Air Fryer Chicken Thighs with Honey Soy Marinade

Air Fryer Chicken Thighs are sweet and crispy in all the right places for a convenient weeknight dinner.

I’m constantly looking for ways to get an easy dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes. It was one of the things that drew me to an air fryer.

These Air Fryer Chicken Thighs with Honey Soy Marinade do just that.

This recipe is made with boneless skinless chicken thighs so the marinade can really get into the meat. No breading is needed, making them much healthier than a fried version.

I marinate the chicken thighs either the previous night or first thing in the morning, so they are ready to go when we get home.

I love making my own Asian honey soy marinade because it only takes 2 minutes. It ends up being much cheaper than buying store-bought and it tastes fresher without all the added preservatives.

In this post I will show you:

• How to make chicken thighs in the air fryer
• How to make frozen chicken thighs in the air fryer
• How to still make this recipe flavorful without marinating the chicken
• What happens when you stack raw chicken in the air fryer

I made this boneless skinless chicken thighs air fryer recipe in my Cosori Air Fryer. The square basket allowed me to make the perfect amount of chicken thighs for my family of 4.

How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Thighs with Honey Soy Marinade

STEP ONE: Put together the honey soy marinade in a big bowl. Simply place the honey, soy sauce, oil, garlic powder, and ground ginger into a bowl and mix.

If you are using a low-sodium soy sauce, I recommend adding a small extra pinch of salt into the marinade. If you are using regular soy sauce, no extra salt is needed.

STEP TWO: Place half of the marinade in a small bowl and set it aside. You will use this half as a sauce at the end.

Set the chicken thighs on a cutting board and trim off any extra fat.

STEP THREE: Add the chicken to the remaining honey soy marinade and coat both sides. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes or up to overnight.

How to Cook the Air Fryer Honey Soy Chicken Thighs

STEP FOUR: Once the chicken thighs are marinated, preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees.

STEP FIVE: Add honey soy chicken thighs to the air fryer in a single layer. I like to dunk each chicken thigh back in the marinade on both sides to make sure it’s covered well before placing it in the air fryer.

STEP SIX: Cook for 10-15 minutes, until the internal temperature, reaches 165 degrees.

STEP SEVEN: Remove the chicken thighs from the air fryer and baste additional honey soy sauce on top. You can also pour any other desired sauce on top of the air fryer honey chicken.

If you love chicken thighs, you can try out our other chicken thigh recipes too!

• Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Thighs
• Air Fryer Marinated Chicken Thighs
• Buffalo Chicken Thighs
• Air Fryer Bone in Chicken Thighs

Can You Stack the Chicken Thighs in the Air Fryer?

I recommend cooking these air fryer chicken thighs with honey soy sauce in one single layer. Stacking raw chicken can cause it to cook unevenly.

You can, however, stack frozen chicken, like chicken tenders, in an air fryer since they’re already technically cooked.

How Long Should You Marinate the Chicken Thighs For?

I recommend marinating the chicken for at least 30 minutes.

You can also place them in the fridge overnight and cook them the following night if needed for easier preparation.

I Forgot to Marinate the Chicken Thighs! Can I Still Make This?

I’m a busy mom of two little ones, so I get it. While testing this recipe, I made versions without it being marinated because I know it will happen to me once or twice in the future too.

Just simply toss the chicken thighs in half the marinade and let it sit for 5 minutes while the air fryer preheats then cook as normal.

While the marinade won’t seep into the chicken thighs as much, the additional honey soy marinade added at the end will help bring the flavor out.

I Need to Make More Chicken, Should I Double the Marinade?

I have made this recipe with both 1.5lbs and 3lbs of chicken thighs while still using the same amount of marinade.

You will only need to double the marinade recipe if using more than 3lbs of chicken thighs.

How to Make Frozen Chicken Thighs in the Air Fryer:

In order to make frozen chicken thighs in the air fryer, they must be individually frozen and not stuck together.

When frozen meat is stuck together, it won’t cook evenly resulting in overcooked and undercooked chicken at the same time.

1. Preheat your air fryer to 380 degrees.
2. Place the frozen chicken thighs in the air fryer and cook for 15-20 minutes flipping halfway.
   Coat the chicken with half of the honey soy marinade in this recipe when flipping, if using.
3. Remove the chicken thighs from the air fryer and coat with additional marinade and enjoy!

NOTE: If you would like a deeper golden brown crusting, you can turn your air fryer to 400 degrees for the final 1-2 minutes of cooking. I find my chicken thighs get golden brown with this marinade without this step.

You can also try this Lemon Pepper Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Thighs recipe for a different flavor too!

Other Air Fryer Recipes You’ll Love:

• Crispy Air Fryer Pork Chops
• Air Fryer Broccoli Parmesan
• Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
• Air Fryer Marinated Pork Tenderloin
• Air Fryer Bone in Chicken Breasts
• Air Fryer Hamburgers
• Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
• Air Fryer Basic Chicken Breasts

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