Air fryer chicken yakitori is a tasty street food that's easy and fun to make at home! Bite sized pieces of tender chicken thighs are marinated in a delicious soy and sake marinade, then loaded onto skewers and air fried for less than 20 minutes. These savory, sweet, and crisp chicken bites are perfect to serve as a casual appetizer, party snack, or main dinner dish!
Chicken thighs is a great part of chicken, very flavorful and also great in this chipotle chicken thighs air fryer.
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The Japanese word yakitori means "grilled" chicken... But here we are putting an emphasis on the ingredients and flavor, versus the specific cooking method. This air fryer chicken yakitori recipe tastes like the traditional Japanese street food, but is super easy to make at home for a fun and delicious meal any night of the week!
Bite-sized pieces of juicy (and budget-friendly!) chicken are marinated for half an hour, then placed on skewers for cooking and serving. So they are equally handy and tasty!
The classic marinade is what really makes this dish shine. It's quick to make with a handful of ingredients like soy sauce, sake, and mirin. I also like to add a bit of fresh grated ginger for a delicious bite! The marinated and skewered chicken thigh bites air fry for only 15-20 minutes, until they're beautifully crispy and tender.
Serve these scrumptious chicken skewers with Asian-inspired dipping sauces and side dishes. By themselves they are a great light snack, lunch, or dinner. Or pair with hearty sides for a more filling meal. They're even great to include as part of your weekly meal prep!
Recipe ingredients
- 2 pounds Chicken Thighs: Boneless and skinless chicken thighs are moist, tender, and delicious. Thighs are dark meat, and are therefore deliciously fatty and flavorful.
- ½ cup Soy Sauce: This classic Asian food condiment is the umami base of the marinade. It gives the chicken its signature Japanese flavor, and is an acid that tenderizes the meat.
- ¼ cup Mirin: Mirin is a sweet rice wine. It has more sugar and less alcohol by volume than sake. You can easily swap with rice vinegar and add slightly more sugar, if you like!
- ¼ cup Sake: This traditional Japanese rice alcohol gives the marinade an intriguing bite, but does not taste "boozy."
- 2 tablespoons Sugar: Granulated white sugar balances all of the savory/salty/tangy flavors for a full-bodied taste. The sugar will also help to caramelize the outside of the chicken in the air fryer.
- Garlic Clove and Ginger: These are typically found in teriyaki sauce, and both are optional here. But I highly recommend including a bit of fresh garlic and ginger for extra punches of flavor!
How to make air fryer chicken yakitori
Start by taking a large bowl and mixing the chicken pieces with all the other ingredients you have. This blend of flavors will soak into the chicken, so make sure it sits and marinates for at least 30 minutes to absorb all those delicious tastes. While the chicken is marinating, get your air fryer ready by setting it to 400°F and let it warm up for about 5 minutes, ensuring it's hot enough to start cooking right away.
Once your chicken has marinated and absorbed all those wonderful flavors, it's time to get them ready for cooking. Take your skewers and thread the chicken pieces onto them, distributing them evenly. This not only helps them cook uniformly but also makes for a fun and easy way to serve and eat them later.
Now, place your chicken-loaded skewers into the air fryer basket. Be careful not to let them overlap; you want the hot air to circulate freely around each skewer, ensuring every piece of chicken cooks evenly and gets that delicious caramelized exterior.
Cook the chicken for about 10-15 minutes in the air fryer. Remember to turn the skewers halfway through the cooking time. This step is crucial for making sure each side gets that perfect golden-brown finish. You'll know the chicken is ready when it's beautifully caramelized on the outside and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, meaning it's cooked through and safe to eat.
Enjoy your skewered chicken with its rich flavors and perfect texture, a testament to a little patience and the magic of air frying.
Leftovers and reheating
To store chicken yakitori place them in the air tight container for up to 4 days. If there is any juice in the air fryer, add it to the container as well. Reheat kebabs in the air fryer or in the microwave.
Frequently asked questions
These iconic Japanese sauces are both made with soy sauce, mirin, and sugar. Teriyaki sauce brings even more sweetness to the table by using rich brown sugar and adding honey. It's also sometimes thickened with cornstarch for a heavier sauce.
Teriyaki sauce includes garlic and ginger, which traditional yakitori sauce does not contain. So if you choose to add these two ingredients in this recipe, you'll be making a more Westernized and teriyaki-like chicken yakitori.
Yes, it is certainly possible to over-air fry chicken. If the internal temperature goes much beyond 165 degrees the meat will become dry and tough. Check the temp on the short end of the recommended cook time.
Ok, it is not essential to flip the chicken in order to fully cook it. However, I do suggest that you flip the skewers over halfway through cooking... This will help them to cook more evenly, and get nice and crisp on all sides.
If your yakitori is tough, the issue is likely either that the meat was not marinated for long enough and/or the chicken is overcooked.
For the best results be sure to let the chicken thighs marinate for at least 30 minutes. Remove the skewers from the air fryer as soon as the meat hits 165 degrees so the bites do not overcook.
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Hope you will like this air fryer chicken yakitori recipe as much as we do. Rate the recipe if you made it and leave a comment below if you have any questions or suggestions.
Recipe
Air Fryer Chicken Yakitori
Equipment
- Skewers: About 8-12 skewers depending on their size and the size of your air fryer. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 20 minutes before use.
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless chicken thighs
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup mirin
- ¼ cup sake
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 garlic clove minced (optional for extra flavor)
- A small piece of ginger grated (optional for extra flavor)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the chicken pieces with all other ingredients. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Set your air fryer to 400°F to preheat for about 5 minutes.
- Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto the skewers evenly.
- Place the skewered chicken in the air fryer basket, don't overlap. Cook for 10-15 minutes, turn half way through.
- The chicken should be nicely caramelized on the outside and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F.
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