Sweet Chili Air Fryer Chicken (Printer-Friendly)

Crispy glazed chicken thighs with sweet chili, soy, and honey—ready in under 35 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 lbs)

→ Marinade & Glaze

02 - 1/3 cup sweet chili sauce
03 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
04 - 1 tablespoon honey
05 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
06 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
07 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
08 - 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
09 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Garnish

11 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
12 - 1 tablespoon 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 crispy skin during cooking.
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 well 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 third for glazing. Marinate for at least 20 minutes or up to overnight in the refrigerator.
04 - Preheat the air fryer to 390°F (200°C).
05 - Remove the chicken from the marinade, shaking off any excess. Place the thighs skin-side down in the air fryer basket in a single layer without overlapping.
06 - Air fry for 12 minutes, then flip the chicken and brush generously with the reserved marinade. Continue air frying for another 10 minutes until the skin is golden and crispy and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
07 - Remove the chicken from the air fryer and let rest for 3 minutes. Garnish with chopped cilantro, toasted sesame seeds, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The glaze caramelizes in the air fryer into a sticky, lacquered crust that rivals any restaurant version.
  • It comes together with pantry staples you probably already have, making it perfect for chaotic weeknights.
  • Bone-in thighs stay incredibly juicy while the skin gets shatteringly crisp, which is basically the best of both worlds.
02 -
  • If you skip drying the chicken before marinating, the skin will steam instead of crisp and you will end up disappointed.
  • Reserving part of the marinade for glazing rather than using the contaminated marinade is both a safety and flavor win.
03 -
  • Letting the chicken come to room temperature for fifteen minutes before air frying ensures more even cooking and better skin crisping.
  • Brushing on the reserved glaze during the last few minutes rather than at the start of cooking prevents the sugars from burning.

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