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Air fryer teriyaki chicken served over rice in a bowl, garnished with sesame seeds and green onions.
Linda

Air Fryer Teriyaki Chicken

Juicy, caramelized chicken thighs with a sticky homemade teriyaki glaze, ready in under 30 minutes with zero stovetop mess.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 28 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Asian-American, Japanese
Calories: 385
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken
  • 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into 1.5-inch pieces
  • 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
  • 0.5 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper freshly ground
For the Teriyaki Sauce
  • 0.25 cup low-sodium soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
  • 2 tbsp mirin sweet Japanese cooking wine
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar unseasoned
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger finely grated
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
For Serving
  • 3 cups cooked white rice hot
  • 2 scallions thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Equipment

  • Air Fryer
  • Small saucepan
  • Instant-Read Thermometer

Method
 

Prep
  1. Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Cut into 1.5-inch chunks and toss in a bowl with sesame oil, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
  2. In a small saucepan, whisk together soy sauce, mirin, honey, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, and cornstarch. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat.
Cook
  1. Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees F. Arrange chicken in a single layer with space between pieces (work in batches if needed). Air fry for 10 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until pieces are lightly browned and reach 165 degrees F internal temperature.
  2. Transfer hot chicken to a large bowl. Pour half the teriyaki sauce over the chicken and toss vigorously until every piece is glossy and coated. The heat from the chicken will help the sauce stick and caramelize slightly.
Serve
  1. Serve over hot rice. Drizzle with remaining sauce, then top with scallions and sesame seeds. Eat immediately while the glaze is still tacky.

Notes

Chicken thighs stay juicier than breast meat, but either works - just reduce cook time to 8 minutes if using breast. The sauce keeps in the fridge for 1 week; rewarm gently so the honey does not scorch. For extra char, brush a thin layer of sauce on the chicken during the last 2 minutes of air frying.