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Note: for this recipe I used my De’Longhi air fryer, but I have instructions for any air fryer if you have a different one at home! If you’d like to purchase the model I have, it is available on Amazon.
The story behind the chicken
I’ve been on the hunt for easy air fryer whole chicken recipes, specifically air fryer chicken recipes because that is THE kitchen gadget everyone has been raving about. But because I have an older model that doesn’t allow you to set the temperature, I’ve been a little hesitant to test it.
I was also looking for a recipe that had more of an Asian feel. Unfortunately, everything that kept coming up was either spiced with cumin and chili powder or battered with italian seasoning.
That is, until my mom came to visit me from New York. She is a phenomenal cook, and she has a newer air fryer model so she’s been chef-ing it up at home during the pandemic! When she presented this to us for dinner, I could not stop eating.
I couldn’t believe a machine that uses hot air could produce such a juicy chicken breast! The best part is that because the bottom was lined with aluminum foil, it made for such an easy clean up too!
Things to keep in mind
This recipe calls for a whole chicken, which can sound intimidating if this is your first time making chicken. If you don’t want to make a whole chicken, you can choose to use this marinade for chicken wings or chicken drumsticks as well. You may have to decrease the amount of marinade and cooking time depending on the amount of chicken you make and the size of your chicken breasts.
If you plan to use a cut like boneless chicken breast or tenders, you’ll want to make sure you cook them on a single layer. You may have to cook the chicken pieces in batches, as that is the best way to ensure everything cooks evenly.
Asian Air Fryer Chicken Recipe
Equipment
- air fryer
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken
- ⅓-½ cup Maggi sauce
- ⅛ cup hoisin sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1-2 tbsps Adobo powder
- pepper, to taste
Optional
- garlic powder
- onion powder
Instructions
- Pierce your chicken with a knife. You want to make holes all over the chicken so the marinade goes into the chicken.
- Add your Maggi sauce, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, adobo powder, pepper, and sesame oil to your chicken. 1 tablespoon of sesame oil may seem like too little oil, but don’t worry. A little goes a long way!
- Rub your chicken with the marinade, making sure that each crevice gets love.
- Seal in an airtight container and store in your refrigerator. For best results, let chicken marinate for two days. If you’re in a time crunch, one day will suffice!
- Lay aluminum foil into the air fryer basket and set the temperature to 375 degrees F. If you have a De’Longhi air fryer like I do, remove the part that rotates and set the temperature to the third setting.
- Remove your chicken from the container. You do NOT need to dab marinade with paper towels. Place your chicken into the air fryer breast side up. Let it cook for about 25 minutes.
- After 25 minutes, flip your chicken and let it cook on the other side for an additional 25 minutes. Note that cook time will depend on the size of your chicken, so you may want to stick a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken and make sure the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. If you don’t have a meat thermometer, you can cut into the thigh and see if the juices run clear.
- Once your chicken is done cooking, remove it from the air fryer and place it onto a cutting board. Carve your chicken and serve!
Conclusion
That’s it! Now you know how to make juicy chicken in your air fryer every single time that your whole family can enjoy. I like to serve this with potatoes, vegetables and a dipping sauce like sweet chili or hot sauce (Sriracha lovers unite!). Chicken is a very versatile protein so you can really choose to serve it with just about anything. And since you’ll probably have plenty of leftovers, this recipe is also great if you like to meal prep!
