Succulent chicken bites, marinated in a homemade teriyaki sauce, then air fried until juicy and golden brown. Brushed with additional teriyaki sauce, this chicken is fantastic over some rice with broccoli and great for meal prep or an easy dinner idea!
This is one of my Air Fryer recipes I know you’ll want to keep on hand!
Whether you’re eating a bit healthier these days, looking for simple meal prep, or craving a quick and easy dinner idea, these teriyaki chicken bites are just the ticket!
The chicken is juicy and tender, and the homemade teriyaki sauce is absolutely mouthwatering.
I love how easy this is to make in the air fryer, but if you don’t have one, you can still make this recipe… there are stovetop directions in the recipe card below.
Why you’ll love this recipe!
- Versatile – any cut of chicken works well, and you can alter the sauce so it’s just the way you want it.
- Family-friendly – my kids love these chicken bites (we just leave the onion out).
What do I need to make this recipe?
- Soy sauce – I prefer to use reduced sodium soy sauce, so I can control the salt level.
- Water – nothing fancy, just tap water.
- Brown sugar – I use light brown sugar, but dark brown will also work well.
- Ginger – I use fresh ginger and grate it, but I’ve also used an equal amount of a ginger paste (gourmet garden is the brand I use).
- Garlic – I use fresh garlic and mince it, but you can also use garlic paste and it will work just as well (I’d use about 2 tsp).
- Rice vinegar – there are usually two options, seasoned and natural. You can use either in this recipe, although I typically use natural.
- Sesame oil – I prefer to use toasted sesame oil, as it has a richer flavor.
- Cornstarch – this is to thicken the sauce.
- Chicken – I use boneless skinless chicken breasts, which are cut into small bite-sized pieces. You can also use tenderloins, or boneless skinless chicken thighs if you prefer.
- Spices – in this recipe, these are salt, pepper, garlic powder, ground ginger, and sesame seeds.
- Onion – I like to use a sweet onion.
- Green onion – this is for garnish.
How to make air fryer teriyaki chicken bites:
This is just an overview; the full ingredients and directions are in the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.
- Make sauce. Everything is simmered until it’s as thick as you’d like it to be.
- Season chicken. Make sure this is done in a big enough mixing bowl so you can really stir well.
- Add onion and sauce. Don’t add all the sauce, just about 3/4 of it. Reserve the rest.
- Add to air fryer. This will likely need to be done in batches, as you want an even, single layer.
- Air fry. Do this for about 8 minutes, shaking the basket or stirring halfway through.
Helpful Tip!
To ensure even cooking, I recommend cutting the chicken breasts into similarly sized pieces. That way the small pieces don’t get overcooked while the large ones aren’t cooked through yet.
Variations of this recipe
- Chicken – I like to use boneless skinless chicken breasts, but if you’re a fan of chicken tenderloins or boneless skinless chicken thighs, those work just as well.
- Onion – if you would rather not have diced onion in with the chicken in the air fryer, you can omit it.
- Brown sugar – I typically use light brown sugar because that’s what I have on hand, but dark brown sugar will work as well.
- Spicy – if you’re a fan of the sweet/spicy flavor combination, you can add some sriracha, chili crisp, and/or red pepper flakes to the sauce. The exact amounts are up to you and your taste preferences.
- No air fryer – if you don’t have an air fryer, don’t worry, you can still make this recipe. I’ve detailed stovetop directions in the recipe card below (in the “chef tips” section right below the instructions).
- Teriyaki sauce – instead of making a homemade teriyaki sauce, feel free to use about 2/3 to 1 cup of your favorite store-bought sauce.
FAQ’s
Definitely not, this is just my version of a family favorite. I don’t make any claims of authenticity with this recipe. From what I understand, there is a teriyaki glaze in Japan, but it’s not the version we have here in the United States.
Making teriyaki chicken ahead of time
I think this chicken tastes best fresh from the air fryer, but it can be made completely ahead of time.
I do like to make the sauce a day or so ahead of time, and keep it in the refrigerator. Then just heat it up on the stovetop before making the chicken.
Storage
Leftover chicken bites should be refrigerated in an airtight container and enjoyed within 4-5 days.
More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes:
My Favorite Air Fryer!
This is a newer air fryer for me, but I really enjoy it! I love the larger, rectangular basket, and that the basket is nonstick, removable, and dishwasher safe! Plus, it just looks great on the counter.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Ingredients
Teriyaki sauce
- 1/2 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 Tbsp packed light brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp fresh ginger grated
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Tbsp rice vinegar natural or seasoned
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1/2 Tbsp sesame seeds
Chicken bites
- 1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 medium sweet onion diced
- sliced green onions for garnish
Instructions
Make sauce
- Add 1/2 cup reduced sodium soy sauce, 1/4 cup water, 2 Tbsp packed light brown sugar, 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, 3 cloves garlic, 1 Tbsp rice vinegar, 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil, 1 Tbsp cornstarch, and 1/2 Tbsp sesame seeds to a small saucepan.
- Whisk to combine and heat over MED heat until the sauce starts to come to a low boil. Then reduce heat to MED LOW or LOW and simmer until sauce is desired consistency.
- Remove from heat and let sauce cool for 5-10 minutes.
Prepare chicken
- Preheat air fryer to 380°F.
- Add chopped pieces of 1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts to a large mixing bowl.
- Add 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, and 1/2 tsp ground ginger and stir to coat well. Add 1/2 medium sweet onion and about 3/4 of the sauce you made, and stir again.
- The chicken doesn't have to marinate, but you can let it marinate for an hour or so if you'd like.
Cook chicken
- Transfer chicken to preheated air fryer in an even single layer (you'll likely have to cook the chicken in batches).
- Air fry for 8-10 minutes (or a little longer if you like a bit of char), shaking the basket or stirring halfway through. Ensure the chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F, and repeat with remaining chicken.
Garnish and serve
- Serve chicken hot, drizzled with remaining sauce and sprinkled with sliced green onions if desired.
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Chef Tips
- I’ve estimated this recipe serves approximately 4, but feel free to divide it into as many servings as you’d like.
Stovetop Directions:
- Make sauce as directed. Season and marinate chicken/onion as directed.
- Heat a large skillet over MED HIGH heat. Once hot, add a generous drizzle of avocado or olive oil.
- Add chicken pieces in a single layer (you’ll likely have to cook the chicken in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan), and cook for 3 minutes on one side.
- Flip chicken pieces over and cook another 3 minutes or so on the other side, or until golden brown and cooked through to 165°F.
- Serve hot, drizzled/brushed with remaining sauce and sprinkled with green onions.
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Melissa says
Made this but next time I’ll cut the soy sauce. I used reduced sodium tamari but it was way too salty after it reduced a bit. Otherwise it turned out great with a little rice and Asian cabbage slaw.