Air Fryer Teriyaki Chicken (Sugar-Free)

Teriyaki Chicken in the air fryer is an absolutely delicious dinner ready in under 30 minutes. Made with an easy homemade sugar free teriyaki sauce, it is so much better than takeout!

This air fryer teriyaki chicken is such a delicious and easy weeknight dinner recipe to make! We marinate chicken tenderloins in homemade teriyaki sauce for maximum flavour and is so much better than take out! Typically teriyaki sauce is quite high in sugar so we use monk fruit sweetener in place of sugar but you can easily use coconut sugar, brown sugar or honey if you prefer.

The chicken is then air fried so less oil is used and there’s no mess on the stove top. That’s a big win for me! Plus I love that you can serve it with anything you want. I personally love to pair it with basmati rice and stir fried veggies.

What is teriyaki?

Teriyaki is a cooking technique used in Japanese cuisine in which foods are grilled with a glaze of soy sauce, mirin (rice vinegar), and sugar. Here in the western world, it’s a poplar takeout dish where the chicken is often fried and tossed with the sweet, tangy and sticky teriyaki sauce.

Ingredients you’ll need

It’s easy to make air fryer chicken teriyaki at home. All you need is to gather these ingredients and whisk together the sauce and cook the chicken.

• Chicken: I used chicken tenderloins but you can also use sliced chicken breast or thighs if you prefer.
• Soy sauce: you can use a low-sodium soy sauce to reduce the salt content. Try using tamari or coconut aminos if you want a gluten-free alternative to regular soy sauce.
• Rice vinegar: or substitute with white vinegar in a pinch.
• Sweetener: I used granulated monk fruit sweetener but brown sugar, coconut sugar or honey also work
• Tapioca flour or arrowroot flour: to thicken the sauce. You can also use corn flour.
• Garlic powder + ginger powder
• Sesame oil

How To Make Teriyaki Chicken In Air Fryer

Make sauce: Whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, garlic, sweetener, tapioca flour and sesame oil until all is dissolved.

Marinate chicken: Toss chicken tenderloins with 1/4 cup of the teriyaki sauce and let marinade for about 30 minutes, if possible.

Thicken sauce: In a small saucepan, heat the remaining sauce and bring to a boil over low heat. Cook for about 2 minutes and then remove from heat (it will thicken as it cools).

Air fry: Place the chicken pieces in the air fryer basket and air fry at 200C/ 400F. Cook for 7 minutes, brush with sauce, turn over, brush with more sauce and continue cooking for an additional 6 to 7 minutes. Finish with another coating of sauce. Garnish with sesame seeds and enjoy.

Tips and substitutions

• Cut chicken in to even sized pieces.
• Line your air fryer basket with parchment paper for easy clean up.
• Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket. Place chicken in a single layer or cook in batches if needed.
• Type of chicken: I’ve used chicken tenderloins here but you can also use sliced chicken breast or chicken thighs for a juicier and more flavourful teriyaki chicken.
• Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for some heat.
• Use coconut aminos in place of soy sauce for a soy free teriyaki sauce.

What to serve air fried teriyaki chicken with

• I like to serve this chicken with basmati rice and stir fried veggies. 
• You can also serve it with cauliflower rice or noodles.
• Enjoy with my sesame carrot & cucumber salad
• Serve with steamed or air-fried vegetables.

How To Store

• Refrigerate leftover teriyaki chicken in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
• Reheat the chicken in the microwave until warm.
• To freeze: place the cooked and glazed chicken pieces in a zip lock bag and freeze for 3 months.
• Defrost overnight in the fridge and air fry chicken until warm. 

Recipe FAQ

Other dinner recipes to try

Teriyaki Salmon with Soba Noodles + Broccolini

Pineapple Tofu Stir Fry

15-Minute Peanut Chickpea Stir Fry

If you try this air fryer chicken recipe or have a question, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.

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