Air Fryer Honey Garlic Chicken Bites
Description
Crispy cornstarch-coated chicken bites tossed in a sticky five-ingredient honey garlic sauce. The chicken crisps in the air fryer while the sauce reduces on the stove — they meet right before serving, so the crust stays crisp. Ready in 22 minutes.
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, or cooking spray
Honey Garlic Sauce:
- ⅓ cup honey
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon cold water
To Serve:
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Pat the chicken dry. Cornstarch on wet chicken becomes paste, not crust.
- Do not sauce ahead. Toss immediately before serving; the crust softens within minutes.
- Store the chicken and sauce in separate containers — chicken 3–4 days, sauce up to 1 week. Reheat the chicken at 350°F for 3–4 minutes in the air fryer, then toss with warmed sauce.
- Thighs: boneless, skinless thighs work with the same method; add 2–3 minutes. Avoid bone-in, skin-on — the honey burns before the chicken is done.
- Gluten-free: swap the soy sauce for tamari or coconut aminos.
- No air fryer? Pan-fry the coated chicken in a thin layer of oil over medium-high heat until golden.
Equipment
- Parchment Paper, optional
- Cooking Spray
Notes
- Pat the chicken completely dry before the cornstarch. Wet chicken makes paste, not crust — this is the #1 reason this fails.
- Don't crowd the basket. Space on all sides or it steams. Cook in batches if needed; a second batch adds about 10 minutes.
- Sauce at the last second. The crust softens the moment it hits liquid. Toss and serve.
- Store the chicken and sauce separately — chicken 3–4 days, sauce up to 1 week. Reheat the chicken at 350°F for 3–4 minutes, then toss with warmed sauce.
- Thighs: boneless, skinless, same 1-inch cut, add 2–3 minutes.
- Gluten-free: swap the soy sauce for tamari or coconut aminos.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ServingCalories: 491kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 35gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 100mgSodium: 983mgPotassium: 723mgFiber: 1gSugar: 23gVitamin A: 135IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 52mgIron: 5mg