Japanese Air-Fried Chicken
Ingredients
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1 tablespoon grated ginger
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2 teaspoons crushed garlic
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2 tablespoons tamari
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2 tablespoons sake
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2 teaspoons mirin
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1 teaspoon sugar
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3 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
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Sign up for full access to June's entire recipe library. Your first three months are complimentary, and you can cancel at any time. After your trial, a monthly subscription is $9.99 or an annual subscription is $99. Download the app and start cooking today!
Preferences
Make the marinade
In a medium bowl, whisk the ginger, garlic, tamari or soy sauce, sake, mirin and sugar until combined. Set aside.
1 tablespoon grated ginger
2 teaspoons crushed garlic
2 tablespoons tamari
2 tablespoons sake
2 teaspoons mirin
1 teaspoon sugar
medium bowl
whisk
measuring spoons
Debone the chicken thighs
Place a chicken thigh skin-side down on the chopping board. With kitchen shears, cut the meat down the length of the center bone to expose it. Continue cutting along the bone’s sides as well as underneath the bone without cutting through the meat and skin until all but one end of the bone is detached. Cut the cartilage away from the meat, freeing the bone. Save the bone for stock or discard. If necessary, trim any excess fat or cartilage from the thigh meat, working carefully to ensure the meat and skin remain intact. Repeat with the remaining 3 pieces.
3 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
kitchen shears
chopping board
Cut and marinate the chicken
Cut the boneless, skin-on thighs into 2-2½“ pieces and add the pieces to the marinade. Stir to coat. Cover and marinate at least 30 minutes, or refrigerate up to 24 hours.
knife
spatula
plastic wrap
Drain the chicken
Drain the chicken from the marinade, discarding the marinade. Transfer to a paper towel-lined shallow bowl and pat dry.
strainer
paper towels
Preheat the June Oven
With a June Air Basket lined with foil in the bottom position, preheat the June Oven to 390°F on the Air Fry cook mode using the button below.
June Air Basket
foil
June Oven
Make the coatings
In a large, preferably shallow bowl, whisk the potato starch, salt and black pepper until combined. Combine the egg whites and water in a shallow bowl and whisk until frothy.
2 shallow bowls
1 cup potato starch
½ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
2 large egg whites
1 teaspoon water
measuring cups
Double-bread the chicken
Lightly coat a June Air Basket with nonstick cooking spray and set it over a June Pan to catch any crumbs. Working one at a time while noting which side of the thigh the skin is on, place one chicken thigh piece in the bowl with the dry coating and roll it around until it is lightly but completely coated. Shake off any excess flour. Dip the chicken in the bowl with the wet coating and roll it around until it is completely coated. Allow excess egg to drip back into the bowl. Dip the chicken in the dry coating again, rolling it around until it is completely coated. Shake off any excess flour and place the chicken skin-side down in the greased June Air Basket. Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.
June Air Basket
June Pan
nonstick cooking spray
Spray with cooking spray
Generously spray the top of the chicken with nonstick cooking spray. The oil will help brown the chicken.
nonstick cooking spray
Air fry the first side
Slide the June Air Basket into the middle shelf position with a foil-lined June Air Basket in the bottom shelf position. Air fry the chicken 12 minutes. June will notify you when the chicken is ready to flip.
Flip the chicken
Slide the June Air Basket out of the June Oven and set on a cooling rack. Keep the June Oven hot by pressing the button below. With a flip spatula or tongs, flip each piece of chicken so it is skin-side up. Spray the thighs again with nonstick cooking spray.
flip spatula
nonstick cooking spray
Air fry the other side
Return the chicken to the June Oven and continue to air fry for 12 more minutes until golden brown and crispy. If needed, follow onscreen instructions to keep cooking.
Serve the chicken
Remove the chicken from the June Oven. Transfer the pieces to a platter and serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing.
lemon wedges