Last updated on April 15th, 2020
Last night, for the fun of experiment, I cooked some Asian-Glazed Chicken Thighs in the air fryer. The result? Crispy, juicy, sweet-and-spicy chicken thighs! Looking for an inexpensive weeknight meal that looks and tastes like a million bucks? Need to put a complete meal on the table in less than 15 minutes? Watch the short but detailed video up top, and then scroll down for the one-click printable recipe.
As mentioned in the video, my air fryer — a NinjaAF101 — was a birthday gift from my friend David. David was correct in thinking that I might like to develop some recipes for the gadget. You know, beyond French fries.
My (happily received) Ninja has very few bells and whistles. As a result, it’s easy to use. The 4-quart fry chamber is just roomy enough for 1-4 servings. If you eat like Mr. Fox and I do, the same chamber is only large enough for 2 servings. (Fox and I can devour a 4 pound pot roast in just one sitting.)
Do you own an air fryer? If so, kindly let me know what you like to cook in it. And be sure to try my Air Fryer Asian-Glazed Chicken Thighs. They really are delicious.
Of course, you might like to prepare some Asian-inspired chicken that doesn’t require a special gadget. In that case, I can highly recommend this Asian Chicken and Veggies Sheet Pan Dinner. It’s another winner-dinner!
xKevin
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Air Fryer Asian-Glazed Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs skinless, boneless
- 3/4 cup teriyaki sauce Kikkoman sells a gluten-free version
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced or, use 2 teaspoons garlic puree (paste)
- 1 tablespoon Sambal Olek or to taste
- 1 heaping tablespoon cornstarch
- Garnish for the chicken: sesame seeds and finely-chopped green onion
- For serving: brown rice
Instructions
- Put the chicken thighs in a pie plate. In a microwave-safe bowl (or a quart-size glass measure), whisk together the teriyaki sauce, garlic, Sambal Olek, and the cornstarch. Pour half of the teriyaki mixture over the thighs, and then flip them to coat the other side. Let marinate while the air-fryer preheats for 3 minutes at 400°F.
- Arrange the thighs in a single layer in the air fryer chamber. (Discard the marinade that remains in the pie plate.) Cook the thighs for 7 minutes, then flip and continue to cook until the thighs achieve 165°F when tested with an instant read thermometer -- 5 to 7 minutes.
- While the thighs are cooking, cover the remaining teriyaki glaze with plastic wrap, and microwave on "high" until boiling -- 60-90 seconds. Remove the cover and whisk briskly to smooth out any clumped bits of cornstarch. Cover again, and heat for 30 seconds. The glaze will be very thick.
- Spoon the glaze over the chicken thighs, and garnish with the sesame seeds and green onion. Serve hot on a bed of brown rice.
Nutrition
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Becca says
My husband loves his air fryer, and mostly uses it for microwaveable frozen treats. However, he recently discovered the holy grail: perfect, crispy, mess-free bacon in ten minutes flat!
Pam in Virginia says
Hi, Kevin!
I had never seen anyone cook with an air fryer, and enjoyed your video so much. That recipe looks so delicious, too. Gee, maybe someone will give me one . . .
Pam
Pam in Virginia says
@ Becca:
I have to cook bacon quite often and just hate it. Thanks for mentioning bacon and air fryers. Another reason to wish for one!
Pam
Carla from Kansas says
Looks delicious Kevin. Maybe i need one of those air fryers. More recipes gets a thumbs up from me.
GrammaTer says
This looks delicious! I’m going to have to get my air fryer out and try this. Mine was also a gift and I haven’t really used it much. Now you’ve inspired me to do a little experimenting. Thank you!
Linda says
I thought about purchasing one of these air fryers and your video demonstrates how simple it is to make chicken. Your food looks so yummy. You and Mr. Fox have a very enjoyable and peaceful Christmas.
Lynette - Hawaii says
We LOVE LOVE LOVE our Air Fryer! We eat out less. From perfect steak dinners to perfect reheated oh so crispy McDonald leftover fries, we enjoy cooking with the air fryer. Leaving it out on the counter instead of putting it away after every use is the key for us using it regularly. When it was “Out-of-sight Out-of-Mind” we never used it.
Anne-Marie Deryaw says
I was curious about these air fryers .. having seen them on informercials. Now that I’ve seen you prepare a delicious meal, and hearing about those sweet potatoes, I would like to get one! thank you for this!!!
Kris says
My husband came home with a Christmas present for me. You guessed it – An air fryer. I looked at him like he just got off a space ship from Mars! It kind of terrified me. Now I see your post on air fried chicken and sweet potatoes. We have plenty of sweet potatoes from the garden. I’m going to give this a shot! Thanks for a “timely” post!!
Nancy says
Hello Kevin, I’m watching your video on Christmas Eve. Merry Christmas to you, Mr. Fox and all your furry babies!! I thoroughly enjoyed your video of the air fryer chicken thighs. The fat on the chicken made me cringe but then I don’t like fat of any kind. You mentioned that you made sweet potato fries in your air fryer. That is something I’d love to see. Thank-you for your very interesting and informative videos.
Lorraine Simoneau says
Hi Kevin,
Thanks to you, I bought myself an Airfryer. I am often influenced by your postings. Mind you, I am VERY easily influenceable when it comes to kitchen appliances and gadgets. Although living in France, I ordered mine from Amazon UK. This being said I tried your wonderful Asian Chicken recipe. Yummy! So very easy too. I served it with red rice. Another great recipe. Congrats! When can we expect your next Airfryer marvel? Thanks for trying new things for us.