Background
Air Fryer Chicken Breast (氣炸鍋焗雞）
Longtime Made With Lau followers know that my dad is a huge fan of the air fryer. It’s easy to use and yields perfect results for many of his favorite dishes. He’s used it to cook pork, fish and today, he’s tackling the most popular protein of all: chicken!
My dad’s Air Fryer Chicken Breast (氣炸鍋焗雞) may just be the easiest way to get crispy, restaurant-level chicken on the table on a weeknight. It calls for a simple marinade that uses a few Chinese pantry staples, which not only gives it big flavor, but also helps seal in the delicious juices.
On air frying
Chicken breast in the air fryer is truly one of the lowest-effort dinners you can make, thanks to the small appliance’s unique ability to cook quickly and evenly. It’s essentially a tiny convection oven that circulates air around the food as it cooks, which produces better browning. For a deep dive into how air fryers work, check out Chris Young’s Instagram video.
What to serve with air fryer chicken breast
Air fryer chicken breast is a versatile dinner main that’s great with almost any kind of side dish! Enjoy it with Stir Fry Carrots, Chinese Broccoli With Oyster Sauce or Stir-Fried Bok Choy. It’s also a good protein to pair with Vegetable Lo Mein or Cantonese Chow Mein.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1.5oz skin-on, bone-in chicken breast
- 0.5tsp salt
- 0.5tsp oil
- 0.5tsp cornstarch
Marinade Ingredients
- 1tbsp garlic salt
- 1tbsp fish sauce
- 1tbsp oyster sauce
- 1tsp light soy sauce
- 3tsp sugar
- 2tsp cooking wine
- 1tbsp cornstarch
- 0.33 tsp white pepper
Dipping Sauce Ingredients
- 1tbsp oyster sauce
- 1tbsp light soy sauce
- 1tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1tbsp boiling water
Instructions
Prep - 15 minutes Total - 40 minutes
Step 1: Debone chicken
Make a shallow cut around the bone of the chicken breast (1.5 oz) and cut along it to debone. You can also use boneless, skinless chicken breast to save time and skip this step.
Step 2: Marinate chicken
Cut a slit through the thickest parts of the chicken on the meat (not skin) side of the breast. Lightly slice diagonally in the opposite direction across the entire breast.
Rinse the chicken in water and dry with paper towels.
In a small bowl, combine the garlic salt (1 tbsp), fish sauce (1 tbsp), oyster sauce (1 tbsp), light soy sauce (1 tsp), sugar (3 tsp), cooking wine (2 tsp), cornstarch (1 tbsp), and white pepper (0.33 tsp). Taste and adjust as needed.
Spoon the marinade onto the meat side of the chicken breast, making sure it goes into the cuts. If using skinless chicken breast, you can spoon the marinade to both sides. Allow the meat to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Step 3: Make dipping sauce
In a small bowl, combine the oyster sauce (1 tbsp), light soy sauce (1 tbsp), hoisin sauce (1 tbsp), and water (1 tbsp). If desired, add chili sauce for spice. Mix until thoroughly combined.
Step 4: Air fry chicken
Line the air fryer tray with aluminum foil with the shiny side facing up. Poke holes in the foil for ventilation.
Place the chicken breast on the tray, meat side up and put it into the air fryer. Set the temperature to 375°F. Cook in the air fryer for 11 to 12 minutes.
Flip chicken breasts so the skin side is up. Sprinkle on the salt (0.5 tsp) and spread on the oil (0.5 tsp) using a brush. Sprinkle on the cornstarch (0.5 tsp) and use the brush to spread it evenly across the skin. Place the chicken back into the air fryer, cook for another 11 to 12 minutes and check the color of the skin. For crispier, darker golden brown skin, cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes.
Remove the chicken and plate. You can cut before serving or cut it at the table.