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–+ servings
Baked Orange Chicken Poppers on a baking sheet

Baked Orange Chicken Poppers (Oven or Air Fryer)

A family-friendly recipe for Baked Orange Chicken Poppers stars juicy DIY chicken nuggets baked to crispy perfection in the oven or air fryer and tossed in the ultimate sweet, tangy, citrusy glaze.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients  

For the chicken poppers:

  • Cooking spray
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 1/2 cups Panko breadcrumbs

For the sauce:

  • 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1/3 cup orange marmalade
  • 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup Florida's Natural orange juice
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Instructions 

Make the chicken:

  • Trim any fat from the chicken thighs and cut them into 1-inch pieces.
  • Add the flour and salt to a sealable plastic bag.Add the chicken to the bag, press out any air then seal the bag shut. Shake the bag until the chicken pieces are coated on all sides.
  • In a shallow dish, whisk together the eggs. Add the breadcrumbs to a second shallow dish.
  • Remove each piece of chicken from the bag and shake off any excess flour. Dip the chicken in the eggs, shake off any excess, then dip it in the breadcrumbs, pressing to coat the chicken on all sides. Repeat the coating process with all of the chicken pieces.

To cook the chicken in the oven:

  • Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and grease it generously with cooking spray, then arrange the chicken nuggets in a single layer.
  • Coat the chicken with cooking spray then bake them for 10 minutes. Flip the chicken nuggets once, then continue baking until cooked through and crispy, an additional 7 to 10 minutes.

To cook the chicken in an air fryer:

  • Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Arrange a portion of the chicken nuggets in a single layer in the air fryer basket, then coat them with cooking spray.
  • Cook the chicken for 15 minutes, flipping them once halfway through, until they are cooked through. Repeat the cooking process with the remaining chicken nuggets.

Make the sauce:

  • Add the olive oil and sesame oil to a small saucepan set over medium-low heat.
  • Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown and fragrant, about 2 minutes.
  • Whisk in the orange marmalade, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and orange juice.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water.
  • Increase the heat to medium-high and whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Bring the mixture to a boil until it thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Transfer it to a serving bowl.
  • Serve the chicken with the sauce for dipping or toss the chicken in the sauce to coat.