Air Fryer Orange Chicken
User Reviews
5
Air Fryer Orange Chicken
Description
The dish begins by coating small chicken breast pieces in arrowroot starch and sesame oil to promote crisping when air fried at 360°F. Cooking in batches prevents overcrowding, ensuring the chicken crisps evenly and reaches a safe internal temperature of 165°F.
The sauce is prepared simultaneously by boiling fresh orange juice with low-sodium soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, minced garlic, grated fresh ginger, and orange zest. Arrowroot starch dissolved in chicken broth is whisked in to thicken the sauce to a glossy finish. The orange zest is key to providing fragrant citrus notes that elevate the sauce beyond sweetness.
After cooking, the chicken is combined with the sauce to coat evenly. Garnishes like sesame seeds and sliced green onion add visual appeal and additional flavor. The chicken pieces have a crisp exterior with tender interiors, balanced by the tangy, sweet, and savory orange glaze.
This recipe offers flexibility with substitutions such as using chicken thighs, dried ginger powder, or alternative vinegars. Proper spacing in the air fryer and inclusion of orange zest improve texture and flavor respectively. Leftovers can be refrigerated or frozen and reheated in the air fryer to maintain crispness.
Ingredients
The Chicken:
- 1 pound chicken breast skinless and boneless, cut into 1-inch bite-size pieces
- 2 tablespoon arrowroot starch
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- sesame seed for garnish
- green onion for garnish
The Healthy Orange Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot starch
- 1 cup orange juice about large 3 oranges
- ¼ cup chicken broth low-sodium
- ¼ cup soy sauce or tamari if gluten-free, low sodium
- 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 2 garlic minced, cloves
- 1 teaspoon ginger grated, fresh
- 1 tablespoon orange zest about 1 large orange
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 360°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, toss the chicken pieces with arrowroot starch and sesame oil.
- Once the air fryer is heated, spray it with cooking spray and add the chicken to the basket, ensuring the pieces are spaced out and not overlapping. If your air fryer is small, do this in two batches.
- Air fry for 8–10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- While the chicken is cooking, zest one orange and dissolve the arrowroot starch in the chicken broth. Set both aside.
- In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine fresh orange juice, low-sodium soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, garlic, and ginger. Bring the sauce to a quick boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and whisk in the arrowroot starch broth.
- Add the orange zest and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, whisking continually until the sauce thickens. Taste the sauce and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Add the cooked chicken pieces to the saucepan with the orange sauce. Gently toss to coat and remove from heat.
- Serve the orange chicken warm on a bed of rice with a side of your favorite vegetables (I love broccoli). Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions. Enjoy your delicious air-fried orange chicken!
Notes
- Chicken thighs can be used instead of breasts; reduce air frying time by 2 minutes to reach 165°F.
- If fresh orange juice is limited, store-bought organic juice without added sugar is acceptable, but don’t omit orange zest.
- Rice vinegar can be replaced with white wine vinegar one-to-one.
- Dried ginger powder (1 teaspoon) can stand in for fresh ginger if needed.
- Arrowroot starch can be substituted with tapioca flour or cornstarch.
- Ensure chicken pieces are spaced out in the air fryer basket and cook in batches if necessary for even crisping.
- Leftover orange chicken stores in the fridge for 3-4 days or freezes for 2-3 months; reheat in the air fryer at 350°F for 5-7 minutes to restore crispness.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 225 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 225kcal | 11% |
| Carbohydrates | 20g | 7% |
| Protein | 26g | 52% |
| Fat | 4g | 6% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Trans Fat | 0.01g | 1% |
| Cholesterol | 73mg | 24% |
| Sodium | 711mg | 30% |
| Potassium | 580mg | 12% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 12g | 24% |
| Vitamin A | 115IU | 2% |
| Vitamin C | 23mg | 26% |
| Calcium | 24mg | 2% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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