In the summer, I love making dinner without turning on the oven, and if I can use my air fryer, even better.

While looking for easy meals to add to my dinner rotation, I searched for some of the most popular air fryer recipes on Pinterest. I was drawn to the number one pick on The Kitchn’s list at the time of writing: orange chicken.

So, I pulled out the gluten-free version of this list-topping dish and followed a recipe from the Lite Cravings food blog.

Luckily, it turned out even better than expected and gave the classic orange chicken takeout a chance.

All the ingredients were easy to find.

The ingredient list was surprisingly short and included things like boneless chicken breast, egg, cornstarch, orange juice, ginger, oyster and soy sauce, honey, and red pepper flakes.

I already had most of these ingredients in my pantry and refrigerator, so shopping was a breeze.

The preparation was also quite simple.

After cutting my chicken into 1-inch cubes, I beat an egg in a bowl and then poured a cup of cornstarch into a zip-top plastic bag.

I dipped the chicken pieces in the egg and then, using tongs, placed them on the gluten-free layer. I let the extra egg drain from the meat before placing each piece in the bag.

Once I shook out my plastic bag full of egg-cornstarch-washed meat, I poured its contents onto a cutting board and generously coated the entire chicken with cooking spray.

While I was preparing to cook the meat, I preheated my air fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

The chicken bites took less than 30 minutes to cook in the air fryer.

After placing the chicken pieces in the appliance in as flat a layer as I could, I sprayed them again with nonstick cooking spray.

I cooked the bites for about 20 to 25 minutes, shaking the baskets halfway through. They didn’t brown completely, but they were very crispy.

Meanwhile, I easily prepared the sauce.

While the chicken was cooking, I started making my simple sauce.

I mixed freshly squeezed orange juice, oyster sauce, minced garlic, minced ginger, cornstarch, rice wine vinegar, honey, soy sauce, water, and red pepper flakes in a skillet on my stove.

After simmering and stirring constantly for about seven minutes over medium-high heat, the sauce thickened to an almost molasses-like consistency.

Once the chicken was done and crispy, I tossed it in the sauce, which easily coated all my well-fried pieces of meat.

I couldn’t get over how tasty this dish was.

The glaze was absolutely delicious: spicy, salty and sweet, with a perfect balance of orange and soy flavors. The garlic and oyster sauce in the mix gave it a fantastic and addictive umami flavor.

I had never fried anything with just cornstarch as a breading before, but I was pleasantly surprised by the result, as the exterior had a sturdy crunch.

Although it wasn’t as crispy as takeout fried alternatives, it held up well in the thick, sticky orange sauce.

Even after tossing the chicken into the sauce, the breading remained intact and did not come off. Plus, the cornstarch breading meant this recipe was gluten-free and not too heavy.

The tender chicken had a great texture inside and out. I felt it tasted surprisingly similar to the orange chicken I tried at Panda Express.

Next time, I plan to use more non-stick oil to coat the chicken pieces well in hopes of giving them a more golden appearance. I would also air fry them for a little less time, since I was so focused on getting a golden crust that I may have overcooked the meat.

Ultimately, though, I’ll be making this air fryer recipe again the next time I want an easy dinner or takeout.

This story was originally published on March 5, 2021 and was last updated on July 23, 2026.