Quick Air Fryer Teriyaki Chicken Recipe

There are many Japanese dishes that are quite popular in the West, and one of them is Chicken Teriyaki. Today, we will be making an oversimplified version of the dish that is quick and easy – Air Fryer Teriyaki Chicken!

Teriyaki comes from two Japanese words – “Teri” means shining, and “yaki” means grilling or broiling. Teriyaki sauce is made from mirin, sugar, and soy sauce. It is used to glaze the chicken making it look shiny and juicy.

Air fryer chicken teriyaki is the healthier version of the classic dish as its less oily and is glazed in a homemade sauce that beats the flavor of the store brought ones.

This version of the dish is super quick as it’s cooked in an air fryer. Once the chicken is fried, it’s tossed in a homemade teriyaki sauce making it saucy, sticky, and juicy.

What are the main ingredients?

To make the recipe, you will need the following ingredients to get started. The full recipe card is below.

• Chicken – For this recipe, we need boneless and skinless chicken breasts or thighs. Make sure they are diced into equal pieces so the cooking time is the same.
• Egg – The egg is required to cover the chicken for frying. It will make it more crispy.
• Breadcrumbs and cornstarch – Both make the chicken nice and crispy. For this recipe, I am using panko breadcrumbs as it gives a good crunch to the chicken.

You can find ready-made teriyaki sauce in the supermarket, but I recommend making it yourself as it’s more delicious. For the sauce, you will need the following ingredients.

• Soy sauce – Adds a salty flavor to the sauce. You can also use coconut aminos.
• Ginger – I recommend using fresh ginger for the sauce.
• Garlic – Minced garlic is needed for this recipe.
• Brown sugar – It adds a sweet flavor to the sauce.
• Rice wine vinegar – This is a common type used in many Asian dishes.
• Sesame oil – It adds a nutty flavor to the sauce which brings out all the ingredients and scent.
• Sesame seeds – You can use black, white, or a mixture of seeds. Toasted seeds work too.
• Cornstarch – It is used to thicken the sauce.

What to Serve With Air Fried Chicken Teriyaki

Teriyaki chicken is a main dish and there are so many things you can serve as side dishes.

Any type of salad is the best for this chicken dish. Try the edamame salad or my favorite purple daikon salad. Both these complement the sweet and sour flavor of the chicken. A simple coleslaw works too.

You can also keep it simple with grilled asparagus, or smoked poblano peppers. Both are a great complement to meaty dishes.

Fried potatoes also make a good side dish. You can spice things up with spice chili potatoes – an Indo-Chinese delicacy.

A common side dish that you will find in restaurants and take-out is the vegetable lo mein. You can also serve it with Hong Kong noodles, or a side of Singaporean rice.

Recipe Instructions

1. Cut the chicken into small cubes and pat it down with a paper towel.
2. Preheat the air fryer to 350F.
3. Take a small bowl and mix cornstarch with panko breadcrumbs.
4. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs. Dip the chicken in the egg and then drop them in the breadcrumb mixture. Make sure to coat all the sides generously.
5. Spray the cooking oil onto the air fryer basket and place the chicken in. Don’t overcrowd and cook in batches.
6. Cook for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Place the chicken on a plate or a cooling rack while you prepare the teriyaki sauce.
7. Take a medium-sized pan and add soy sauce, ginger, garlic, water, rice wine, honey, sesame oil, and brown sugar.
8. Bring the mixture to a boil. Make sure to simmer it at low flame for 3-5 minutes.
9. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch in water. Add this mixture to the sauce and simmer on low heat. The sauce will thicken now.
10. Remove from heat and let it cool.
11. Once cooled down, add the fried chicken to the sauce and toss it so it evenly covers all the pieces.

Notes

• You can add black pepper to the sauce if you like spicy food.
• Be careful not to overcook the chicken because it will become too dry and chewy.
• When you reach halfway, make sure to flip over the chicken.
• You can keep the leftover chicken in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. Reheat in the microwave before eating.
• Feel free to freeze the chicken for over a month and thaw it at room temperature.

Air Fryer Teriyaki Chicken Recipe

Try this air fryer Teriyaki Chicken recipe that is ready in under half an hour and is an absolute favorite with its sweet and sour teriyaki sauce.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Japanese

Servings 6

Calories 480 kcal

Ingredients

  

For Chicken

• 1 pound of chicken boneless
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

For Teriyaki sauce

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tbsp ginger
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp rice wine
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 4 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds for garnishing
• 2 tbsp sliced green onions

Instructions

 

• Cut the chicken into small cubes and pat it down with a paper towel.
• Preheat the air fryer to 350F.
• Take a small bowl and mix cornstarch with panko breadcrumbs.
• In a small bowl, whisk the eggs. Dip the chicken in the egg and then drop them in the breadcrumb mixture. Make sure to coat all the sides generously.
• Spray the cooking oil onto the air fryer basket and place the chicken in. Don’t overcrowd and cook in batches.
• Cook for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Place the chicken on a plate or a cooling rack while you prepare the teriyaki sauce.
• Take a medium-sized pan and add soy sauce, ginger, garlic, water, rice wine, honey, sesame oil, and brown sugar.
• Bring the mixture to a boil. Make sure to simmer it at low flame for 3-5 minutes.
• In a small bowl, mix cornstarch in water. Add this mixture to the sauce and simmer on low heat. The sauce will thicken now.
• Remove from heat and let it cool.
• Once cooled down, add the fried chicken to the sauce and toss it so it evenly covers all the pieces.
• Garnish with sesame seeds and green onion.

Notes

• Feel free to add black pepper or paprika to adjust the spice level. 
• Don’t overcook the chicken as it will turn chewy and hard. 
• Make sure to flip the chicken halfway in the air fryer to ensure thorough cooking. 

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Try Other Recipes

• Air Fryer Shake n Bake Chicken
• Chicken Karahi
• Chinese Chicken Fingers
• Fajitas de Carne
• Beef Broccoli Recipe

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1

FAQs

Can you put raw chicken in an air fryer?

Absolutely! You can put raw chicken in an air fryer and cook it for almost 10 minutes at 380F. Make sure to flip them during cooking.

Why is chicken not crispy in an air fryer?

If the chicken is not crispy in the air fryer, make sure to properly dry the chicken before adding oil. Also, don’t use too much oil as it will make the chicken more fattening and less crispy. Just lightly brush the oil on the chicken to get the crispiest results.