🍊 For the Orange Sauce

1. In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine orange juice, orange zest, 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. We want to make sure it 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.

🐓 For the Mandarin Chicken

RECIPE PREP: Preheat the air fryer to 400ºF for 5 minutes.

1. In a shallow bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, salt and garlic powder.
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 400ºF 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 165ºF.
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.