Crispy air fried orange chicken made with flavor-packed marinated chicken breast and a zesty sweet and salty sauce.
How can I make this recipe vegan?
I would recommend substituting the chicken for a vegan chicken alternative. You might be able to use tofu, but I don’t think it will be as crispy.
How do I store and reheat the dish?
I recommend storing the chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Chicken can be reheated in the air fryer at 400F for 3-4 minutes.
If you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram don’t forget to tag me @healthienut + #healthienut! I love seeing your mouthwatering recreations!
Healthier Air Fried Orange Chicken
Crispy air fried orange chicken made with flavor-packed marinated chicken breast and a zesty sweet and salty sauce.
Servings 4 servings
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 tbsp tamari or low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp minced fresh garlic
- 1 tsp minced fresh ginger
- 1 ½ lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ tsp kosher salt
Sauce
- ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice (~2 large oranges)
- ¼ cup tamari or low-sodium soy sauce
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp orange zest
- 1 tsp minced fresh garlic
- 1 tsp minced fresh ginger
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water
- ½ tsp sesame oil
- To serve: chopped green onion, sesame seeds, and rice
Instructions
- Start by making the marinade. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together tamari, rice vinegar, ginger, and garlic. Add chicken and stir well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (ideally overnight).
- Preheat airfryer. Add flour, breadcrumbs, and salt to marinated chicken and toss to coat.Â
- Spray air fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange chicken in a single layer in the air fryer. You may need to cook chicken in batches to avoid overcrowding. Spray chicken pieces with nonstick cooking spray. Air fry at 400F for 6-8 minutes, flip, spray with more oil, and fry for 6-8 more minutes until golden brown and crispy.Â
- While chicken is air frying, prepare the sauce. In a medium saucepan, combine orange juice, tamari, maple syrup, rice vinegar, orange zest, garlic, and ginger. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Whisk together cornstarch and water then pour slurry into sauce, stirring until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and stir in sesame oil.
- When all the chicken is done, toss chicken and sauce together in a large bowl until completely coated.Â
- Serve orange chicken over rice. Garnish with green onion and sesame seeds and enjoy!
