Air Fryer Asian-Glazed Boneless Chicken Thighs
These Asian Glazed Chicken Thighs come out so juicy and delicious in the air fryer!
Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
When you think of air fryers you typically think of air fryer french fries or air fryer chicken nuggets and recipes with breading. This chicken thigh recipe uses boneless chicken thighs, no breading at all. The air fryer does so much more as it’s essentially an oven on steroids! These thighs come out so juicy, they are perfect over rice with steamed veggies like bok choy or snap peas.
Because a lot of you bought my latest cookbook, Skinnytaste Air Fryer Cookbook (thank you!) and the Skinnytaste Vremi Air Fryer I promised I would share more air fryer recipes each week. If you don’t have an air fryer, cook this in the oven or on the grill, adjusting the cook time to make sure they are cooked through in the center.
Chicken Thigh Marinade Ingredients
- soy sauce, for savory unami
- balsamic vinegar, for sweetness and acidity
- honey, for sweetness
- garlic, for flavor
- Sriracha, for heat
- ginger, for spiciness and warmth
Reasons I love air frying:
- Food comes out so much crispier than it does in my oven.
- It takes only three minutes to preheat, it doesn’t heat up the kitchen.
- It’s safer and healthier than deep frying and it doesn’t smoke up the whole house.
- The air fryer has now replaced my oven on most weekdays and nights, whether making hard boiled eggs, whipping up a side dish, heating up leftovers, or making dinner.
In fact, I love it so much I decided to partner with Vremi to brand my own air fryer with improvements from the one I previously owned with a larger basket, built-in presets to make life a bit easier, easy-to-clean PFOA-free nonstick coating, and of course, making it dishwasher safe which is how Skinnytaste by Vremi Air Fryer and the Skinnytaste Air Fryer Cookbook came about.
About the Skinnytaste by Vremi Air Fryer:
DO MORE THAN FRY – You can easily fry, bake and roast using only one appliance. Our 1700W power oil-less air fryer uses hot air combined with 360° high rapid air circulation with a temperature range from 100 – 400°F to cook healthier dishes faster than with a standard oven.
DISHWASHER SAFE, NON-STICK and PFOA-FREE – The outer pot, basket and the inside of the air fryer have a black, non-stick coating for super easy cleaning. Both the outer pot and basket are dishwasher safe.
EXTRA LARGE CAPACITY – With a 5.8 QT (5.5 L) large, removable, non-stick basket, it’s large enough to cook meals for the whole family or when hosting friends. It measures 13.8 x 13.8 x 13.4 in thoughtfully designed to fit on your kitchen countertop.
DIGITAL TOUCH-SCREEN WITH 8 COOKING PRESETS – With the touch of a button, quickly select one of 8 cooking presets to easily cook french fries, pork chops, shrimp, bacon, and more. Or, set your own time and temperature when you want greater control. A built-in pre-heat function ensures the unit heats to the desired temperature before you begin to cook.
More Air Fryer Recipes:
- Air Fryer Hard Boiled Eggs
- Air Fryer Cajun Shrimp
- Air Fryer Parmesan Salmon
- Air Fryer Avocado Egg Rolls
- Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
Air Fryer Asian-Glazed Boneless Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 32 ounces 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, fat trimmed
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 2 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
- 1 scallion, green only sliced for garnish
Instructions
- In a small bowl combine the balsamic, soy sauce, honey, garlic, sriracha and ginger and mix well.
- Pour half of the marinade (1/4 cup) into a large bowl with the chicken, covering all the meat and marinate at least 2 hours, or as long as overnight.
- Reserve the remaining sauce for later.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400F.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and transfer to the air fryer basket.
- Cook in batches 14 minutes, turning halfway until cooked through in the center.
- Meanwhile, place the remaining sauce in a small pot and cook over medium-low heat until it reduces slightly and thickens, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- To serve, drizzle the sauce over the chicken and top with scallions.
Hi! How do i do this in a regular oven? I have convection. Thank you!
Hi! I have an Instant Pot Duo Crisp which has the air fryer capability. By frying in batches, does this mean don’t cook more than one layer of thighs at a time? The IP frying basket has a second shelf for more food; not sure if I can use it to cook all the thighs at one time? Thanks so much!
EXCELLENT RECIPE!! It doesn’t matter if I doube or triple the recipe, my family knocks it out every time I make it! We have never had left-overs. My son said this his very favorite meal I prepare for the family. Also, it’s SUPER easy. The first time I made it I only marinated the chicken for 2 hours. It was still awesome. The next time we marinated over-night, and didn’t notice that much difference. We always make extra sauce after marinating the chicken so it can be used on whatever else we serve with the chicken.
This was great! I had to make this in two batches so I started my brown rice first, then made the first batch. Then I put the first batch in the warming drawer while the second batch finished. By the time my rice was done, all of the chicken was in the warming drawer. Very tasty, the kids loved it.
Has anyone made this with chicken breast? We aren’t bone in meat people! I am going to give it a shoot in the air fryer tonight but curious for timing!
We are going to try this tonight, but the recipe says boneless thighs, so no bone! Thighs have so much more flavor than breast, but everyone has their preference. 🙂
I made it with chicken breast tonight and it was awesome! I did the same amount of time. I actually think it could’ve done with 5-6 min on each side as opposed to 7 but I did cut my breast up into 3 pieces each. This was a wonderful recipe!
I have a nu wave oven. Will that work the same? The recipe looks great!!
Made it tonight and it came out good. Next time I’m doubling the marinade as half of it was not enough to make the sauce.
I’m in self quarantine and do not have any fresh ginger. Is there any substitute? Will it still taste ok without the ginger? I have everything else!!
Do you have dry spice ginger? Maybe that could sub.
Made them for dinner tonight. Very tasty! Thanks for another great recipe!
This is a keeper! Instead of air frying I seared one side in a cast iron skillet for 2 minutes then baked at 400 for 16 minutes and it was perfect. Also doubled the marinade/sauce because my husband always loves extra .
What are the black seeds used for garnishing?
I see mention of sesame seeds (light colored) but there are also some black seeds used in the recipe photo. What are those?
You can get “tuxedo” sesame seeds that is the black seeds you see. Which I am a sesame seed lover and personally prefer the mix to just the regular white sesame seed…different flavors go well with the dark ends of the chicken
I only have bone-in thighs, will it still work? I sooooo want to try this recipe.
I love these chicken thighs! DELISH! Tender, juicy, and crispy in the air fryer! One of our absolute favorite skinnytaste recipe!
do you cook it the same if you use breasts?
Followed the recipe exactly. Loved the end results. Thighs were tender and juicy. I had stir fry vegetables using 1 teaspoon of olive oil.
Will be on our menu once a week.
I don’t have an Air Fryer, so I used my Slowcooker. I trimmed the thighs, put them in the SC, poured the sauce over and cooked on low for 5 hrs. Then made a cornstarch slurry and mixed it in. Turned up Slowcooker to high for 20 min to thicken sauce… it was out of the world DELICIOUS , and Soooo easy! Thank you Gina for this wonderful recipe….
Came out nice and juicy in the air fryer!
Does anyone know how to make the bok choy? I just noticed my original comment was deleted asking the same… weird.
Had the same question (how to prepare the bok choy). I see it’s been asked before but not yet answered.
I found this video helpful
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8-YDj6-cwI
I made this dish tonight. I was SO surprised how juicy the chicken was. Not what I expected out of an air fryer.
I used a chili infused balsamic vinegar I picked up at craft fest (yay! FINALLY a use for it 1.5 years on) with a little sambal oelek instead of sriracha. My 17 year old loved it. Just enough heat but not too much to keep grabbing for a drink to quench.
I prepared the bok choy in cast iron and oh MAN did it smoke, although, the smoke detector never went off despite the fog in the house, and, it came out quite delicious. The vegetable selective 17 year old thought it was great.
“Not a bad dish, Dad. Even with the weird new vegetable. I’d eat this again.”
That’s a thumbs up in my book.
Your sons comment made me legit LOL!!!
I will now endeavor to use that “weird vegetable” myself!!
Diane
I love this bok choy recipe I found, it’s my go to
https://theforkedspoon.com/bok-choy-recipe/
Thanks for sharing the Bok Choy recipe. I read & re-read this blog & recipe looking for a link or something about the Bok Choy thinking I had missed it. Most appreciated!
Anything I can use instead of Balsamic vinegar? One of my kids can’t have any vinegar. Thanks
You can just leave it out or add a tiny splash of fish sauce.
Thanks!
I was wondering if the recipe translated best to pan cooking or baking.
Looks like it takes both!
Take a look at this one 🙂
https://www.skinnytaste.com/asian-glazed-drumsticks/
I absolutely LOVE this recipe. Making for my second time. Cannot wait. Whole family was happy, and that’s saying alot. Also, very easy.
So good! I forgot to split the sauce so I would have some to reduce, but really it was fantastic without it. My Chicken pieces were not each that big so I reduced time by a few minutes. Love thighs they can get really “done” and still be tender, Great recipe.
would it be okay to use apple cider vinegar? I hate vinegar, but I hate anything balsamic MORE lol
Sure! Let us know how it tastes!
A winner! So flavorful. Kids and adults alike enjoyed. Quick, and the meat was so juicy. Thank you!
This was FANTASTIC, my husband went nuts over it. I made it as written with the exception of the sriracha sauce, I didn’t have any so I substituted a pinch of red pepper flakes. Next time, I will double the marinade recipe because the reserved sauce is so good, you will want it for your rice!
15 mins at a preheated 400 was perfect, turned it twice, sprayed with olive oil on each side but I’m not sure that would be necessary. Really an easy and fast recipe, thank you!
This evening I made “AIR FRYER ASIAN-GLAZED BONELESS CHICKEN THIGHS”. In my freezer I found a bag of frozen Asian vegetable mix. I stir-fried them with a little onion and garlic and near the end added a little of the glaze sauce from the chicken thigh recipe. This was a very yummy dinner!
I would make this again. A hit!
I’d love to be able to fix this & several other of your recipes, but since I cook for only one person it’s sometimes difficult to cut the ingredients down. Is there a way you could reduce the number of servings in the recipe? I have seen other recipes where you can do it.
How do you prepare the Bok Choy? This looks amazing!!
This is my go to….
https://theforkedspoon.com/bok-choy-recipe/
I entered all the ingredients into MyFitnessPal to log but I keep getting 325 calories per servings (2 thighs) and I’m only using 27oz chicken thighs vs. your recipe calling for 32oz. Am I doing something wrong here?
I used this marinade on a pork tenderloin overnight, then grilled it. Delicious!
Great idea!
Thank you for such an amazing an easy recipe. I don’t cook a lot but I’m trying to do more with my air fryer. This was super easy and the chicken thighs came out juicy and tender. I doubled the glaze recipe which was the perfect amount. I was afraid the remaking marinade would cook down to nothing as there wasn’t that much left. Look forward to more air fryer recipe.
I made this recipe with 4 chicken thighs opposed to 8 chicken thighs. I also made this recipe in the crockpot opposed to the air fryer. I didn’t have any fresh ginger but I threw all of the ingredients (without the fresh ginger) into the crockpot and cooked it on low for 5 hours. My husband loved it and told me I’m more than welcome to make it once a week! He loved it! I thought it was great too!
That’s a great idea!
Hello! So I do not have an air fryer and was wondering how I could modify this for the oven! Thanks!
Also would like to know this…. has anybody cooked this in the oven? Temp? Time?
You could just Google amount of time and temp for chicken thighs and you would get hundreds of answers. I would also look up temperature the meat needs to be cooked at. Your meat thermometer is the best bet for meat being done.
This recipe is the best. This is my second time making it. I almost forgot the sesame seedsthis time cause they aren’t mentioned in the recipe. The first time I made it I used the sesame because I saw them in the picture. I also happen to love them. It would be great if you could edit and add that maybe? I will remember next time though. I also add half the juice of an orange. Probably will make extra marinade next time because it’s so good. Thank you. I will look for your cookbook. It’s fun learning how to use an air fryer.
Delicious! Easy to make. Served with rice and orange cauliflower. Chicken warmed in oven while we air fried cauliflower and made your orange sauce (orange chicken). Love your air fryer! Currently my favorite appliance! Right now, a chicken is marinating in buttermilk for tomorrow’s air fryer delight!
These are amazing! Came out crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The marinade made the chicken super flavorful. I served mine with jasmine rice and sugar snap peas. Will be adding to my normal rotation!
This is marked as keto-friendly, but when I put it in my carb manager app, it shows as 8g net carbs. Is there a way to cut the carb content in the marinade?
Delicious! The chicken thighs cooked perfectly in the air fryer with these directions. I marinated them for 6 hours. I used squeeze ground ginger – did not have fresh. The green onions added nice flavor and crunch.
This will be a regular dinner in my house and definitely special enough for guests while being easy to make.
Amazing! I used chicken breasts because I misread the recipe and they turned out soooo good! Made some bok choy and ride with mine just like the image. So good I’m making it again two nights later. Definitely a keeper!
When I try to cook the remaining marinade, it doesn’t thicken. Tried twice now, and it remains very liquid. Any suggestions to thicken it ?
Add a slurry (cornstarch and water).
How do you know what wattage to use for this recipe or any airfryer recipe 900w, 1500w or 1800w? My temp is 400 degrees.
I made this last night and it was really good! I do not have an air fryer, so I cooked mine on the BBQ. I followed the recipe for the marinade exactly. Next time, I would add a little more sriracha and maybe add some sesame oil. I did not save any marinade to reduce and baste the chicken, but I will definitely do that next time. I had a lot of chicken to marinade this time, so didn’t pull any out to use that way.
I have used this marinade three times on various cuts of chicken and it is truly yummy! My husband chose to grill them outside instead of use the air fryer and he was impressed that it did not flame up like the other marinades I have used with oil in them. It’s a keeper for us! Thanks!
This is my 2nd time making this! The first time a few weeks ago was a hit! There were NO leftovers! All my kids ate it and asked for seconds! Only thing I did diff was double the marinade as I like it extra “wet” I’m sure that added some points but oh well! It was worth it!!
Excellent, the Skinny Taste air fryer performed perfectly, timing just right. I was wondering if the weight is the raw weight and cooked would be about 6 ounces for the calorie count? I did use the sesame seed garnish and we will look forward to having them again. Loved it. Thank you.
Is there a replacement for the sugar in this recipe? I’m doing a no sugar no fat diet. This recipe sounds amazing.
It wont create a glaze but leave it out, it will still taste great.
Yum! I made this without the sriracha and still good! I seared them on a hot cast iron skillet on one side until caramelized then flipped them over and put the whole thing in the oven at 350 for 20 min for those of you who don’t have an air fryer!
Thank you! I came to the comments just for this.
Same here! Was looking for a way to make these without the air fryer. Thanks!
Same! Thank you!!
This was really good. I made 6 thighs for my family of four but that didn’t turn out to be enough. The whole family enjoyed it. My 6to son kept saying how good it was and he ate all of his and half of one of mine. Served with caulk rice and green beans. Will definitely make again. It only took 20 minutes to throw the whole meal together after work since the meat had been marinating all day.
This looks great, but I only like chicken breasts. The flavors sound delicious. I’m going to try this in a crock pot with chicken breasts and perhaps double the sauce so there’s enough liquid. I don’t have an air fryer yet so that’s why I’m going to use the crock pot. Any tips on going forward with this preparation? Thanks so much!
When you are using an air frier, could you please also include instructions for more conventional cooking methods? I have a very tiny kitchen with absolutely no space for any appliances besides a toaster. Nor do I have the resources to purchase any new appliances. Everything I cook is done on top of the stove, in the oven or grilled outdoors on my charcoal grill. My multicooker is stored on top of a free standing cabinet and my microwave is stored inside another cabinet. We are talking a tiny kitchen. The area used for drying dishes has to be cleared before I start cooking!
Look up her Asian Glazed Drumsticks which were done long before the air fryer craze. We’ve enjoyed them for years and substituted thighs for convenience. Delish!!
You can grill these or pan sear and bake them all the same.
Was this enough sauce?
I double it and place half in a sealed container to use as extra for when grillling the chicken and to boil down as a glaze as suggested. I just don’t like to use leftover marinade that has set in raw chicken for more than 24 hours. Plus my kids like to add the marinade to their rice and even dip their dumplings in it.
This was good on the grill. Thank you!
I made this tonight and it was a huge hit. How would I adjust the cooking time for breasts instead of thighs?
I made this dish last night. It came out perfect, looking just like the pictures! I had all the main ingredients on hand, but picked up spring onions & sesame seeds on my way home just for fun and presentation. While they aren’t necessary to complete the dish, I liked the added onion taste and with the sesame seeds they made the finished dish look a dish you’d get in a restaurant!
We really enjoyed it and I will definitely make it again. Love the easy clean up of air fryers.
Saw this on Instagram this AM as I was looking for a way to cook my chicken thighs for tonight.
I used bone-in thighs because it’s what I had. Super easy and very tasty. Thanks.
I marinaded the chicken over 24 hours. Since it was a beautiful day out, we decided to cook these on the grill instead of the air fryer. A wonder combination of flavors in this marinade. Everyone raved over it and even my picky daughter who swears she hates chicken liked it. The only sad thing was that there were no leftovers😢. Thanks Gina!
I made this tonight. I have no air fryer so I fired up the BBQ. Super yummy
I made this last night and it was delicious & easy! Definitely will be making again.
Thank you,
Noreen
I accidently bought bone in chicken thighs, how will that change the cooking time?
Just add 5 to 10 minutes and cut into the center to make sure it’s cooked through.
First of all, I was so excited when I got the skinny taste air fryer off my wedding registry! I came across this recipe and decided to give it a shot … it was SO GOOD. It was amazingly juicy and flavorful. Served it with cauliflower rice and Asian cole slaw. I sprayed the bottom of the fryer as well as the basket with a little olive oil and cleanup was a breeze! I’m totally hooked on this appliance and looking forward to trying more of your air fryer recipes!
Thanks Kimberly. Congrats!
No oven directions for this recipe GINA?
If it’s any help, it would be 4-6 hours in a slow cooker (low).
hi, how long in the oven?
This inspired me to buy the air fryer but I could not wait for it to make so I did this in the oven. Loved it and cannot wait to remake when my air fryer arrives! For the bok choy, I cut each one in half and heated a little oil, ginger and garlic in a pan, waited a few minutes to brown them added 2 tablespoons of water to steam the rest. It complemented the marinade very well and kept it healthy. I also bought a mister for olive oil from home goods to keep oil levels down. The air fryer is reinvigorating me for a new batch of cooking and bought the cookbook too!!!! Fun!
These are now my very favorite! Delicious!!!!!
Great!
I made these tonight, and they were delicious! My kids (ages 6 & 9) even loved them! Next time, I’ll marinate them longer (I only did 2 hours this time), and add more Sriacha, or maybe even some garlic chili paste, to boost the spice.a bit. I accidentally bought bone-in, skinless, thighs, so I cooked them an additional 5 minutes, and checked their temp with my insta-read thermometer. They were a perfect 165°, so I pulled them out. Thanks to someone else’s comment about clean up being difficult, I spritzed .the bottom of my air fryer (Nu-Wave) with a bit of olive oil before adding and cooking the thighs, which definitely helped. Another great recipe, Gina! ❤️
I had an impromptu gathering of preteen and teen boys at my house tonight and didn’t expect them to even try the chicken. I was wrong!! They all loved it and some of them even had a second serving! I was very glad I had doubled the recipe! This one is a keeper for sure!!
This was awesome! The entire family gave 2 thumbs up.
I made these tonight and followed the recipe to a T. I think the only thing I would change next time is maybe leave them in a minute or two longer so they have more of the yummy black crispness on the outside.
Made this tonight and it was absolutely delicious! I made a few adjustments to the recipe. I didn’t have ginger or Siracha so I used ginger juice and Tabasco sauce in the measurements called for in the recipe. I also left the skin on the thighs. My husband had a rough day at work delaying him over 3 hours in coming home. But when he finally walked in the door at the end of his day, within 20 minutes he was enjoying this delicious meal served with snap peas and roasted cauliflower rice. Definitely one for the meal rotation! Thank you, Gina! You always knock it outta the park, ALWAYS!!
Absolutely the tastiest Chicken recipe. I love to cook it for the drinks, when I am with my friends.
You weren’t kidding about how juicy these thighs are in an air Fryer… who knew?? And the spice flavoring was amazing. Thank you!
These are beyond AMAZING. Simple ingredients, easy to make with outstanding results. The best chicken I have eaten in many, many years. Caution, the sticky sauce makes cleaning the air fryer difficult as it seems to bake onto the very bottom of the fryer under the layer that holds the food. It took many hours of soaking in very hot sudsy water to clean but so worth the effort because these are so marvelous. Next time I might try some cooking spray at the very bottom of the fryer.
So glad you liked it, yes this one is a little messy.
Thank you for this tip! Made clean up SO much easier!
The ingredients in this aren’t keto, was this misplaced into the wrong catergory?
Hi Gina,
Looks delish! How did you make the Bok Choy? It looks so good.
I accidentally bone in thighs, how would I adjust the cook time?
Just add more time, maybe 10 more?
Love this recipe, cooks nicely in the air fryer…
The whole plate in the picture looks amazing. Do you have a recipe or guidelines for the bok choy that is pictured?
It’s just steamed.
Looks like another great recipe! Would I need to adjust the cooking time and temperature for the Cuisinart style air fryer? A huge thanks to you for including the temp adjustment in the Air Fryer cookbook!
Dying for your Air Fryer to be released in Canada so I can try this!
Gina, I would like to use bone in, skiness chicken thighs. Will this change the points value? I know I will need to adjust the cooking time.
Same as long as it’s 4 oz raw meat, if larger points will change.
This sounds delish. I don’t have an air fryer. Would it work on the grill or in a 425 oven?
Yes, either will work just make sure they are cooked through in the center.
Yes, I mentioned that above in the post.
I don’t have an air fryer but would love to try this in the oven. Do you think just add a couple minutes to the cooking time? Thanks!
Sure 425, maybe broil at the end to brown.
Thank you for the oven temp! I’m trying it in my regular oven tonight!
Marinated the chicken thighs for 2 hours and cooked in my airfryer. Delicious! I have the leftovers for lunch and I am looking forward to it! Thanks for the recipe!
Awesome!!
Looks fabulous, but have you considered switching to Coconut Aminos instead of Soy sauce? Many studies support soy products in any form are not healthy choices for woman as they get gracefully age.
Sure you can always swap that for any recipe.
Have all your books, love seeing recipes on Facebook. But only view Facebook on phone, so usually email your recipes to my phone to save and print. No longer an option to email recipes to myself. Why have you eliminated this option?
I see, the widget was creating other problems. I will look into this.
This looks so yummy can’t wait to try it. As I do not have an air fryer will probably try it on the bbq
Hi Gina,
Will this work with chicken or turkey breast instead of thighs? Thanks!
yes, but I would do it less time.
This looks amazing-can’t wait to try in my skinnytaste vremi air fryer! Do you have a recipe for the bok choy that you made with the chicken?
My husband really dislikes thigh meat. Do you think this would works with breast meat?
did you get an answer to using the breast meat? My fiance doesn’t eat chicken thighs either – its a different texture.
You would have to adjust the cook time if you use breast.