Quick & Easy Orange Chicken

Crispy fried chicken tossed in a sweet and savory orange sauce! This quick and easy recipe is great as a main dish for busy weeknight meals for the family. It beats takeout and saves money! I share how to shallow fry or air fry the chicken. I also share how to air fry the chicken in the Notes section below.

4.92 from 36 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Course Main Course

Cuisine Chinese

Servings

Calories per serving 401 kcal

Ingredients

1 lb skinless boneless chicken thighs
¼ cup cornstarch or sub with potato starch
⅓ cup vegetable oil or any neutral tasting oil (if you're Air Frying, sub with 2 tablespoon of oil)

Orange Chicken Sauce:

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice pulp strained (about 4-5 medium sized oranges)
2 tablespoon white vinegar or rice vinegar
¼ cup + 2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tablespoon regular soy sauce
2 cloves garlic minced
¼ teaspoon ginger powder or sub with freshly grated ginger
1 tablespoon cornstarch or sub with potato starch
½ tsp red chili flakes optional if you prefer it spicy

Optional Garnish

½ green onion finely chopped
1 tbsp orange zest grated
1 tsp sesame seeds toasted

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine sauce ingredients. Mix well and set aside.
Dice chicken thighs into bite size pieces, about 1.5-inch pieces (about 6-8 pcs per thigh, depending on size). Do not pat chicken thighs dry, some moisture is needed so the starch can adhere to the chicken.
Transfer pieces of chicken into a large bowl, followed by cornstarch. Mix to coat each piece evenly with tongs.
Heat vegetable oil in a large pan on medium-high heat. Carefully lower coated chicken into the oil and quickly spread apart. Allow the chicken pieces to sear and form a golden crust, about 5-6 minutes on each side and avoid stir-frying them. Flip chicken over and cook on the other side until golden brown. (To air fry the chicken, see the Notes section below).
Remove and transfer fried chicken onto a wire rack resting on a baking sheet or a plate lined with paper towels to drain off excess oil. Pour out any excess oil from pan.
In the same pan set over medium high heat, pour sauce in. Stirring consistently until the sauce bubbles and thickens, about 2-3 minutes.
Toss in fried chicken until pieces are coated in sauce. Garnish with orange zest, sesame seeds and green onions. Serve & enjoy!

Notes

How do I air fry the chicken?

Lightly spray air fryer basket with vegetable oil or any neutral oil.

Lay coated chicken into air fryer basket in a single layer giving each piece enough space. Lightly spray oil over coated chicken. You may need to air fry in small batches if needed depending on the size of your air fryer.

Air fry at 400 F for 12-14 minutes until golden crispy brown. The amount of time depends on your air fryer.

Note: I have a Philips Air Fryer and I air fried mine at 400 degrees at 14 minutes for a crispy texture. If you’re using a different appliance, check your chicken at 12 minutes and if it needs more crispiness, air fry for another couple minutes until you reach your desired texture.

Enjoyed my recipe?Please leave a 5 star review (be kind)! Tag me on social media @christieathome as I'd love to see your creations!

Suggested Equipment & Products

Nutrition