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The air fryer cooks orange chicken in just 10 minutes, allowing the cornstarch coating to crisp up and the meat to be well cooked.
A sauce consisting of orange juice, brown sugar, soy sauce (or tamari if you're gluten-free), rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes gives orange chicken a flavorful boost.
Ingredients
- 2 lb. Skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1” pieces
- ½ tsp. Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp. Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ c. All-purpose flour
- ½ c. Plus 1 tbsp. Cornstarch
- Olive oil cooking spray
- 1 ½ c. Orange juice
- ¼ c. Packed light brown sugar
- 2 tbsp. Low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 2 tbsp. Rice vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ tsp. Minced fresh ginger
- ¼ tsp. Crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tsp. Toasted sesame oil
- Sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds, for serving
Steps
Dry the chicken with paper towels and place it in a medium bowl. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Eggs should be whisked in a small dish. Stir together the flour and 1/2 cup cornstarch in another shallow bowl. Coat the chicken with egg, then toss it to coat it in the flour mixture, and shake off any excess flour.
Spray cooking spray on a basket for an air fryer. Prepare chicken in batches by placing it in a single layer in a basket and spraying it with cooking spray. Cook for 10 minutes at 400°, stirring and using cooking spray halfway through, until golden brown and well done. Place the chicken in a clean big bowl.
Combine orange juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, and the final 1 tbsp. of cornstarch in a measuring cup.
Spray some cooking spray in a small saucepan, then warm it up. Stirring constantly, cook the garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes for about 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Add the orange juice mixture and heat until it boils.
You should have around 1 14 cups of sauce after cooking for about 10 minutes while stirring occasionally. Stir in the oil to mix.
Toss the chicken in the orange sauce to coat. Add sesame seeds and scallions as a garnish.