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Air Fryer Sesame Chicken

Air Fryer Sesame Chicken
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Air Fryer Sesame Chicken is a quick and easy dinner made with crispy chicken pieces tossed in a sticky, sweet-and-savory soy–sesame sauce. Using the air fryer keeps the chicken golden and crunchy with less oil, and the whole dish is ready in under 30 minutes—perfect for busy weeknights.

Ingredients

Scale

Crispy Chicken

  • 6 large skinless chicken thigh fillets (about 750 g / 1.65 lb untrimmed, 600 g / 1.3 lb trimmed)

  • 3 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)

  • ¼ tsp salt

  • ¼ tsp black pepper

  • ½ tsp garlic powder

  • ½ tsp paprika

  • 3 tbsp oil

Sesame Sauce

  • 1½ tbsp sesame oil

  • 1 tsp garlic powder (or 2 cloves garlic, minced)

  • 1½ tbsp Chinese rice vinegar

  • 3 tbsp honey

  • 3 tbsp sweet chilli sauce

  • 4 tbsp tomato ketchup

  • 3 tbsp light brown sugar

  • 3 tbsp light soy sauce

  • 3 tbsp dark soy sauce

To Serve

  • Sesame seeds

  • Chopped spring onions (scallions)

  • Boiled rice or egg fried rice

Instructions

  1. Prepare the chicken
    Trim excess fat from the chicken thighs and cut into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

  2. Coat the chicken
    In a medium bowl, mix the cornflour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Add the chicken and toss until every piece is fully coated.

  3. Add oil
    Drizzle the oil over the chicken and mix well. The chicken should look sticky and well covered.

  4. Air fry
    Place the chicken in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook at 190°C / 375°F for 15–18 minutes, shaking the basket at least 3 times during cooking to prevent sticking.
    Tip: Cook in batches if your air fryer is small.

  5. Make the sauce
    While the chicken cooks, add all sauce ingredients to a microwave-safe bowl. Stir well and microwave on high for 3 minutes, stirring every minute, until hot and slightly thickened.
    (You can also heat it gently in a saucepan on the stove.)

  6. Combine
    Once the chicken is cooked through, toss it in the warm sesame sauce until evenly coated.

  7. Serve
    Sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped spring onions. Serve hot with boiled rice or egg fried rice.

Notes

  • Chicken thighs stay juicier than chicken breast, but breast can be used if preferred.

  • Don’t overcrowd the air fryer—this helps the chicken crisp up properly.

  • For extra crunch, spray the basket lightly with oil before adding the chicken.

  • Like it spicy? Add a pinch of chilli flakes or a dash of sriracha to the sauce.

Find it online: https://chocotune.com/air-fryer-sesame-chicken/