Air Fryer Orange Chicken
This made from scratch air fryer orange chicken will easily compete with your favorite takeout or store bought version. A crunchy breaded coating and tangy sweet orange sauce work together to bring you a healthy new twist on a beloved classic.
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Servings: 5 people
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 1.5 lbs Chicken thighs cut up into apx 1" pieces
- ½ cup Corn starch
- ½ cup All purpose flour
- 2 Eggs whisked with a splash of water
- 2 tsp each Salt & pepper
- Cooking oil spray
For the sauce
- 4 tablespoon Soy sauce
- 5 tablespoon honey
- 4 tablespoon Rice vinegar
- Zest of one large orange
- 3 teaspoon Finely grated ginger apx the size of a small thumb knob of ginger
- ½ cup Orange juice
- 3 teaspoon Corn starch
- 3 teaspoon Water
Instructions
To make the air fried chicken
- Mix the flour and corn starch, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl, and whisk the eggs with a splash of water in a separate shallow bowl.
- Working in batches, toss some chicken in the flour/corn starch mix, then gently toss in the egg wash.
- Spray your air fryer tray or basket. Dredge the chicken in the flour/corn starch mix one more time, lightly coat with cooking spray, and then place on the tray.
- Set air fryer to 400 degrees and cook chicken in batches, for apx 13-15 minutes, until chicken reaches 160 degrees internal temperature. Make sure to toss or flip each piece halfway through cooking to get evenly crispy chicken.
To make the sauce
- Over medium low heat, add the orange juice, soy sauce and rice vinegar to a small saucepan and heat till simmering.
- Whisk in the orange zest and grated ginger and stir until sauce bubbles and starts to thicken up ever so slightly, about 2 minutes.
- Combine the corn starch and water in a separate bowl, and quickly whisk the slurry into the sauce, till well combined. Keep whisking for about a minute until sauce thickens to a thick paste. Remove from the stove and set aside.
- Toss the cooked chicken in the sauce and serve immediately, garnished with green onions and sesame seeds.
Notes
To actually make the Trader Joe's orange chicken in the air fryer, preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Add the whole bag of chicken pieces (without the sauce) to the air fryer. Cook for 10 minutes. Rotate the tray and cook for about 5 minutes more.
While the chicken is cooking, heat the sauce for about 45 seconds in the microwave, or over low heat in a small sauce pan. Toss the sauce with the chicken and serve.
You may also use boneless skinless chicken breasts in this recipe. I just prefer the flavor and juiciness that comes from thighs. They also resist drying out as chicken breasts can do.
Don't have an air fryer? No problem, you can pan fry instead. In a large skillet, heat 3-4 tablespoon of oil over medium heat, and cook chicken in batches. Cook for 5-7 minutes, then toss and cook for another 5-7 minutes till cooked through. Stir in sauce and serve.
Nutrition
Calories: 508kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 199mg | Sodium: 1701mg | Potassium: 409mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 251IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 2mg
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