Air Fryer Orange Chicken – Super Crispy! (VIDEO)
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This Air Fryer Orange Chicken recipe is for those who love the taste of Orange Chicken but don’t want to go through the hassle of frying in oil! I tested this recipe multiple times so anyone can still get the super crispy, juicy chicken from the air fryer, coated in the signature orange sauce!
Watch the Air Fryer Orange Chicken Recipe Video!
A Note from CJ
This is the BEST Air Fryer Orange Chicken!
What’s my secret to the crispiest Air Fryer Orange Chicken? I use potato starch to coat the chicken, spray with avocado oil spray, and then recreate the “double fry” method by cooking it TWICE in the air fryer (first at a lower temperature and then at a higher temperature) for maximum crispiness!
Looking for more delicious air fryer recipes? Try Air Fryer Tofu, Air Fryer Chicken Wings, Air Fryer General Tso’s Chicken, Air Fryer Chicken Tenders, Air Fryer Chicken Skewers, Air Fryer Chicken Katsu, Air Fryer Chicken Thighs, Air Fryer Pork Belly, or Air Fryer Crispy Pork Belly!
Ingredient Tips
Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements!
- boneless, skinless chicken thigh – cut boneless, skinless chicken thigh 2″ pieces – I prefer thighs because there is less risk of the meat drying out. You can use chicken breast if you prefer.
- egg whites – this is a binder for the chicken and potato starch.
- potato starch – Potato starch is my secret ingredient to getting the same crispy Orange Chicken batter in the air fryer WITHOUT having to deep fry! Potato starch has larger granule sizes than other starches (such as cornstarch), which helps it get a crunchier texture.
- orange juice + orange zest – I use fresh squeezed orange juice for the best flavor (I find store bought versions too sweet.)
- neutral oil spray – I use avocado oil cooking spray. A oil spray is a key ingredient, as you need to lightly coat the air fryer basket and chicken pieces.
How to Make Orange Chicken in the Air Fryer
Marinate the Chicken and Make the Sauce – Marinate the chicken thigh pieces with salt, white pepper, soy sauce, shaoxing wine, grated garlic and ginger, sesame oil, and egg white, mixing until everything is evenly coated. Let the chicken rest for at least 15 minutes. In a separate bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, orange juice, orange zest, chicken stock, brown sugar, and cornstarch until smooth, dissolving all the sugar and cornstarch, then set the sauce aside.
Air Fry The Chicken and Cook With Orange Sauce – Lightly coat the marinated chicken in potato starch and shake off the excess. Spray the air-fryer tray, arrange the chicken in a single layer, spray the top of the chicken, and air fry at 350°F for 10 minutes. Flip, spray again, and air fry at 400°F for 8 minutes until crispy and cooked through. In a hot wok, sauté garlic and ginger briefly, then pour in the premixed orange sauce and cook until thickened. Add the vinegar, toss in the crispy chicken, and finish with a splash of sesame oil. Serve hot with rice and enjoy!
CJ’s Tips
CJ’s Recipe, Storage, & Reheating Tips
Be generous with the oil spray, as it’s the only source of fat in this recipe. Don’t skip spraying the air fryer tray or sheet BEFORE cooking the chicken – this will help prevent the chicken pieces from sticking. Generously and thoroughly spray the chicken pieces to allow the potato starch coating to cook nicely (otherwise the chicken will look and taste dry). Don’t forget to give the chicken a good second spray again when air-frying for the second time!
Store Air Fryer Orange Chicken in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. I like reheat it in the air fryer at 350°F for 6-8 minutes or until warmed through and crispy. You can also reheat in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes until warmed through. If you don’t care about restoring any crispiness, you can reheat in the microwave until warmed through.
If you tried this Air Fryer Orange Chicken or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Air Fryer Orange Chicken (VIDEO)
Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 lb chicken thigh, boneless & skinless, cut into 2" pieces
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp shaoxing wine
- 3 cloves garlic , grated
- 1 inch ginger, grated
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 egg white
Sauce
- 1/4 cup light soy sauce
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 tbsp orange zest
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
Chicken Dredge
- 1.5 cup potato starch
- neutral oil spray, I recommend avocado oil
Oils & Aromatics
- 2 tbsp neutral oil, I recommend avocado oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp ginger, minced
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil, optional
Instructions
- Add the chicken thigh pieces in a bowl with salt, white pepper, soy sauce, shaoxing wine, grated garlic & ginger, sesame oil and egg white. Mix well until the seasonings and egg white are evenly distributed and marinate for at least 15 minutes.
- In a small bowl, make the sauce by combining soy sauce, orange juice, orange zest, chicken stock, brown sugar, and cornstarch. Mix until the cornstarch and sugar is dissolved and set aside.
- Line a small baking sheet or plate with potato starch. Lightly coat the chicken pieces in potato starch, shaking off any excess. Spray the air fryer tray with cooking spray then lay the chicken down on a single layer. Spray the top of the chicken and air fry at 350F for 10 minutes. Flip the pieces and spray the other side, then air fry again at 400F for 8 minutes or until the chicken is crispy and reads 165F.
- In a large pan or wok over high heat, add 2 tbsp of neutral oil and saute the garlic and ginger for 15 seconds. Immediately add your sauce and stir until thickened, about 1-2 minutes. Then add the vinegar and mix through.
- Add back your chicken and toss to combine. Once the chicken is coated, finish with a teaspoon of sesame oil. Serve with rice and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This Air Fryer Orange Chicken recipe was originally published in February 2022, and updated in January 2026.
Making this recipe again! My kids love it!
Yay! Thank you so much, Arianne – I’m glad everyone loved it!
I found the air drying time for the chicken to not be enough for the air fryer I was using. Took about 45 mins to cook the chicken. Other than that the recipe and sauce was tasty. I would try again with a higher heat in the air fryer.
Hey CJ–if I can’t find potato starch, can I just use cornstarch like in your other orange chicken recipe?
Yes you can!
Is there a reason to Air Fry the chicken at 350F for 10 minutes, then again at 400F for another 8-10 minutes until golden and crisp versus just Air Fry the chicken at 400F for 10 minutes, flip then again 400F for 10 minutes? That is what many other recipes do, 400F for 10 minutes, flip then again 400F for 10 minutes. I found chicken didn’t get golden and crisp until I did it 2nd time at 400F for 15-20 total minutes, vs 10 minutes, and I followed reciept exactly (potato starch, flipping, spray each side, didn’t overcrowd basket.)
Hi Mary! The cooking times really do depend on the power of your air fryer. I was using the Philips XXL air fryer and the time was great for me, but I realize the time may vary based on your air fryer. I’m glad it turned out ok with the extra time!
If my boyfriend and I hadn’t actually watched me make this recipe, there is no way we would have believed I could make orange chicken this delicious! Truly better than any restaurant I’ve ever ordered from and hard to believe it was in the air fryer. You nailed this 100%!!
Thanks so much, Mary! I’m glad you both enjoyed it 🙂
My teenage son eats Panda Express once a week so I really wanted to find a healthier alternative. I made this today and it was delish!! Your measurements from the salt to the sesame oil are spot on! I loved that I could taste the orange flavor and not feel like I was eating straight-up sugar. I was a little unsure of the timing of the air fryer. Once I turned the temp up from 350 to 400 it took about 3 minutes to get there. I was afraid to overcook the chicken so I checked it at 5 minutes but it wasn’t totally brown. Ultimately it needed 8 minutes from the time it got to 400. My husband said that it tasted exactly like Panda Express and I should save myself time and just get it there, but no way! I will be making this again!
Thanks so much, Priscilla! I’m glad you enjoyed it
This was SO good!!! I’ve been wanting to make this for awhile now, and I wish I had made it sooner. This is seriously so delicious. 10/10!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Wow, this was delicious!!! Followed the recipe exactly and it turned out great! I used the zest and juice of 4 Mandarines, and the sauce had such a rich flavor. Since I love spicy food, maybe next time I’ll add in some chili flake 🙂 Thank you for sharing your recipes, and I look forward to trying your other creations!
Thanks for the kind words, Mary! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
SO delicious!! Much crispier than most of the other air fried chickens I’ve tried.
Thank you so much Maggie, so glad to hear you enjoyed it!!
Made this for dinner and it was delicious!! Learned something new using the potato starch and really enjoyed exploring the market I bought the starch from. Thank you for the helpful cooking hints, the dish came out amazing!
You’re so welcome, Jasmine! I’m really glad you’re finding the tips helpful as well!