Sweet Chili Air Fryer Chicken (Printable Version)
Crispy air-fried chicken thighs glazed in a sticky sweet chili sauce, ready in 30 minutes for a flavorful weeknight dinner.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1.5 lbs)
→ Marinade & Glaze
02 - 1/3 cup sweet chili sauce
03 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce (or tamari)
04 - 1 tablespoon honey
05 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
06 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Garnish
09 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
10 - 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
11 - Lime wedges, for serving
# Directions:
01 - Preheat your air fryer to 380°F for 3 to 5 minutes.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt until well combined.
03 - Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels to ensure even coating and crispy skin.
04 - Add the chicken thighs to the bowl and toss until thoroughly coated. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the marinade for glazing later.
05 - Place the thighs skin-side down in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Work in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding.
06 - Air fry at 380°F for 10 minutes until the underside begins to brown.
07 - Flip the thighs skin-side up and brush generously with the reserved marinade.
08 - Continue air frying for another 8 to 10 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the skin is golden and caramelized.
09 - Let the chicken rest for 3 minutes. Garnish with chopped cilantro and sesame seeds, and serve with lime wedges alongside steamed jasmine rice or stir-fried vegetables.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The glaze caramelizes into something that tastes like you spent hours hovering over a wok, but your air fryer does all the work.
- Cleanup is embarrassingly easy since nothing sticks or burns the way it does on a sheet pan.
02 -
- Do not skip drying the chicken skin because even a little moisture will give you rubbery skin instead of that satisfying crackle.
- Reserving some marinade before the raw chicken goes in is the safest way to baste, so you never cross contaminate.
03 -
- Cook in batches if your air fryer is small, because crowding the basket turns crispy into soggy every single time.
- Check the temperature at eight minutes on the second side because every air fryer runs differently and nobody wants dried out chicken.