Treat your tastebuds to homemade air fryer teriyaki chicken! The sauce comes together while the chicken air fries for a delicious meal ready in less than 45 minutes.
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Don’t you love it when a home cooked meal turns out even better than the restaurant version?
Once you try this air fryer teriyaki chicken, you might decide to ditch takeout for good!
Tender chicken thighs are chopped, dredged in a mixture of cornstarch and panko, then air fried to crispy perfection.
Meanwhile, the homemade teriyaki comes together right on the stove in a matter of minutes!
Here’s what I’m going to teach you in this post:
- How to make the best teriyaki chicken thighs in the air fryer
- Tips for super delicious air fryer teriyaki chicken thighs
- A few of my favorite ways to serve this meal
- How to properly store and reheat leftover teriyaki chicken so it tastes just as good the next day
One of the best parts about this Asian-inspired meal is that it goes from fridge to table in under 45 minutes. Plus, while the chicken is cooking, you can easily whip up whatever you plan to serve with it.
Talk about an easy weeknight dinner that still delivers big on flavor!
How to Make Air Fryer Teriyaki Chicken
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
STEP ONE: Chop the chicken thighs into 1-2 inch pieces.
STEP TWO: Combine the cornstarch and panko crumbs in a bowl. In another dish, beat the
STEP THREE: Dip the chicken into the egg, allow any excess egg to drip off, then dredge in the panko and cornstarch mixture. Toss until the chicken is completely covered, then set aside.
STEP FOUR: In a small pot over medium-high heat, combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, ground ginger, powdered garlic, and rice vinegar. Allow the mixture to come to a simmer.
STEP FIVE: In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water, then incorporate into the pot.
STEP SIX: Allow the sauce to simmer for 3-4 minutes, then remove from heat and allow it to cool and thicken.
STEP SEVEN: While the teriyaki is cooling, preheat the air fryer to 370 degrees F.
STEP EIGHT: Spray the air fryer basket, then place the chicken pieces in the basket in a single layer. Work in batches to avoid overcrowding.
STEP NINE: Cook at 380 degrees F for 8-10 minutes until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F.
STEP TEN: Transfer the cooked chicken to a cooling rack while you air fry the remaining batches.
STEP ELEVEN: Once all of the chicken is cooked, transfer the thighs to a large bowl. Pour the teriyaki sauce on top and toss until the pieces are all coated.
STEP TWELVE: Serve over rice and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.
Can You Use Store Bought Teriyaki Instead?
You bet! I like making my own because it’s so easy and I usually have all the ingredients on hand. But if you have a brand of teriyaki that you really like, you can always use that in place of the homemade version.
I love to use Coconut Secret Teriyaki Sauce.
Tips for Making Air Fryer Chicken Teriyaki Thighs
- Try to cut the chicken thighs into evenly-sized pieces. This will ensure that everything cooks at the same rate.
- When you put the chicken in the air fryer basket, make sure there’s room around all of the pieces. I work in two batches when making this recipe.
- Always set the cooked chicken on a cooling rack while you air fry the rest. This keeps all the sides nice and crispy as it cools slightly. If you put the chicken in a bowl or on a plate, the heat can make the exterior soggy, which we don’t want!
Variations for this Recipe
- Use store-bought teriyaki to cut down on some prep work.
- Swap out chicken thighs for chicken breasts or tenderloins if you prefer. Note that you may need to adjust the cooking time slightly.
- Toss the thighs in Homemade Buffalo Sauce or Honey Buffalo Sauce for a different flavor profile.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Teriyaki Chicken
I love making air fryer chicken teriyaki and broccoli! If you want to use the air fryer for everything, cook the chicken first, then set aside on a cooling rack. Next, whip up air fryer broccoli or air fryer broccoli and cauliflower in about 8 minutes and you’ll be ready to serve!
There are plenty of other vegetables that go beautifully with teriyaki chicken as well. Try air frying or sauteing chopped bell peppers, onions, snow peas, mushrooms, baby carrots, water chestnuts, or anything else you like.
I usually serve my air fryer teriyaki chicken and vegetables over white rice, but you could also serve this dish with noodles or over a salad. Or you can enjoy the chicken all on its own!
How to Store and Reheat Teriyaki Chicken
If you have any leftovers, make sure to let them fully cool first. This will prevent condensation that could make them soggy.
Once the chicken is room temperature, store in an airtight container and place in the refrigerator for up to four days.
When you’re ready to reheat your teriyaki chicken, the air fryer is the best way to get it as crispy, juicy, and delicious as when it was first cooked!
- Place the teriyaki chicken in the air fryer basket in a single layer
- Cook at 380 degrees F for 3-5 minutes until chicken is heated through.
- Toss in more teriyaki sauce if desired and enjoy.
Other Asian-Inspired Air Fryer Recipes You’ll Love:
- Air Fryer Chicken Katsu
- Air Fryer Sweet and Sour Chicken
- Air Fryer Orange Chicken
- Teriyaki Salmon in the Air Fryer
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Air Fryer Teriyaki Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 pound of skinless chicken breast
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 cup panko
Teriyaki Sauce
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons powdered garlic
- 1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- Optional: Sesame Seeds
Instructions
- Chop your chicken into 1-2 inch pieces.
- Combine your cornstarch and panko crumbs in a bowl.
- Scramble your eggs in another dish.
- Dip your chicken into the egg and allow any excess egg to drip off.
- Place the egg covered chicken into the panko and cornstarch mixture. Toss till the pieces are completely covered.
- To create the teriyaki sauce, combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, ground ginger, powdered garlic, and rice vinegar, in a small sauce pot. Allow this to come to a simmer. Combine the cornstarch and water in a small bowl and then incorporate it into the pot. Allow the sauce to simmer for 3-4 minutes. Remove it from the heat and allow it to cool. It will thicken as it cools.
- While your sauce is cooling, preheat your air fryer to 370 degrees. Once preheated, spray your basket with nonstick cooking spray. Place your chicken in the basket. Make sure to have room around your pieces of chicken. I had to cook two batches. Bake at 380 for 8-10 minutes, until the internal temperature is 165 degrees.
- Remove from the basket and transfer to a cooling rack. This keeps all sides nice and crispy as it cools slightly. Once all of your chicken is cooked, move them into a large bowl. Pour the sauce over and toss till they are all coated.
- Serve over rice and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.
Don’t you turn the thighs over half way through the cooking?
I do like to turn them over halfway through cooking, but it’s not mandatory. I used chicken breasts for these, but you can use chicken thighs as well.