Recipes

Air Fried Honey Lemon Chicken

A crispy, tangy-sweet chicken dish with minimal oil, perfect as an appetizer or with rice

Servings: 3-4
Prep Time: 15 minutes + 1 hour marinating
Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • Marinade:
    • 340g boneless chicken leg, bite-sized (chicken breast or thigh works too)
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 2 tbsp light soy sauce (30ml)
    • 1 tbsp fresh ginger juice (grate young ginger and squeeze)
    • Few dashes white pepper
    • 1 egg white (optional, for better coating adhesion)
    • 2 tbsp cornflour/cornstarch (plus extra for coating)
  • Sauce:
    • 100ml water
    • 2 tbsp sugar
    • 0.5 tsp salt
    • Juice from ½ lemon
    • 1 tsp lemon zest
    • 1 tbsp honey (added last, optional)

Notes

  • You can substitute orange juice and zest for a citrus twist
  • Resting the floured chicken ensures the coating doesn't flake off during frying
  • Oil spray promotes uniform browning without deep-frying's grease

Instructions

  1. Marinate the chicken by combining bite-sized chicken pieces with salt, light soy sauce, ginger juice, white pepper, egg white (if using), and 2 tbsp cornflour in a bowl. Mix well and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

  2. After marinating, coat pieces in additional cornflour by hand-mixing and squeezing gently to create a thick layer. Shake off excess and rest for 10-15 minutes so the coating adheres firmly.

  3. Spray the coated chicken lightly with oil on both sides for even browning.

  4. Preheat air fryer to 200°C (400°F). Arrange chicken in a single layer without overlapping and cook for 10 minutes until golden. Work in batches if needed.

  5. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce by heating water, sugar, and salt in a pan until dissolved. Stir in lemon juice and zest over high heat, reducing until it coats a spoon thickly with big bubbles forming.

  6. Remove sauce from heat and mix in honey. Toss the fried chicken in the glossy sauce for a sweet-sour finish.