Description
Air Fryer Sticky Ginger Chicken features tender, juicy chicken pieces coated in a luscious sweet and savory ginger glaze that is both slightly spicy and deeply flavorful. The air fryer crisps the edges perfectly while the sticky sauce caramelizes beautifully, making this Asian-inspired dish a quick, delicious dinner option.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1½ lbs (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Sticky Ginger Sauce
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp sriracha, optional
Garnish
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces and pat them dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture for crispiness.
- Coat the chicken: Toss the chicken pieces with olive oil, cornstarch, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated.
- Preheat air fryer: Set your air fryer to 400°F (200°C) and allow it to preheat.
- Cook the chicken: Arrange the coated chicken in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through to ensure even cooking and browning.
- Make the sticky ginger sauce: While the chicken cooks, whisk together soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, grated ginger, minced garlic, and optional sriracha in a bowl until smooth.
- Toss chicken with sauce: Transfer the cooked chicken to a mixing bowl and toss with the prepared sticky ginger sauce until all pieces are well coated.
- Caramelize the glaze: Return the sauced chicken to the air fryer basket and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, allowing the glaze to become sticky and caramelized.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle sliced green onions and sesame seeds over the chicken. Serve immediately with rice or noodles for a complete meal.
Notes
- Avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket to ensure the chicken crisps up nicely instead of steaming.
- Chicken breasts can be used instead of thighs; just be careful not to overcook as they tend to dry out faster.
- Adjust the amount of sriracha in the sauce to match your preferred spice level or omit it if you want mild heat.
- For extra sauce, double the glaze ingredients and reserve half to serve on the side or as a dipping sauce.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Main Course
- Method: Air Frying
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
