Maple-Soy Glazed Air-Fryer Chicken Thighs

Cook the seasoned thighs in the air fryer and make a separate garlic-maple glaze on the stove.

Ingredients

Chicken

• 2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• Zest of 1 lemon
• ⅛ cup soy sauce (2 tbsp)
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika

Glaze and serving

• 2 tbsp butter
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ cup maple syrup
• ⅓ cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 3 tsp Momofuku chili oil, or another chili oil or chili crisp
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp water
• Sliced green onions or sesame seeds, optional
• Cooked rice and vegetables, optional

Instructions

1. Season and preheat. Toss the thighs with the lemon zest, the 2 tbsp soy sauce, ¼ cup maple syrup, garlic powder and paprika. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Keep raw-chicken utensils separate from the glaze ingredients.
2. Air-fry without stacking. Spread a batch of thighs in one layer. Turn halfway through a roughly 15-minute cooking period. Start checking near 12 minutes and continue until each thickest portion reaches at least 165°F. Repeat for any remaining chicken.
3. Prepare the glaze while the chicken cooks. Stir the cornstarch and water together in a cup. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat and stir in the garlic for about 30 seconds. Add the glaze's ½ cup maple syrup, ⅓ cup soy sauce, vinegar and chili oil. Simmer for 3-4 minutes.
4. Thicken and coat. Stir the slurry again, whisk it into the simmering glaze and cook until it lightly coats a spoon. Toss in the cooked chicken using clean utensils. Discard any marinade left in the raw-chicken bowl; it is not part of the finishing glaze.
5. Serve. Add the optional green onions or sesame seeds. Spoon extra glaze over rice and vegetables if using.

Notes

• Steamed Jasmine Rice and Sesame-Garlic Broccoli are existing accompaniments; their cooking time is separate.
• Honey can replace maple syrup, with a different flavor and browning behavior. Reduce or omit chili oil for a milder version.
• For gluten-free preparation, use verified gluten-free tamari and check the chili oil/crisp, not just the soy sauce. Butter adds milk; sesame garnish and some chili oils add sesame.
• The saved creator credit has no confirmed public permalink, so none is supplied.
• Keep raw or uncooked meat, its juices and utensils away from ready-to-eat ingredients. Wash hands and clean contact surfaces. Safe cooking temperatures.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in shallow covered containers at 40°F or below within 2 hours of cooking or preparation, or within 1 hour when the surroundings exceed 90°F. Use within 4 days. Reheat to 165°F throughout, adding a little water or the recipe liquid if needed; use a thermometer rather than time alone. Freeze cooked chicken with glaze in meal-sized portions; thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.

USDA cooling, storage and reheating guidance.

Attribution

Saved attribution: Brandon Gouveia (@brandongouveia), What's For Dinner Tonight? Ep. 3; independently written adaptation.

These directions are independently written for a personal recipe collection. They are not the credited creator's text or endorsement, and no claim of physical recipe testing or additional reuse license is made.