Are you looking for a complete meal that is delectable, yummy and healthy? Then, you must try air fried orange chicken.
Air fryer orange chicken is crispy, delicious, and a healthier alternative to traditional deep-fried chicken. The heated air circulation in the air fryer gives the chicken pieces crispy outside while, making them soft and juicy from inside.
And if you can make homemade orange sauce made from fresh ingredients, you can achieve a flavorful and mouthwatering dish. The combination of tangy, sweet, and savory flavors in the orange sauce pairs perfectly with the crispy chicken, resulting in a delicious meal.
How to make air fryer orange chicken?
Ingredients
For Air Frying Chicken
1 lb. chicken breasts
70 grams cornstarch
2 tbsp orange juice
½ tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
Cooking oil spray
2 Eggs
For Orange Sauce
1/2 cup orange juice
½ tsp minced garlic
½ tsp minced ginger
1 tsp honey
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Red pepper flakes (Pinch)
Little orange zest (For extra citric flavor)
2 teaspoons water
2 teaspoons of oil
Step-By-Step- Guide
Step-1: Start by chopping chicken breasts into small chunks. I prefer cutting them to reasonable thickness of 1” cubes. You can also cut in more larger size as per your convenience.
Step-2: Season the chicken cubes with salt and black pepper. Then add soy sauce, brown sugar and orange juice.
Step-3: Now make batter with eggs and cornstarch. Add 2 eggs with 70 grams of corn starch. Mix well until the cornstarch gets mixed well.
Step-4: Now add seasoned chicken cubes to cornstarch and eggs batter and mix well. Make sure the chicken strips are well coated with batter.
Step-5: Add oil to batter and mix once again.
Step-6: Place the chicken cubes in air fryer basket and spray the basket with cooking oil.
Step-7: Cook for 380 F for 5-6 minutes. After that flip them and cook for another 5 minutes.
Step-8: To make orange juice sauce, squeeze two oranges and separate their juice. Just ¼ cup of orange juice is enough for making sauce.
Step-9: Grab a pan and set it over a low to medium heat on the stove. Add oil and chopped garlic and ginger. Cook for 1-2 minutes then add orange juice, soy sauce ,brown sugar and honey. Finally add starch water and sprinkle chili flakes. Now stir slowly for 3-5 minutes until the sauce starts to get thick.
Now add chicken pieces cooked in air fryer to the orange sauce. Coat them well. And that’s it, your orange chicken is ready!
Tips & Notes
- The preparation of the batter for the corn flour and eggs will take some time, but that is normal. Continue whisking for 3-4 minutes until a thick batter is ready.
- You can add a little more corn starch if your batter is soft. The chicken will be crunchier if the batter is thicker.
- While adding the starch water, make sure that the flame is low and the sauce is not boiling.
How Long To Air Fry Orange Chicken?
12 minutes is good enough if you are cooking in a preheated air fryer at 380 F. If you are using non preheated basket, then air fry for 14 minutes at same temperature.
Best Side Dishes To Pair With Air Fryer Orange Chicken?
Although air fryer orange chicken itself is a complete meal but you can add some other sides for a more flavorful taste. Below are some of suggested ideas:
Fried rice or Steamed rice: I love to have fried rice with orange chicken. Rice is a traditional side dish with orange chicken because it enhances the taste and textures of the dish while acting as a neutral foundation. Add a savory side of fried rice to your dinner to elevate it by adding veggies, eggs, and the protein of your choosing.
Fried vegetables: The taste of orange chicken is enhanced with a vibrant mix of stir-fried veggies, such as bell peppers, broccoli, snow peas, or baby carrots, which offer color and nutrients.
Asian coleslaw: The tastes of the orange chicken can be contrasted with a crisp, spicy Asian-style coleslaw with sesame dressing.
Spring rolls or egg rolls: The air fryer orange chicken can be paired with these crunchy, delectable appetizers to complete your feast.
How Do I Create A Crispy Coating For Orange Chicken In An Air Fryer?
For added crispiness, I made a batter of eggs and cornstarch. The step by step guide is already mentioned in recipe instructions.
Is Air Fryer Orange Chicken Healthy?
Yes its healthy than deep fried chicken. Air fryer makes the task even better as it requires little oil so it significantly reduces the overall fat and calorie content.
You may also use healthier ingredients, such as whole-grain flour for the coating or low-sugar and low-sodium alternatives for the sauce. Air frying also helps retain the nutrients in the chicken, making it a more nutritious option compared to deep-frying.
What Are The Tips For Making Air Fryer Orange Chicken Gluten-Free Or Low-Carb?
Ye, you can make air fryer orange chicken gluten free by removing gluten ingredients from your recipe. In this recipe only all-purpose flour and soy sauce contain gluten. You can use gluten-free flour alternatives like almond flour or coconut flour, but I haven’t tested the recipe with these alternatives so final results can vary in taste and appearance.
Secondly, instead of using vegetable or canola oil, which are high in omega-6 fatty acids, try using healthier oils like avocado oil, coconut oil, or olive oil when air frying your chicken.
Trader Joe’s Orange Chicken In Air Fryer
Instead of making orange sauce and air frying chicken and all the long procedure. You can simply buy a pack of trader joe’s orange chicken and cook in air fryer in a few simple steps. It tastes good but it can’t be the same as homemade air fryer orange chicken. So, if you are short of time and don’t want to go through all the long procedure of making the orange chicken in air fryer which will take some time, you can simply make frozen trader joe’s orange chicken.
The process is much easier as well. Simply preheat your air fryer at 400 F for 2 minutes. Spread the frozen orange chicken in a single layer in air fryer basket and cook at 400 F for 10 minutes shaking halfway through. And that’s it, enjoy and serve the hot and spicy frozen orange chicken.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb. chicken breasts
- 70 gram cornstarch
- 2 tbsp orange juice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 Eggs
- Cooking oil spray
- 1/2 cup orange sauce
- 1/2 tsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp minced ginger
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp water
- 2 tsp oil
- Little orange zest (For extra citric flavor)
- Red pepper flakes (Pinch)
Instructions
- Start by chopping chicken breasts into small chunks. I prefer cutting them to reasonable thickness of 1” strips. You can also cut in more larger size as per your convenience.
- Season the chicken strips with pink salt and black pepper. Then add soy sauce, brown sugar, orange juice and water.
- Now make batter with eggs and cornstarch. Add 2 eggs with 70 grams of corn starch. Mix well until the cornstarch gets mixed well with batter.
- Now add seasoned chicken strips to cornstarch and eggs batter and mix well. Make sure the chicken strips are well coated with batter.
- Add oil to batter and mix once again.
- Place the chicken strips in air fryer basket and spray the basket with cooking oil.
- Cook for 370 F for 5-6 minutes. After that flip them and cook for another 5 minutes.
- To make orange juice sauce, squeeze two oranges and separate their juice. Just ¼ cup of orange juice is enough for making sauce.
- Take a pan and put it on stove on a low medium flame. Add oil and add chopped garlic and ginger. Cook for 1-2 minutes then add orange juice, soy sauce ,brown sugar and honey. Finally add starch water and sprinkle chili flakes. Now stir slowly for3-5 minutes until the sauce starts to get thick.
- Now add chicken pieces cooked in air fryer to the orange sauce. Coat them well. And that’s it, your orange chicken is ready!
Nutrition
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