through to 165 F), turning halfway through cooking.

Make the orange sauce

  • While the chicken is air frying, heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in 2 tablespoon of soy sauce (or tamari sauce), orange juice, chicken broth, and the sweetener. Stir occasionally until it comes to a simmer.
  • Combine the hot water with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to make a cornstarch slurry. Add it to the orange sauce and whisk it to combine. Set the sauce aside once it begins to thicken.

Serving

  • Transfer the crispy chicken to a bowl and toss them in the orange chicken sauce until each piece is evenly coated.
  • Serve the chicken over rice or cauliflower rice and garnish it with sesame seeds and sliced green onions. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Leftovers will keep 3-4 days in the fridge. Reheat it in the air fryer to get the chicken crispy again, keep a close eye on it so the sauce doesn't burn.
  • Feel free to use chicken thighs instead of cubed chicken breast.
  • Lower carb option: use arrowroot powder instead of corn starch and use golden monk fruit instead of brown sugar/coconut sugar. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 256kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 26gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 74mgSodium: 781mgPotassium: 568mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 118IUVitamin C: 23mgCalcium: 31mgIron: 1mg
Keyword air fryer orange chicken
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