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A bowl of glossy sticky air fryer honey garlic chicken bites piled high, perfectly golden crispy coating glazed in a shiny honey garlic sauce, garnished with white sesame seeds and sliced green oni...
Sarah Mitchell

Air Fryer Honey Garlic Chicken Bites

I'm going to let you in on a weeknight dinner secret that has saved me more times than I can count: crispy chicken bites tossed in a sticky, sweet, garlicky honey sauce that takes all of 20 minutes from cutting board to dinner table. My family actually cheers when I make these.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 22 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Asian
Calories: 310
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken
  • 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • Cooking spray
For the Honey Garlic Sauce
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon sriracha (adjust to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • Sesame seeds and sliced green onions for garnish

Equipment

  • Air fryer
  • Mixing bowl
  • Small saucepan for sauce
  • Whisk
  • Cooking spray

Method
 

  1. Cut the chicken into even 1-inch pieces. Toss with cornstarch, soy sauce, garlic powder, and black pepper until every piece is evenly coated.
  2. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C). Spray the basket generously with cooking spray.
  3. Place the chicken pieces in a single layer in the air fryer basket — don't crowd them. Spray the tops with cooking spray.
  4. Air fry for 10-12 minutes, shaking the basket every 4 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through (165°F internal) and the coating is golden and crispy.
  5. While the chicken cooks, make the sauce: Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sriracha. Bring to a gentle simmer.
  6. Stir the cornstarch slurry and add it to the sauce, stirring constantly. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy. Remove from heat and stir in the sesame oil.
  7. Toss the crispy chicken bites in the warm honey garlic sauce until every piece is coated. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions. Serve immediately.

Notes

The cornstarch coating is what makes these crispy — don't skip it or substitute flour. Shake the basket every 4 minutes for even cooking. Make the sauce while the chicken is in the air fryer so everything is ready at the same time. Toss the chicken in the sauce right before serving — if it sits in the sauce too long, the crispy coating softens.