<p>This study explores the optimization and kinetic modeling of microwave-assisted hydrodistillation for essential oil extraction from <i>Citrus hystrix</i> leaves. There are three primary parameters of the microwave-assisted hydrodistillation method that were evaluated for their impact: power of microwave, feed to solvent (F/S) ratio, and time of extraction. The optimization extraction was analyzed by response surface methodology (RSM) using Box-Behnken design (BBD) and face-centered central composite design (FCCCD) models, and the quadratic model was the best fit to represent the experimental data. The optimum condition predicted using BBD was at 630 W, a F/S ratio of 0.35, and 135.788 min with a yield prediction of 1.367%. Whereas, the analysis using FCCCD was at 630 W, a F/S ratio of 0.35, and 150 min with a yield prediction of 1.426%. Kinetics modeling was carried out to determine the constant rate of extraction and maximum capacity of extraction, and the best suitable model was the first-order model. The values of <i>R</i>² and RSME were 0.9745 and 0.0556, respectively. FTIR analysis indicates that the essential oil extract has similarity (93.69%) with the citronellal compounds. GC–MS analysis was carried out to identify citronellal and citronellol compounds, whose contents were 70.39% and 14.33%, respectively. SEM analysis indicated the morphological structure of leaves damaged after extraction using microwave-assisted hydrodistillation. This damaged structure of leaves shows that the process of extraction destroys the cell wall structure of <i>Citrus hystrix</i> leaves. This study contributes valuable insight for improving and scaling up microwave-assisted hydrodistillation of essential oils from <i>Citrus hystrix</i> leaves.</p>