This delicious air fryer teriyaki chicken thighs is ready in 15 minutes and perfect for a busy weeknight meal.
An interesting blend of sweet and salty umami flavors that will take your taste buds on a wild savory ride like never before. It It is juicy, moist, tender and delicious this teriyaki chicken will leave you wanting more.
Do you have those dishes that you sometimes wake up in the morning and crave ferociously? Well, that happens to me with this dish all the time!
The tender chicken thighs are marinated in teriyaki sauce and then air fried until beautifully cooked and caramelized. These are so sticky and mouthwatering that you won't be able to resist having more.
I like to serve these with boiled rice, egg noodles, or even on their own as a healthy snack. This dish is super versatile and quick, which is why I love it so much!
And the best part is, you don’t have to be a cooking pro to nail this dish every time, you just need your trusty air fryer!
What is Teriyaki Sauce
Oh man, If you’ve never had teriyaki sauce you are in for a treat!
Traditionally, teriyaki is actually a classical Japanese cooking technique that involves grilling meat or vegetables with a glaze of sweet sauce. This sauce originally contained mirin or sake, soy sauce, and sugar or honey.
In Western cultures, anything made with teriyaki sauce is referred to as teriyaki. The sauce is a simple mix of garlic, ginger, honey, soy sauce, mirin, and brown sugar that is brought to a boil before being thickened with a corn flour slurry.
This results in a sauce that is thick, dark, and glossy. The flavor is a wonderful mix of sweet and salty that goes well with so many proteins and vegetables.
Why You Need To Make This Recipe
Quick and easy: You may need to marinate the chicken ahead of time but the actual cooking process takes 15 minutes. It's ideal to whip up on a busy weeknight.
Very few ingredients: This recipe is simple and uncomplicated. All you need is the chicken thighs and your sauce (storebought or homemade), and a few tasty toppings.
Hardly any cleanup: This air fryer teriyaki chicken recipe is technically a one-pot meal that requires very little prep so the number of dishes you will be left with at the end will be limited. So you are free to sit back and relax after a good meal.
Convinced? I thought so! Now we can get into the ingredients and to amke this delicious dish!
What You Will Need
To make this Asian boneless chicken thighs recipe in your trusty air fryer, you will need this handful of ingredients.
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs
- Teriyaki sauce: I am using storebought teriyaki sauce for today's recipe, here is an easy homemade teriyaki sauce recipe if you fancy making yours. It only takes about 5 minutes to come together.
- Garlic paste
- Olive oil
- Salt and white pepper
- Sesame seeds
- Green onions
How to Make Air Fryer Teriyaki Chicken Thighs
Marinade chicken thighs: remove any unwanted fat from the chicken thighs and transfer it to a bowl or a Ziploc bag.
Season with a pinch of salt and white pepper, then add half of the teriyaki sauce, garlic paste and olive oil to the chicken. Mix all to combine, making sure the chicken is well coated, and marinate for at least 15 minutes.
Preheat air fryer to 365F /180C for 5 minutes
Brush oil in the air fryer basket and carefully add the chicken thighs in the air fryer basket in a single layer spacing them out so they don't overlap.
Cook for 7 minutes, brush the chicken with the reserved teriyaki sauce, flip and brush then continue to cook for 7-9 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165F/ 74C
Remove the teriyaki chicken from the air fryer to a plate with some freshly boiled rice, sprinkle some sesame seeds and chopped green onions over the chicken. Enjoy!
What to Serve With Teriyaki Chicken Thighs
As I said before, these air fryer teriyaki chicken thighs work really well as a part of a complete meal with rice and noodles or as a healthy snack.
I also like whipping up a batch of these when I have friends over because they are such tasty finger food. cut them into bite sizes and skewer them on a stick, so good!
How to Store and reheat
Storage: Allow the chicken thighs to come to room temperature before placing them in an airtight container and placing in the fridge for a maximum of 3 days.
Freezing: These chicken thighs freeze really well so I love making extra to save for later.
Place the chicken thighs in a freezer-safe container marked with the name of the dish and the date it was frozen. You can save them like this for up to 6 months.
Reheating: This couldn’t be more simple! Place your thighs back in your preheated air fryer for a few minutes until they are fully warmed through. Alternatively, you can also pop them in the microwave for 2 minutes.
FAQs
Can I make this recipe in my Ninja Foodi
Yes! You can totally use your Ninja Foodi to make this dish. There are many Ninja Foodi models to choose from but all of them have an air fryer option that would be ideal for this dish.
Will chicken breast work for this recipe
You can use chicken breast for this recipe, but it will change the cooking time. This is because there is no bone present and it cooks faster than thighs, especially if it's diced or a cutlet.
Air-fried chicken breasts take approximately 18-25 minutes depending on the thickness, flipping halfway through to ensure it cooks evenly. I find this makes the chicken very tender.
How to make homemade teriyaki sauce
I love making homemade teriyaki sauce! It's delicious and super easy to make.
I have linked a recipe above in the ingredients section for exactly how to make this sauce for yourself. But basically, it involves combining garlic, ginger, honey, soy sauce, mirin, and brown sugar (or honey) in a pan. Bring it to a boil for about 5 minutes then thicken it with corn starch slurry. Let it cool and use it as desired.
How long to air fry boneless chicken thighs
How long to air fry boneless chicken thighs will depend at the temperature it is cooked. It will take between 10-15 minutes at 400F / 2000C to cook to a safe consumption or 16-18 minutes if cooked at 365F /180C
More chicken recipes to try next
Air Fryer Teriyaki Chicken Thighs
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 5 boneless skinless chicken thighs about 1.3lb (600g)
- ⅓ cup teriyaki sauce
- ½ Tablespoon garlic paste
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and white pepper to taste
- Sesame seeds to serve
- Green onions to serve
Instructions
- Remove any unwanted fat from the chicken thighs and transfer it to a bowl or a Ziploc bag. Season with a pinch of salt and white pepper, then add half of the teriyaki sauce, garlic paste, and olive oil to the chicken. Mix all to combine, making sure the chicken is well coated, and marinate for at least 15 minutes for maximum flavor.
- Preheat air fryer to 365F /180C for 5 minutes.
- Brush oil in the air fryer basket and carefully add the chicken thighs to the air fryer basket in a single layer spacing them out so they don't overlap.
- Cook for 7 minutes, brush the chicken with the reserved teriyaki sauce, flip and brush then continue to cook for 7-9 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165F/ 74C
- Remove the teriyaki chicken from the air fryer to a plate with some freshly boiled rice, sprinkle some sesame seeds and chopped green onions over the chicken. Enjoy!
Nutrition
And there you have it, a simple and delicious air fryer chicken recipe you can make at home in 15 minutes. As always, if you made this recipe, I would love to hear from you! Kindly rate the recipe 5 star and leave me feedback in the comment section below. Tag me @cheapchickenrecipes on Instagram and save it away to your Pinterest or make it on Tiktok. Please subscribe to the blog if you haven’t for free new recipes in your inbox every week.
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