These air fryer teriyaki chicken bites are coated in flavorful homemade teriyaki sauce that is both gluten free and soy free. It's a healthy air fryer recipe that is easy and ready in 30 minutes.
This air fryer teriyaki chicken is so much healthier than any store-bought or take-out teriyaki chicken! This will for sure become one of you new favorite chicken recipes!
I use a homemade sauce which I adapted from my own soy-free/gluten-free teriyaki sauce. For this recipe, I made the sauce thicker. It's best for the bite-sized chicken pieces to have a nice coating of sauce before going in the air fryer.
This air fryer chicken makes such an easy and quick meal. Serve it alongside some brown rice and these roasted cauliflower steaks, or steam up broccoli, or any of your favorite veggies.
Recipe Features
- No breading or marinating needed – The teriyaki sauce for this recipe is nice and thick, so no need to let the chicken marinade before air frying and no need for any sort of breading.
- Dietary needs – Gluten free, soy free, dairy free, and an option for sugar free.
- Versatile – These chicken teriyaki bites makes a healthy protein for a main dish, or throw in some toothpicks and it’s a delicious appetizer as well!
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below. Here are some specific call-outs, and when needed some tips on keeping the ingredients clean.
CHICKEN BREAST – I use skinless chicken breasts, but you can use boneless/skinless skinless chicken thighs.
Clean food tip: Opt for organic chicken if you can. Chicken that’s been certified organic has not been given antibiotics and has been fed organic feed. In addition, I like to look for certifications like “Certified Humane Raised and Handled”, “Global Animal Partnership” or “Animal Welfare Approved.” This ensures quality treatment of the chickens.
COCONUT AMINOS – To keep this both gluten and soy free, I use coconut aminos. If not gluten/soy free, regular soy sauce or tamari could be used instead.
HONEY – I really like the light sweetness the honey provides, but if you want to keep sugar free, you can omit all together. You can also use pure maple syrup or coconut sugar to make it vegan.
Clean food tip: Look for raw honey. Raw honey has more nutrients and antioxidants because it doesn't go through the same amount of processing as regular honey.
GINGER AND GARLIC – The recipe calls for fresh ginger and fresh garlic, but if in a pinch, you can use ground ginger and garlic powder. See recipe card below for specific amounts.
TAPICOA STARCH – This is used to get the teriyaki sauce nice and thick. Arrowroot starch or corn starch can be used in its place.
Directions
STEP 1: Make the teriyaki sauce. Add water, coconut aminos, honey, rice vinegar, garlic and ginger to a small saucepan and whisk to combine. Cook over medium heat until it starts to simmer.
Meanwhile, whisk cold water and starch in a small dish. Once sauce starts to simmer, turn heat to low and whisk in starch mixture. Sauce should thicken right away. Continue to stir and cook on low for about one minute and remove from heat.
STEP 2: Place cut up chicken in a medium bowl and pour teriyaki sauce over chicken pieces. Mix chicken with teriyaki sauce to ensure all pieces are evenly coated.
STEP 3: Place chicken pieces in your air fryer basket. Ensure air fryer has been pre-heated to 380 degrees (if your air fryer requires pre-heating). Don’t overlap chicken, but its okay if all the pieces are touching.
Air fry for 13-15 minutes, shaking basket half way through.
Check your biggest piece of chicken and if it’s cooked through you know they are all done. They will remain juicy and flavorful even if slightly over cooked. If you want extra crispy, you can cook for a couple additional minutes.
Enjoy your air fryer teriyaki chicken!
FAQs
Yes you can, but the thicker the sauce you use the better. You really want the sauce to adhere to the chicken that is why I like my homemade teriyaki as it’s nice and thick.
If you use store bought, I recommend brushing the chicken with the marinade when you mix the chicken half way through the cooking time.
Yes, any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Yep! Can be stored in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.
I bought a pretty inexpensive one last year by Instant Vortex and I think it works great! I've seen really good reviews for Philips air fryers, too.
Tips for Success
Use tongs for adding the chicken pieces and taking the chicken out of the air-fryer.
Lay chicken pieces out evenly in your air fryer basket – this ensures even distribution of heat. It’s okay if they are touching/squished when the first go in – they will shrink as they cook.
Reserve some teriyaki sauce. Before pouring sauce on chicken, set aside about ¼ cup to brush on top of chicken after it is done cooking for some extra flavor.
For extra crispy chicken, you can continue to cook for a few additional minutes even after the chicken is cooked through.
More Chicken Recipes For You To Try
I Love Hearing From You!
If you make this recipe, please let me know what you think! I would so appreciate you leaving a star rating and/or comment below. And don't forget to share a photo on Instagram or Facebook and mention @CleanPlateMama!
Air Fryer Teriyaki Chicken
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- ½ cup + 2 tbsp. water, divided
- ½ cup coconut aminos
- 1 tbsp. honey (can omit if you want sugar free)
- 1 tbsp. rice vinegar
- 1 tsp. freshly grated ginger (or ¼ tsp. ground ginger)
- 3 garlic cloves, pressed or minced (or ½ tsp. garlic powder)
- 2 tbsp. tapioca starch
- 2 lbs. chicken breasts, cut into roughly 1" cubes
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, whisk together ½ cup water, coconut aminos, honey, rice vinegar, ginger, and garlic. Bring to a low simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the remaining water (2 tablespoons) with the tapioca starch. This is your slurry which will thicken your sauce. Set aside.
- After the sauce begins to simmer, turn heat to low and add in the slurry. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce is thick enough that it coats a spoon (this should only take 30 seconds to a minute).
- Place chicken pieces in a large mixing bowl and pour sauce over chicken (prior to adding sauce to chicken, you can set aside ¼ cup to brush on chicken after cooking if desired). Stir chicken and teriyaki so that all pieces are fully coated in sauce.
- Using a tongs, place chicken pieces in bottom of your air fryer basket. It's okay if pieces are touching, but try not to overlap pieces.
- Set timer for 13 minutes and cook at 380 degrees F (if your air fryer requires pre-heating, make sure it was preheated). Stir chicken, or shake basket half way through cooking time.
- Cut one of your largest pieces of chicken in half to ensure it's cooked through. If needed, continue cooking in 1-2 minute intervals.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- The thicker the sauce the better - don't remove teriyaki sauce from heat before it's nice and thick. It should coat a spoon and resemble more of a caramel sauce type thickness.
- Try to make sure chicken pieces are about the same size for uniform cooking.
- For extra crispy chicken, you can continue to cook for a few additional minutes even after the chicken is cooked through.
- I find it best to use a tongs for getting chicken in and out of air fryer basket.
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