These Air Fryer Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs are juicy, and crispy and cook in under 15 minutes! Perfect for a busy weeknight meal served with steamed rice and veggies!
In case you haven’t noticed, the air fryer is my new favourite kitchen gadget! Cooking chicken can be tricky, undercook it, and it’s unsafe, but overcook it, and it turns dry and tough!
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Well, not in the air fryer! You will love these air fryer honey garlic chicken thighs! Marinated in a soy garlic and honey sauce, the outside becomes crispy, yet the inside is soft, moist and juicy (same with these air fryer chicken skewers & air fryer crispy chicken wings too!)
The kids are obsessed with these and they're on weekly rotation in our house at the minute, I hope you love them too!
Jump to:
- 🤔 Which Air Fryer Do You Use?
- 🥘 Ingredients You Will Need
- 🥜 How Can I Make This Dish Allergy Friendly?
- ✏️ How to Make Air Fryer Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
- 🤔 What Temperature Do You Need To Cook Chicken Thighs To?
- 💡 Lauren's Tips
- 🍴 How To Serve
- 💬 Recipe FAQs
- ⚡ More Delicious Air Fryer Recipes
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
🤔 Which Air Fryer Do You Use?
This recipe is tested with my Ninja Foodie Dual Zone AF300UK Air Fryer, and the timings and temperatures are tailored for this model. Keep in mind that different air fryer brands may cook differently, so regularly check your food for the best results.
🥘 Ingredients You Will Need
Here is a brief overview of the ingredients you will need to make these air fryer chicken thighs. To find out how to make them allergy-friendly, simply scroll down to the section below this one.
- Chicken Thighs – I have used boneless, skinless chicken thighs. You can also use bone in thighs, but bear in mind you will need to increase the cooking time to around 25 minutes.
- Honey – This helps to create the sweet & sticky marinade for the chicken. Children under 12 months cannot have honey, so swap it for golden syrup instead.
- Garlic Powder – Real garlic tends to burn easily in the air fryer, so this gives you all the garlic flavour without any burnt bits!
- Soy Sauce – Used in the marinade with the honey and garlic. Soy sauce is quite salty, so you won’t need to add any additional seasoning to the chicken.
- Olive Oil – This is added to the marinade to add moisture to the meat.
✋ Double check all packaging for allergens ✋
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
🥜 How Can I Make This Dish Allergy Friendly?
Regular soy sauce normally contains both soya and gluten, here are some easy tweaks to make this recipe both gluten-free and soya free.
- ✔️ Make It Gluten-Free – Swap out regular soy sauce for a gluten-free version or use tamari sauce instead. You can buy both of these in most major supermarkets.
- ✔️ Make It Soy-Free – Use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce. A brand I love is Biona & you can pick this up in most big supermarkets or on Amazon.
✏️ How to Make Air Fryer Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
⬇️ Here you will find an overview of how to make the recipe. For full information on ingredients and quantities please see the recipe card at the bottom of the page ⬇️
Step 1: Pour the marinade ingredients into a large mixing bowl, and use a whisk or spoon to stir until everything is well combined.
Step 2: Next, add the chicken thighs to the bowl, making sure to coat them thoroughly in the marinade.
For the best results, cover the bowl with cling film and let the chicken marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
If you have the time, letting the chicken marinate overnight will enhance the flavours even more.
Step 3: If needed, preheat your air fryer. Place the marinated chicken thighs in the air fryer basket in a single layer & cook them at 200˚C/400˚F for about 12-15 minutes, or until they’re fully cooked and have reached an internal temperature of 74°C/165˚F.
Make sure to turn the chicken thighs halfway through so they brown evenly. Keep in mind that if you’ve preheated the air fryer, you may want to check them a minute or two earlier, as they could cook a bit faster.
Step 4: Once the chicken is done, carefully remove the thighs from the air fryer.
Take a brush or spoon and baste them with any juices that have collected in the bottom of the basket; this will add extra moisture and flavour to the chicken!
Step 5: To finish, sprinkle sesame seeds and sliced spring onion over the chicken and serve immediately.
🤔 What Temperature Do You Need To Cook Chicken Thighs To?
Chicken is cooked and can be safely eaten when it reaches an internal temperature of 74˚C (165˚F) The best way to check it's cooked is with a meat thermometer, this is hands down the best kitchen gadget I have bought and they can be really inexpensive.
For chicken breast, it's best to stop cooking it at 74°C (165°F) because it can dry out if overcooked.
On the other hand, chicken thighs are more forgiving; they actually get more tender the longer you cook them. They taste best when cooked to around 85°C to 93°C (185°F to 200°F), as this is when the meat is most juicy and tender.
💡 Lauren's Tips
- ✔️ Marinate: I recommend marinating the chicken for at least 30 minutes, but overnight is even better for flavour!
- ✔️ Use A Meat Thermometer: The best way to check chicken is cooked is to use a meat thermometer. It’s my favourite kitchen gadget, no more dry chicken!
- ✔️ Adjust Cooking Time: Depending on the thickness of the chicken thighs, they may take less time or longer to cook. Check them regularly to avoid overcooking.
- ✔️ Add More Sauce: Spoon any leftover juices from the air fryer over the chicken before serving for extra juiciness and flavour.
🍴 How To Serve
We love to serve these marinated chicken thighs with some fluffy rice and air fryer honey roasted carrots.
For a different spin on chicken and chips, try them with these Nando’s style cajun fries and dairy-free coleslaw.
💬 Recipe FAQs
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer or microwave for a few minutes until piping hot. I preferred them reheated in the microwave as the air fryer reheating method did dry them out a bit.
Yes, you can freeze the chicken, but for best results, I recommend eating it fresh. Store in a sealed bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before cooking and reheat as mentioned above.
⚡ More Delicious Air Fryer Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
If you loved this recipe, please leave me a 5🌟 rating or comment below. I really do appreciate it. 😊
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 600 g (1.3 lb) chicken thighs boneless & Skinless
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 1½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Pour the marinade ingredients into a large mixing bowl & stir until combined.
- Add the chicken thighs and stir to coat. Cover the bowl & marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or ideally overnight.
- If needed, preheat your air fryer. Cook the chicken thighs at 200°C(400˚F) for 12-15 minutes, or until they’re fully cooked, turning them halfway through. (If you’ve preheated your air fryer, you might need to cook them for a minute or so less.)
- Once done, take the chicken thighs out of the air fryer and brush them with any leftover juices from the basket.
- Sprinkle over sesame seeds, and sliced spring onion, then serve immediately.
Notes
- Marinate:I recommend marinating the chicken for at least 30 minutes, but overnight is even better for flavour!
- Use A Meat Thermometer: The best way to check chicken is cooked is to use a meat thermometer. It’s my favourite kitchen gadget, no more dry chicken!
- Adjust Cooking Time: Depending on the thickness of the chicken thighs, they may take less time or longer to cook. Check them regularly to avoid overcooking.
- Add More Sauce: Spoon any leftover juices from the air fryer over the chicken before serving for extra juiciness and flavour.
Amy says
These were sooooo good!