Sweet Chili Air Fryer Chicken (Printable Version)
Sticky sweet chili glazed chicken thighs, air-fried to crispy golden perfection in under 30 minutes.
# What You 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
# How to Make It:
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 the glaze adheres properly.
04 - Add the chicken thighs to the bowl with the glaze and toss until evenly coated on all sides. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the marinade for basting later.
05 - Place the chicken thighs skin-side down in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Work in batches if necessary to avoid crowding.
06 - Air fry at 380°F for 10 minutes until the underside begins to crisp.
07 - Flip the chicken thighs skin-side up and brush generously with the reserved marinade.
08 - Continue air frying for another 8 to 10 minutes, or 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, sesame seeds, and serve with lime wedges on the side.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The glaze caramelizes into a lacquered crust that rivals any oven roasted chicken without heating up your whole kitchen.
- Thirty minutes from fridge to plate makes this feel like a weeknight cheat code that nobody will believe is that simple.
- Clean up is almost nothing since the air fryer basket does all the heavy lifting.
02 -
- If you skip drying the chicken before marinating, the skin will steam instead of crisp and you will lose that beautiful crunch entirely.
- Reserving some marinade for the flip baste is not optional because that second coat is what creates the sticky lacquered finish everyone raves about.
03 -
- Use tamari instead of regular soy sauce and double check your sweet chili sauce label to make this fully gluten free without sacrificing any flavor whatsoever.
- If you are using bone in skinless thighs, shave two to three minutes off the total cooking time because the exposed meat cooks faster without the insulating layer of skin.