Easy Air Fryer Orange Chicken Recipe

TL;DR

Make crispy air fryer orange chicken by dredging chicken in cornstarch and egg, air frying at 400°F, then tossing in a homemade orange-soy sauce.

Key Points

• 1.Coat chicken in egg and cornstarch for crispiness. Toss 1-inch chicken pieces in a beaten egg with 1/4 tsp salt, then dredge in 1 cup (112g) cornstarch before air frying.
• 2.Air fry at 400°F for 12 minutes total. Cook chicken 6 minutes, flip, spray with oil again, then cook 6 more minutes until golden and crispy; work in batches for proper air circulation.
• 3.The sauce uses fresh orange zest and juice as its flavor base. Combine 1/2 cup orange juice, 1 tbsp zest, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
• 4.Thicken the sauce with a cornstarch slurry. Mix 1 tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp water, whisk into the boiling sauce, and stir about 1 minute until glossy, thick, and clear.
• 5.Orange chicken originated at Panda Express in the 1980s. It is a Chinese-American adaptation of a Hunan citrus chicken dish, and this air fryer version avoids the mess and splatter of traditional pan frying.