Sticky Air Fryer Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
Description
Juicy air fryer chicken thighs finished in a sticky honey garlic glaze. Ready in 30 minutes, with cook times for both boneless and bone-in.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 4 chicken thighs — boneless skinless or bone-in skin-on, about 5 oz each
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Honey Garlic Glaze
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/3 cup honey
- 4 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon basil, dried
Instructions
- Pat the chicken thighs completely dry with paper towel on both sides. Season with the kosher salt and black pepper. Dry chicken browns; wet chicken steams.
- Preheat the air fryer to 380°F for 3 minutes.
- Place the thighs in the basket in a single layer, not touching. Cook boneless skinless for 14–16 minutes, flipping at 8. Cook bone-in skin-on for 22–25 minutes, starting skin-side down and flipping at 12. Cook to an internal temperature of 175°F — thighs are dark meat and are more tender at 175–185°F than at the 165°F minimum.
- While the chicken cooks, whisk the soy sauce, ketchup, honey, minced garlic, and basil together in a small saucepan.
- Simmer over medium-low for 5–6 minutes, stirring, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Reserve 2 tablespoons for serving.
- Brush the reduced glaze over the cooked thighs and return to the air fryer for 2–3 minutes, until it sets and caramelizes at the edges. Do not glaze earlier — honey scorches well below air fryer temperature.
- Rest 3 minutes, then drizzle with the reserved glaze and serve.
Equipment
- Cooking Spray, or Parchment Paper
- Meat Thermometer
Notes
Marinating
For stronger flavor, marinate the chicken for up to 24 hours using half of the sauce. Keep the remaining sauce separate for glazing. Any sauce that touches raw chicken must be brought to a full simmer before brushing it onto cooked chicken. Lower-Sodium Option
Use low-sodium soy sauce to reduce the sodium by about 40%. Once the sauce thickens, the taste difference is barely noticeable. Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Freeze for up to 2 months, preferably before adding the glaze. Reheating
Reheat in the air fryer at 350°F for 5 to 7 minutes. The microwave works in a pinch, but the glaze may lose its sticky texture.
For stronger flavor, marinate the chicken for up to 24 hours using half of the sauce. Keep the remaining sauce separate for glazing. Any sauce that touches raw chicken must be brought to a full simmer before brushing it onto cooked chicken. Lower-Sodium Option
Use low-sodium soy sauce to reduce the sodium by about 40%. Once the sauce thickens, the taste difference is barely noticeable. Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Freeze for up to 2 months, preferably before adding the glaze. Reheating
Reheat in the air fryer at 350°F for 5 to 7 minutes. The microwave works in a pinch, but the glaze may lose its sticky texture.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ServingCalories: 398kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 22gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 111mgSodium: 2575mgPotassium: 428mgFiber: 1gSugar: 30gVitamin A: 269IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 39mgIron: 2mg