Air fryer frozen orange chicken is a quick and easy way to enjoy a delicious and popular Asian entree. The chicken comes out crispy and juicy, and the sauce is perfectly sweet and tangy.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Air fryer frozen orange chicken is perfect for those who are looking for a quick and easy weeknight meal. It's a great option if your'e trying to eat healthier, as it's baked in the air fryer instead of deep fried.
- Air frying frozen Orange Chicken is a healthy option because it uses less oil than traditional frying methods.
- The air fryer cooks the chicken evenly, so you'll get crispy chicken on the outside and tender chicken on the inside.
- This recipe is quick and easy to prepare, so you can have a delicious and healthy meal on the table in no time.
What Is Orange Chicken?
Orange chicken is a popular Chinese dish made with battered and fried tempura chicken pieces, then mixed in a sweet and tangy orange sauce and served over rice or noodles.
Air fryer orange chicken is a quick and easy way to make this popular dish at home. You'll love the crispy outside of the tempura chicken chunks, while the insides are juicy and tender!
Jump to:
- Why You Will Love This Recipe
- What Is Orange Chicken?
- Frozen Orange Chicken Ingredients
- How to Make Air Fryer Frozen Orange Chicken
- Serving Suggestions
- Related Recipes
- Substitutions
- Variations
- Equipment
- What is the best way to store leftover orange chicken?
- Tips for Success
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Food Safety
- Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love
- Connect with Smells Like Delish!
- 📖 Recipe
Frozen Orange Chicken Ingredients
Air fried frozen orange chicken is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and it is perfect for a quick weeknight meal. Plus, air frying is much healthier than deep frying, so you can enjoy this dish without feeling guilty.
- Package of Frozen Orange Chicken - Any brand, from Trader Joe's Orange Chicken, PF Chang Orange Chicken, to the Innovasian Orange Chicken I used for this recipe.
- Rice - Before starting the air frying, either start up some fresh, hot, steamed rice using our Rice Cooker White Rice recipe, or microwave some previously prepared or frozen white rice. Calculate 1 cup per person of cooked rice.
- Side Dishes - Consider Won Ton Soup, Steamed Mantou Buns, or Air Fryer Potstickers to accompany your air fried orange chicken entree.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Air Fryer Frozen Orange Chicken
This guide for frozen orange chicken in air fryer is essential if you are new to air frying, or you have a package that only includes oven and skillet methods.
Defrost the Frozen Orange Chicken Sauce Packet
- Open package of frozen orange chicken. Remove packet of frozen orange sauce, and set in a bowl of hot water to defrost.
Put Frozen Orange Chicken In Air Fryer
- Open bag of chicken tempura pieces and spread in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
Air Fry Orange Chicken
- Slide air fryer basket into air fryer and set temperature to 375 ℉, and time to 10 minutes.
- Check chicken tempura at 10 minutes and return to air fryer for 2 minutes if it needs to cook a little more.
Mix Orange Sauce With Air Fried Chicken Tempura
- When done, transfer hot chicken tempura pieces to a large bowl.
- Open orange sauce packet into a microwave safe bowl, and heat up in the microwave to 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the hot orange sauce to the bowl of hot chicken tempura and toss to mix. Serve immediately with hot rice.
Serving Suggestions
Air fryer frozen orange chicken can be served with a variety of sides, including Steamed White Rice, noodles, or vegetables. A few delicious options are our Asian Edamame Salad, Air Fryer Frozen Green Beans, and our Rice Cooker Coconut Rice.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Related Recipes
Substitutions
You can substitute unbreaded chicken breast chunks for the tempura chicken for a lighter version of Orange Chicken. Just air fry cut up seasoned chicken breast or chunked chicken thighs until done.
Toss with sauce from a store bought bottle of Orange sauce found on the Asian foods aisle.
Variations
Here are a few scrumptious variations using our this air fryer frozen orange chicken recipe:
- Serve with rice or noodles.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro or green onions.
- Serve with a side of vegetables.
Equipment
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. Below are some of my favorite pieces of equipment that I use when making frozen orange chicken.
- Nuwave Brio Air Fryer - Rotisserie - Grill - This 15 quart countertop Smart Oven has three slide in trays, that all can be used at the same time. You can air fry rotisserie chickens, an SO mush more!
- Nuwave Air Fryer 15 quart - This large family size basket air fryer has room to air fry enough for a large family!
- Gourmia Digital Air Fryer 6 quart - This basket style air fryer will handle four frozen waffles in the air fryer.
- Ninja Foodie Pro Air Fryer - Folds up out of the way on your counter.
- Nuwave Air Fryer 3 quart - This compact basket air fryer is perfect for singles or a small family of 2 or 3. You can air fry two frozen waffles in 4 minutes.
- Oil Sprayer - This is a perfect sprayer for spritzing a light coating of oil on vegetables, meats, and other prepared frozen foods before air frying. The tiny amount of oil ensures you get as amazing results as deep frying and roasting, with a fraction of the calories and splatter!
What is the best way to store leftover orange chicken?
Leftover orange chicken can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It can also be frozen for up to 2 months. To store in the refrigerator, simply place the chicken in an airtight container. To store in the freezer, place the chicken in a freezer-safe bag or container.
Tips for Success
- If you don't have an air fryer, you can cook the chicken in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes.
- If you want a crispier chicken, you can cook it for a few minutes longer in the air fryer.
- Don't microwave the orange sauce while still in the packet unless you first snip a corner to allow steam to escape!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can air fry frozen Innovasian Orange Chicken, or any brand of frozen premade Orange Chicken. However, you will need to heat the sauce using the microwave.
Yes, you can air fry frozen orange chicken without thawing it first.
You can use any type of air fryer to make frozen orange chicken.
Air frying frozen Orange Chicken is a healthier option than oven-fried frozen Orange Chicken because it uses less oil. Air frying also cooks the chicken more quickly, which prevents it from becoming dry.
You will air fry frozen orange chicken at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Yes, you can cook orange chicken in the oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake the tempura chicken chunks for 20-25 minutes, or until cooked through and crispy.
Food Safety
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat.
- Wash hands after touching raw meat.
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
- Never leave cooking food unattended.
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds.
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love
Connect with Smells Like Delish!
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Orange Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 18 oz Frozen Orange Chicken Innovasian, Trader Joe, PF Chang, or any brand.
- Orange Sauce packet comes with box
- 3 cups Rice cooked and hot
Instructions
- Open package of frozen orange chicken. Remove packet of frozen orange sauce, and set in a bowl of hot water to defrost.Orange Sauce
- Open bag of chicken tempura pieces and spread in a single layer in the air fryer basket.18 oz Frozen Orange Chicken
- Slide air fryer basket into air fryer and set temperature to 375 ℉, and time to 10 minutes.
- Check chicken tempura at 10 minutes and return to air fryer for 2 minutes if it needs to cook a little more. When done, transfer hot chicken tempura pieces to a large bowl.
- Open orange sauce packet into a microwave safe bowl, and heat up in the microwave to 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the hot orange sauce to the bowl of hot chicken tempura and toss to mix. Serve immediately with hot rice.3 cups Rice
Notes
- If you don't have an air fryer, you can cook the chicken in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes.
- If you want a crispier chicken, you can cook it for a few minutes longer in the air fryer.
- Don't microwave the orange sauce while still in the packet unless you first snip a corner to allow steam to escape!
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