Air Fryer
Air Fryer Orange Chicken
Orange chicken is typically made with fried chicken coated in a sweet, sticky sauce. In this lightened-up version, we skip the oil in favor of an air fryer and make an equally delicious sauce that goes easy on the sugar. Serve with brown rice and steamed green beans.
Ingredients:
- 1 large egg
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup cornstarch plus 1 tablespoon, divided
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- cooking spray
- 8 tablespoons orange juice, divided
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- toasted sesame seeds for serving
Directions:
- Preheat air fryer to 400°F for 10 minutes.
- Whisk egg in a medium bowl. Add chicken; sprinkle with salt and toss to coat. Combine ¼ cup cornstarch and flour in a shallow bowl.
- Working with a few pieces at a time, dredge the chicken in the cornstarch-flour mixture, shaking off excess. Transfer to a large plate.
- Working in batches if necessary, generously coat all sides of the chicken with cooking spray. Add the coated chicken to the air-fryer basket; cook until crispy and a thermometer inserted in the thickest portion registers at least 165°F, 8 to 12 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk 2 tablespoons orange juice with the remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch in a small saucepan or skillet until smooth. Whisk in the remaining 6 tablespoons orange juice, honey, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook, whisking frequently, until thickened and slightly reduced, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Toss the chicken with the sauce in a medium bowl. Serve topped with sesame seeds, if desired.