Sweet Chili Air Fryer Chicken Thighs (Printer-friendly)
Crispy glazed chicken thighs with sweet chili, air-fried for a quick weeknight dinner.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 lbs)
→ Marinade & Glaze
02 - 1/3 cup sweet chili sauce
03 - 2 tbsp soy sauce
04 - 1 tbsp honey
05 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
06 - 1 tbsp olive oil
07 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
08 - 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
09 - 1/4 tsp salt
10 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
→ Garnish
11 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
12 - 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
13 - 1 lime, cut into wedges
# How to Make It:
01 - Pat the chicken thighs thoroughly dry with paper towels to ensure proper browning and crispy skin.
02 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together the sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, olive oil, minced garlic, grated ginger, salt, and black pepper until fully combined.
03 - Place the chicken thighs in a large zip-top bag or shallow dish. Pour 2/3 of the marinade over the chicken, reserving the remaining 1/3 for glazing later. Seal and marinate for at least 20 minutes, or refrigerate overnight for deeper flavor.
04 - Preheat the air fryer to 390°F (200°C).
05 - Remove the chicken from the marinade and shake off any excess. Place the thighs skin-side down in the air fryer basket in a single layer, ensuring they do not overlap.
06 - Air fry for 12 minutes. Flip the chicken thighs and brush generously with the reserved marinade. Continue air frying for another 10 minutes, or until the skin is golden and crispy and the internal temperature registers 165°F (74°C).
07 - Transfer the chicken to a plate and let rest for 3 minutes. Garnish with chopped cilantro, toasted sesame seeds, and a fresh squeeze of lime before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The glaze turns into a glossy, sticky shell in the air fryer without any deep frying mess or splattered oil.
- It genuinely takes about ten minutes of hands on work, and the rest is just waiting while your kitchen smells incredible.
- Bone in, skin on thighs stay incredibly juicy inside while the outside gets impossibly crispy, which is a texture combination that wins over everyone.
02 -
- If you skip the drying step, the marinade will slide right off and you will end up with steamed chicken instead of that gorgeous lacquered crust.
- Crowding the air fryer basket is the fastest way to ruin this recipe, so cook in batches if needed because every piece needs space for the hot air to circulate.
03 -
- Marinate overnight if you can, because the flavors penetrate deeper and the chicken becomes incredibly tender with almost no extra effort.
- Brush on the reserved glaze during the last five minutes of cooking instead of right after flipping, and you will get an even thicker, stickier coating that clings to every inch of the skin.