Orange Chicken

For the Orange Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of orange juice
• 1/4 cup of soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons of light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon of grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon of grated garlic
• 2 teaspoons of cornstartch
• 1 tablespoon of water
• 1 teaspoon of sesame oil (optional)

For the Mandarin Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup of all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup of cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon of kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• Garnish with sesame seeds and green onion, sliced.

Directions for the Orange Sauce

1. In a large microwaver-safe bowl, combine orange juice, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, ginger and garlic.  Microwave for 2 minutes, or until the sugar has dissolved and the sauce is hot.
2. In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and water.  Add the slurry to the orange sauce and stir to combine.  Microwave again in 1 minute intervals, stirring between each interval, until the sauce has thickened into a glaze (about 3 to 4 minutes total).
3. If using sesame oil, start by adding 1/2 teaspoon and stir it in.  Do a taste test.  If desired, add another 1/2 teaspoon.  You want to make sure is doesn't overpower the more subtle orange flavor.
4. Set the sauce aside to cool completely while you prepare the chicken.  Note: it's very important that the sauce is completely cooled before saucing the crispy chicken.  If the sauce is hot, the steam will make the chicken soggy.

Directions for the Mandarin Chicken

1. In a shallow bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, salt, garlic powder and cayanne pepper.
2. Bread the chicken: toss the pieces in the flour mixture until evenly coated.  Dip flour-coated chicken into the beaten eggs.  Roll egg-coated chicken pieces back in the flour mixture.  Make sure they're breaded well on all sides.  Shake off any excess coating.
3. Arrange the chicken in a single layer inside the air fryer basket, leaving a bit of space between each piece.  Lightly spray the chicken with olive oil.  To prevent overcrowding the basket, you may need to cook the chicken in batches.
4. Cook the chicken at 400°F for 6 minutes.  Then flip the pieces over.  Cook for an additional 5 to 6 minutes, or until chicken is golden and crisp, and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
5. Add the crisp cooked chicken to the bowl of cooled orange sauce and toss to combine.  Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onion.  Serve and enjoy immediately.

Notes:

• Parchment paper liners: I highly recommend these for air frying. They protect the nonstick surface of your air fryer basket, and makes clean-up easier.  Use according to e package directions.
• How to add a bit of heat to the orange chicken: add some red pepper flakes or a bit of ground cayenne pepper to the flour/cornstarch mixture.