This kid-friendly Air Fryer Orange Chicken is the perfect easy chicken dinner recipe for busy weeknights. With simple ingredients and minimal clean-up, it's a stress-free way to enjoy a takeout favorite at home!
Why We Love This Recipe
- Simple Ingredients – Everything you need is likely already in your kitchen!
- Quick & Easy – Ready in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for busy families.
- Healthier Than Takeout – No deep frying, just golden chicken cooked in the air fryer and a simple homemade orange sauce.
- Kid-Friendly – A delicious mix of sweet and savory flavors that even picky eaters love.
Ingredients for Orange Chicken
How to make Air Fryer Orange Chicken
Whisk the egg and water together in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the cornstarch, salt, and pepper.
Dip the chicken pieces into the egg mixture, then coat them in the cornstarch mixture.
Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray. Arrange the chicken in a single layer. Lightly spray the tops with more cooking spray.
Air fry for 10–12 minutes. Shake the basket halfway through.
While the chicken cooks, combine all sauce ingredients in a saucepan. Simmer until slightly thickened.
The chicken is done when it is golden brown and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Move the cooked chicken to a bowl. Add the Sauce.
Mix to coat the chicken well. Serve over rice if desired.
Mom Tip
The sauce for this air fryer chicken is amazing! For an even quicker meal, add this sauce to your favorite frozen chicken nuggets. Make the sauce while the chicken cooks. Mix together and serve!
Save this recipe?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Tips for making Orange Chicken
- Chicken isn’t crispy? – Make sure not to overcrowd the air fryer. Cook in batches if needed.
- Sauce too thick? – Add a splash of water or extra orange juice.
- Sauce too thin? – Simmer a little longer or add a bit more cornstarch slurry.
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating on the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.
Printable Recipe
Air Fryer Orange Chicken
Equipment
- 1 Air Fryer
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 1 ½ pounds Chicken Breast boneless, skinless, cut into 1-inch pieces
- ½ cup Cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 large Egg
- 1 tablespoon Water
- Cooking Spray
For the sauce:
- ½ cup Orange Juice
- ¼ cup Soy Sauce
- 3 tablespoons Honey
- 2 tablespoons Rice Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon Sesame Oil
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Ground Ginger
- ¼ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes optional
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 375° Fahrenheit.
- In a dish, whisk the 1 large Egg and 1 tablespoon Water together.
- In another bowl, or a Zip-Loc plastic bag, mix the ½ cup Cornstarch with the ½ teaspoon Salt and ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper.
- Dip the 1 ½ pounds Chicken Breast pieces into the egg mixture. Shake off excess egg, then coat them in the cornstarch.
- Spray the air fryer basket with Cooking Spray
- Shake off the excess cornstarch and place the chicken in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
- Lightly spray more cooking spray over the top of the chicken pieces.
- Air fry the chicken pieces for 10 - 12 minutes, until golden brown, and the internal temperature has reached 165° Fahrenheit. Shake the basket half-way through cooking time.
- While the chicken cooks, prepare the sauce by combining ½ cup Orange Juice, ¼ cup Soy Sauce, 3 tablespoons Honey, 2 tablespoons Rice Vinegar, 1 teaspoon Sesame Oil, ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder, ½ teaspoon Ground Ginger, ¼ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes, in a sauce pan.
- Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Stir in the 1 tablespoon Cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water slurry and cook until thickened. About 2 minutes.
- Toss the cooked chicken with the sauce.
- Serve.
Keri
The orange sauce is amazing!