Air Fryer Salt and Pepper Chicken

written by Air Fryer Recipes | December 5, 2024

Ingredients

To marinate the chicken

1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons Shiaoxing wine or substitute mirin, sake, sochu, or dry white wine
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For dredging and air frying
2 eggs
1 cup cornstarch

Oil for spritzing or brushing

For the topping
1 tablespoon butter
4 to 6 chiles like serrano, red or green or a combination, thinly sliced
3 to 4 garlic cloves thinly sliced
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
¼ to ½ teaspoon Szechuan pepper-salt see note

Directions

Line the air fryer basket with parchment paper or a reusable silicone liner.

In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, salt, and pepper and toss to coat the chicken. Let marinate for at least 20 minutes. If you want to marinate the chicken for longer, cover and refrigerate it for as long as overnight.

Beat the eggs in a shallow bowl.

Put the cornstarch in a separate shallow bowl.

Dunk the chicken pieces first in the cornstarch, then in the egg, and then in the cornstarch again to coat. Arrange the coated chicken pieces on the parchment paper in the air fryer.

Once all of the chicken is coated and arranged in the air fryer (you will likely have to do this in 2 batches), spritz or brush the chicken with a bit of cooking oil.

Air fry the chicken at 400ºF for 8 minutes. Turn the chicken pieces over, spritz or brush with a bit more oil, and then cook for another 7 minutes at 400ºF.

While the chicken is cooking, melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Once it is sizzling and begins to foam, add the chiles and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the chiles begin to brown, 1 to 2 minutes.

When the chicken is finished in the air fryer, transfer it to a serving bowl or platter. Add the fried chiles and garlic and toss gently to distribute. Sprinkle with the white pepper and the pepper-salt and serve immediately.