Make this Air Fryer Orange Chicken the next time you're craving Chinese takeout! It's healthy, gluten free, and takes just 20 minutes. Crispy, juicy chicken is coated in a sticky orange sauce, and serve with veggies for a light weeknight meal.
This air fryer orange chicken is probably one of my favorite dinners I have on the blog! The chicken is coated in a crispy, gluten free breading, tossed in a sticky, sweet orange sauce, and cooks in just 20 minutes. After making this recipe, you'll never need to order Chinese take out again!
This recipe is made with real, clean ingredients that you probably have in your pantry right now. You'll just need orange juice, rice vinegar, coconut aminos (or soy sauce), and a sweetener for the sauce, and chicken, tapioca starch, and an egg for the chicken.
Thanks to the air fryer, there's minimal oil needed and it cooks in no time. Pair with cauliflower rice and broccoli for a lighter, healthier version of orange chicken the whole family will want seconds of.
Why You'll Love This Air Fryer Dinner
- It's quick and easy, perfect for weeknights
- Completely paleo and gluten free
- Cooks in less than 20 minutes in the air fryer
- The orange sauce is sweet and sticky
- This recipe only uses pantry staple ingredients
- It' an easy dinner the whole family will love
Air Fryer Orange Chicken Ingredients
- Chicken Breasts: A great lean protein, that cooks so quickly in the air fryer. You could also use chicken thighs
- Egg: This is the binder for the chicken breading, and I don't suggest any substitutes
- Tapioca Flour: You can use arrowroot starch in it's place, I just prefer tapioca flour
- Orange Juice: I like to use fresh squeezed orange juice, but it you're going to use bottled make sure the ingredients are 100% orange juice
- Date Syrup: This adds a nice caramelly flavor to the sauce, but you can use honey in it's place
- Rice Vinegar: The vinegar adds a necessary bite, that cuts the sweetness and boosts the flavor. White wine vinegar will also work though
- Coconut Aminos: These are a replacement for soy sauce because soy isn't gluten free. If gluten isn't a problem for you, feel free to use regular soy sauce
- Spices: I use dried spices for convenience. Garlic powder, ground ginger, and red pepper flakes give the sauce the best flavor.
How To Make Air Fryer Orange Chicken
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together orange juice, date syrup, rice vinegar, coconut aminos, spices, and 1 tablespoon of tapioca starch.
- Place the pot on the stove over medium heat and let it start to come to a boil. Once it starts boiling, cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- In the meantime, bread the chicken. In a small bowl whisk 1 egg, in a separate small bowl add the tapioca flour. Coat chicken pieces one at a time into the egg, dredge it in the tapioca flour, then place into the basket of your air fryer
- Repeat with remaining chicken, spray the pieces liberally with olive oil cooking spray and air fry at 380 degrees f for 6 minutes. After that time, use tongs to flip, spray the other side of the chicken, and cook for another 5-6 minutes.
- Remember to stir the sauce, and turn off the heat after it's thickened (10 minutes). Toss the cooked chicken in the hot sauce,
- Serve and enjoy!
What if I don't have an air fryer?
If you don't have an air fryer you could also cook it on the stove top. In a large skillet, add 1-2 tablespoons of sesame oil or olive oil over medium heat. Bread the chicken as directed above, and cook it in the hot oil until golden brown on each side. Toss the cooked chicken in the healthy orange sauce, and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
You can enjoy this healthy orange chicken recipe any way you like! It has so much flavor that the chicken is amazing by itself, but I personally like serving it with
- Cauliflower rice
- A side of broccoli
- Green beans
- Rice
- Riced broccoli (can be found in the frozen aisle)
- Riced sweet potatoes (can also be found in the frozen aisle)
Finish your meal off with a sprinkle of green onions and sesame seeds and you've got a lighter, air fryer orange chicken that rivals the taste of takeout.
Expert Tips
- Cut the chicken into equal sizes so they cook evenly
- Bread each chicken bite one at a time for best results, doing them as a big batch makes them stick together and not get as crispy
- Tap off any excess tapioca starch to keep your air fryer cleaner
- Let the sauce boil for about 10 minutes, but if you notice it getting too thick, then turn the heat off
- Add an extra tablespoon of date syrup if you want a sweeter sauce
Air Fryer Orange Chicken Frequently Asked Questions
My sauce is too thick, how do I thin it?
If your sauce is too thick, you can add 1 teaspoon of water at a time to thin it. Chances are you just let your orange sauce boil for too long, you should stop it when it can coat the back of a spoon.
How long can I keep the orange sauce?
You can make the sauce ahead of time and keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
When you're ready to use it, reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop in a small saucepan until warmed through and toss over any chicken.
Is air fryer orange chicken spicy?
It's not too spicy. I personally like a little bit of spice so I add crushed red pepper, but you can totally leave it out.
Is orange chicken really Chinese?
No, orange chicken is an American invention and is not authentically Chinese.
Is General Tso's Chicken the same as orange chicken?
The crispy style of chicken is the same in both dishes, but the sauce is very different. Orange chicken is a sweet, orange flavored sauce, while General Tso sauce doesn't contain any orange and may include hoisin sauce.
Storing and Reheating Instructions
STORING: I recommend storing the chicken and the sauce in separate containers. They'll stay good in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
REHEATING: If kept separate, you can reheat the chicken in the air fryer at 350F for 2-3 minutes and the sauce in the microwave, then combine them. If stored together, reheat in a non-stick pan with 1 teaspoon of water, over medium heat until warmed through.
Recommended
Did you make this air fryer orange chicken recipe? If so, I would appreciate you leaving a comment and star rating down below. Also, follow me on Instagram and tag me or use #incoleskitchen so I can see what you make and share it.
PrintAir Fryer Orange Chicken
Make this Air Fryer Orange Chicken the next time you're craving Chinese takeout! It's healthy, gluten free, and takes just 20 minutes. Crispy, juicy chicken is coated in a sticky orange sauce, and serve with veggies for a light weeknight meal.
- Prep Time: 8 Minutes
- Cook Time: 12 Minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1 pound Chicken Breast- cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 egg- whisked
- ½ cup + 1 tablespoon Tapioca Flour
- 1 cup Orange Juice
- ¼ cup Coconut Aminos
- 3 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar
- 3 Tablespoons Date Syrup
- ¾ Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ¾ Teaspoon Ground Ginger
- ¼ Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- Salt and Pepper as needed
Instructions
- In a small bowl whisk your egg. Measure ½ cup of tapioca flour in another small bowl and set up your breading station.
- Dip each bite-size piece of chicken one at a time into the egg, let the excess drip off, then dredge it in the tapioca flour and place into your air fryer basket. Repeat with all remaining chicken pieces.
- Once all the pieces are coated, spray them liberally with olive oil cooking spray and cook in the air fryer at 380 degrees f for 6 minutes
- While the chicken is frying, start the orange sauce. In a medium pot whisk together 1 Tablespoon of tapioca flour, orange juice, coconut aminos, rice vinegar, date syrup, garlic powder, ground ginger, and red pepper flakes.
- Place the pot on the stove and turn the heat to medium. Bring to a boil, and boil for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn the heat off once it is thick enough.
- Check you chicken, after the 6 minutes are up, use tongs to flip the pieces over, spray again with cooking spray, and continue to cook for another 5-6 minutes.
- When the chicken is done, use tongs to place all the pieces in the orange sauce, toss to ensure they're all well coated
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Cut the chicken into equal sizes so they cook evenly
- Bread each chicken bite one at a time for best results, doing them as a big batch makes them stick together and not get as crispy
- Let the sauce boil for about 10 minutes, but if you notice it getting too thick, then turn the heat off. If too thin for you, just boil longer
- Add an extra tablespoon of date syrup if you want a sweeter sauce
- Rice isn't technically considered paleo, but some people eat it. Do what you feel comfortable with
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days
Keywords: paleo orange chicken, healthy orange chicken recipe, air fryer orange chicken
Leave a Reply