Orange Chicken Parm
This is a bold, crispy twist on two takeout favorites—Chinese orange chicken and classic chicken parmesan. Juicy, air-fried chicken bites are tossed in a sweet-spicy tomato-orange glaze spiked with sriracha, honey, and rice vinegar, then topped with melty mozzarella and broiled to bubbly perfection.
Orange Chicken Parm
by Josh Scherer
Servings: 3–4
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
For the Chicken:
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 cup flour
- 2 beaten eggs
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- Cooking spray
For the Sauce:
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 1/2 cups tomato juice
- 2 tsp sriracha
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup low-fat mozzarella cheese
- 10 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- Fresh basil
Instructions:
- Season and Dredge the Chicken: Cut chicken into 1-inch cubes and place in a large bowl. Add soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and white pepper. Dredge each cube in flour, then beaten eggs, then panko breadcrumbs.
- Airfry: Air fry the breaded chicken at 400°F for 10 minutes, or until golden brown and fully cooked.
- Make the Sauce: While chicken cooks, heat broiler on high. In an oven-safe sauté pan over medium heat, add vegetable oil. Sauté garlic, ginger, dried basil, and fennel seeds until fragrant (about 2 minutes). Increase heat and add tomato juice, sriracha, honey, vinegar, and cornstarch slurry. Simmer for 5–7 minutes to reduce.
- Sauce the Chicken: Toss cooked chicken into the sauce to coat. Let cook for 30 seconds.
- Broil: Ensure chicken is in an even layer in the pan. Top with mozzarella and cherry tomatoes. Broil for about 2 minutes, until cheese melts. Garnish with fresh basil before serving.
