Air Fryer Honey Garlic Chicken Skewers (small batch)

 

I am always looking for ways to use my Air Fryer. I probably don't use it enough and I need to use it more.  When I saw this  Honey Garlic Chicken Skewers Air Fryer Recipe the other day I immediately bookmarked it as something I wanted to try.

Not only would I be able to use my air fryer and justify my having it, but the flavors were some of the flavors that I enjoy the most!  I love LOVE Asian flavors.   Juicy chicken pieces infused with the flavors of soy, honey and garlic and then air fried to sweet and sticky perfection. What's not to love about that combination!

 

You do need to marinate the chicken for at least four hours, or up to 24, which makes it the perfect recipe to get started on ahead of time.  Once they have marinated it is a quick threading onto water soaked bamboo skewers and a quick and easy bake in the air fryer!

Some of the marinade is also turned into a lush glaze to brush on the skewers prior to cooking them, as well as halfway through the cook time. More is passed at the table.  It is a really delicious combination of flavors and textures.  So delicious that I wish I had doubled the recipe so that I had some extra when it came time to serve the skewers.  Next time I will do just that.

 

The fact that you can marinate the chicken for this ahead of time, cooking them at the last minute makes this an ideal mid-week supper idea.  You can also cook these in the oven if you wished to  and don't have an air fryer, although it would take a bit longer to cook.  I would add an additional 8 to 10 minutes of cook time.

You can also add a few extra flavors to the marinade if you wish, such as a dash of sriracha sauce for some heat, perhaps some crushed chilies, again for heat. Or why not add a hint of lime  or orange juice for a subtle touch of citrus.  Both go very well with Asian flavors.  You could even add a spot of BBQ sauce if you were so inclined.

Quick, easy, delicious.  These  are wonderful served on a bed of sticky rice with some spring onions scattered over top!  I think you could also enjoy them with mashed potatoes if rice is not your thing, or even some noodles!

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE AIR FRYER HONEY GARLIC CHICKEN SKEWERS

Quantities given are enough to feed two people. If you want to feed more, simply double or triple the ingredients. You may have to cook the skewers in batches for a larger sized recipe. If you keep a larder/refrigerator well stocked with oriental ingredients you probably have everything you need already to make these.

For the marinade/glaze:

• 1/4 cup (60ml) soy sauce
• 1/4 cup (85g) liquid honey
• 1 1/2 TBS minced garlic
• 1 TBS oyster sauce
• 1 TBS soft light brown sugar
• 1/2 TBS rice wine vinegar
• 1 tsp sesame oil

You will also need:

• 1/2 pound (227g) boneless, skinless chicken thigh meat
• 1 spring onion, trimmed, washed and thinly sliced
• steamed rice to serve
• 4 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for half an hour
• an air fryer

 

I bought my skewers at the grocery store.  Most carry them. You can use the longer thinner ones or these shorter ones I have used. Note, if you are using the longer thinner ones, you may need to cut them down in size to fit in the air fryer.

I used free range, antibiotic free boneless skinless chicken thighs for this recipe. I like to trim as much fat from them that I can before cutting them into chunks.  I find that thigh meat has a much richer flavor than breasts and does not dry out as easily.  It does require a longer cook time, so if you do decide to use chicken breasts, bear in mind that they may cook quicker.

 

Most grocery stores carry a wide range of Asian/Oriental ingredients these days.  I am able to find all of these things in my local shops. The whole bottom shelf on my refrigerator door is dedicated only to Asian/Oriental cookery.

I have jars of hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, several type of soy sauce, Ketjap Manis, sriracha sauce, mirin, rice wine vinegar, toasted sesame oil, etc. on tap at all times, ready to make into delicious dishes like this one!

 

HOW TO MAKE AIR FRYER HONEY GARLIC CHICKEN SKEWERS

If you are like me, you  probably don't use your air fryer as much as you should. Recipes that are quick and easy to make like this one might inspire you to use it more often.  This is simply fabulous!

Whisk all of the marinade/glaze ingredients in a bowl, combining well together.

Cut the chicken thighs into 1 inch pieces. Place them into a zip lock baggie. Add half of the marinade/glaze. (Reserve the other half for later.) Smoosh everything about to coat the chicken well, zip closed and then place in the refrigerator to marinate, for at least four hours.

When you are ready to cook the chicken, pour the remaining marinade/glaze into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer until it slightly thickens. (It will thicken more as it cools.) Remove from the heat and set aside.

Thread the piece of chicken onto the soaked skewers, dividing it equally amongst the flour skewers.

Preheat the air fryer to 400*F/200*C. Lightly spray the basket of your air fryer with some non-stick cooking spray.

 

Place the skewers in the air fryer basket, leaving some space between each one for the air to circulate. Do not overcrowd. Brush each with some of the glaze.

Air fry at 400*F/200*C/ for 8 minutes. Flip the skewers over, brush with more glaze and continue to air fry for a further 8 minutes, until cooked through.

Remove the skewers from the air basket, brush with the remaining glaze and serve immediately, with some steamed rice and some spring onion scattered over top.

 

I really enjoyed this delicious recipe. I loved the oriental flavors of the marinade and glaze. It went beautifully with the richness of the chicken thigh meat.  They were sticky and sweet and savory all at the same time. 

 

You will be licking your fingers after eating these tasty skewers trying to make the most of those Asian flavors. Next time I make them I am going to double the sauce/glaze. Yes it is that good!

I don't use my air fryer quite as often as I should. When I do use it I am always impressed with the results.   Here are some other air fryer recipes that  might inspire you to want to use your own air fryer more often!

AIR FRYER BAKED POTATO WEDGES -  Wedges of baking potato are sliced in a Hasselback method to make little pockets and then rubbed with a buttery mixture prior to baking to perfection in the air fryer.  The mixture seeps into those pockets flavoring the potatoes from the inside out. Crisp and delicious, these make a lovely side dish for grilled meats, fish and poultry!

  

AIR FRYER HOT DOGS -    Hot dogs/frankfurters are air fried for several minutes until heated through and beginning to brown. While they are cooking you fill a soft sided hot dog bun with some honey mustard and sweet relish. The outsides of the bun are brushed with softened butter. You then fill with the heated frankfurter, top with some cheese and return to the air fryer to melt the cheese and toast the buns. I also like to add some crispy fried salad onions on top for extra interest and crunch. Can you say delicious!

Yield: 2

Author: Marie Rayner

Air Fryer Honey Garlic Chicken Skewers

Prep time: 4 H & 15 MCook time: 16 MinTotal time: 4 H & 31 M

Marinated in a lush honey garlic sauce, pieces of chicken thigh are then threaded on skewers and cooked in the air fryer, being glazed with more of the marinade. These are tender, juicy and delicious! This is a small batch recipe. You will need to marinate the chicken for at least four hours, or overnight.

Ingredients

For the marinade/glaze:

• 1/4 cup (60ml) soy sauce
• 1/4 cup (85g) liquid honey
• 1 1/2 TBS minced garlic
• 1 TBS oyster sauce
• 1 TBS soft light brown sugar
• 1/2 TBS rice wine vinegar
• 1 tsp sesame oil

You will also need:

• 1/2 pound (227g) boneless, skinless chicken thigh meat
• 1 spring onion, trimmed, washed and thinly sliced
• steamed rice to serve
• 4 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for half an hour
• an air fryer

Instructions

1. Whisk all of the marinade/glaze ingredients in a bowl, combining well together.
2. Cut the chicken thighs into 1 inch pieces. Place them into a zip lock baggie. Add half of the marinade/glaze. (Reserve the other half for later.) Smoosh everything about to coat the chicken well, zip closed and then place in the refrigerator to marinate, for at least four hours.
3. When you are ready to cook the chicken, pour the remaining marinade/glaze into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer until it slightly thickens. (It will thicken more as it cools.) Remove from the heat and set aside.
4. Thread the piece of chicken onto the soaked skewers, dividing it equally amongst the flour skewers.
5. Preheat the air fryer to 400*F/200*C. Lightly spray the basket of your air fryer with some non-stick cooking spray.
6. Place the skewers in the air fryer basket, leaving some space between each one for the air to circulate. Do not overcrowd. Brush each with some of the glaze.
7. Air fry at 400*F/200*C/ for 8 minutes. Flip the skewers over, brush with more glaze and continue to air fry for a further 8 minutes, until cooked through.
8. Remove the skewers from the air basket, brush with the remaining glaze and serve immediately, with some steamed rice and some spring onion scattered over top.

All rights reserved The English Kitchen

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @marierayner5530 on instagram and hashtag it #TheEnglishKitchen

Just a heads up.  I have previously sent out newsletters via a program called Mad Mimi.  This is a service which is costing me upwards of $35 a month to use.  I am switching my e-mail lists over to Grow which is free for me to use. You might get an email from them asking you to confirm your subscription. Don't worry. Its not spam. Once I have given people a chance to confirm their acceptance I will be shutting down the old program.  Thank you for your patience!

This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com  

 Thanks so much for visiting! Do come again! 

 If you like what you see here, why not consider signing up for my newsletter and/or subscribing/following me on Grow. You can also bookmark my recipes via the Grow platform. Check out the heart on the right hand side of the screen.