Air Fryer Teriyaki Chicken is easy on prep yet big on taste! It’s ready in minutes and delivers amazing sweet and savory flavors the whole family will love. Perfect for busy weeknights!
If you loved the sweet and savory flavors of my air fryer pineapple chicken skewers, then I have another recipe you’d want in your back pocket! These chicken teriyaki drumsticks are just easy to make in the air fryer and taste amazing!
They’re tender and juicy on the inside with a thick and gooey sauce that’s finger-licking delicious. Serve them with steamed rice and stir-fry veggies for a guaranteed dinner hit.
Marinade Sauce
You can use store-bought teriyaki sauce or make it from scratch. The homemade recipe comes together in 10 minutes and requires four simple ingredients you can find at most major supermarkets or order online.
The minced ginger and garlic are optional but highly recommended for an extra boost of flavor.
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup mirin
- 1/2 sake
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 thumb-size ginger, peeled and minced
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
Helpful tips
- Feel free to swap the drumsticks with your favorite chicken cuts such as wings and thighs as well as boneless chicken breasts or thigh meat. Adjust cooking time accordingly.
- Try to use uniform size drums to ensure even cooking.
- For food separate, divide the sauce into two. One part is for marinating and the other for basting.
- To help the basting sauce cling to the chicken more, thicken it either by reducing or with cornstarch slurry.
- I like to add fresh garlic and ginger to the base teriyaki marinade for extra flavor. Fresh is best but you can easily substitute ground ginger and garlic powder.
How to serve
- These air fryer teriyaki chicken drumsticks are delicious as a main entree for lunch or dinner with steamed rice, Asian noodles, or mashed cauliflower. Swap the drums with wings for an easy and tasty appetizer or party food!
- Store leftovers in a covered container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheat at 375 F in the air fryer for about 3 to 4 minutes, flipping once ensure even heating.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (about 8 pieces) chicken drumsticks
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup sake
- 1/2 cup mirin
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 thumb-size ginger, peeled and minced
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
- green onions, chopped
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine soy sauce, sake, mirin, and sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
- Transfer half of the mixture into a saucepan to makw the basting sauce. Over medium heat, simmer for about 1 to 2 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1/4 cup water and stir until smooth. Add to the pan, whisking vigorously to prevent lumps.
- Simmer until basting sauce is thickened. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In the bowl, add the chicken to the remaining marinade mixture and toss to fully coat. Cover with plastic film and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or overnight for best results.
- Drain chicken, discarding liquid.
- Spray air fryer rack with non-stick cooking spray and arrange chicken in a single layer onto the rack.
- Set air fryer to 400* for 20 minutes, stopping ½ way through. to flip and baste the chicken with the thickened teriyaki sauce.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions. Serve hot.
Nutrition Information
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
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