This Air fryer Soy Sauce Chicken Marinade is so easy to make and full of delicious Asian flavors! Best of all it’s healthy, sugar-free, and is sure to please a crowd!
If you’re looking for a chicken marinade with soy sauce, that’s quick, easy, and tasty, this recipe is definitely what you’re looking for! Sweet, savory, and exploding with flavor. Best of all, this recipe gives you the option of making it low carb and sugar-free to fit your dietary needs.
What is Air Fried Soy Sauce Chicken Marinade?
This Japanese chicken thigh recipe is a sweet and savory soy sauce chicken dish that is made easily in the air fryer. The marinade is foolproof and ensures, juicy and tender chicken that you can also make on the grill, oven bake, or pan fry.
Enjoy with a side salad, veggies, white rice or cauliflower rice.
What ingredients do I need and how do you make this chicken marinade with soy sauce?
- Chicken – boneless chicken thighs (about 3-4 pieces).
- Ginger – grated using a hand grater or cheese grater.
- Soy Sauce – low sodium is preferred. For gluten-free you can use tamari or coconut aminos.
- Japanese Sake – use Japanese cooking sake which is fairly inexpensive and can be found in most Asian supermarkets.
- Sesame Oil – use toasted sesame oil (dark and rich in color). Check to make sure it is not a sesame oil blend.
- Sweetener – to keep this recipe sugar-free, we use a monkfruit erythritol blend. It is low carb, keto friendly, and has 0 calories. Feel free to use your preferred sweetener or regular cane sugar.
- Garlic – grated using a hand grater or cheese grater.
- Togarashi (optional) – Japanese red pepper found in Japanese supermarkets. Optional for a little spice.
- Lemon (optional) – squeeze some lemon juice over cooked chicken before serving.
Combine soy sauce, sweetener, Japanese sake, sesame oil in a bowl and mix. Pour marinade into a ziplock bag. Add chicken pieces and marinate for at least 1 hour up to overnight.
Remove chicken from marinade and air fry at 360 F for 10-12 minutes until chicken is cooked thoroughly. Squeeze a wedge of lemon juice over chicken and garnish with chopped green onions (scallions) if preferred.
How long should I let the chicken marinate?
Let chicken marinate for at least 1 hour up to overnight for maximum flavor.
Can I use chicken breast instead of chicken thigh for this soy sauce chicken marinade?
Japanese cuisine typically uses chicken thighs for most of their recipes because it tends to be a juicier, and softer part of the chicken when cooked. If you prefer chicken breast, you can also use that as well.
What is the nutrition information for this soy sauce chicken recipe?
- 448 Calories
- 3g Carbohydrates
- 1g Fiber
- 30g Protein
- 32g Fat
- 167mg Cholesterol
- 1147mg Sodium
- 414mg Potassium
- 24mg Calcium
- 2mg Iron
- 281ui Vitamin A
- 7mg Vitamin C
Looking for other Asian style chicken recipes?
- Teriyaki Chicken
- Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce
- Garlic Chicken Fried Rice
- Japanese Fried Chicken Kaarage
- Japanese Tebasaki Salted Chicken Wings
Now, let’s get making this Air Fried Soy Sauce Chicken Marinade recipe!
- Prepping Time 5M
- Marination Time 1H
- Cook Time 10M
- Total Time 1H 15M
- Net Carb/Serv ~2g
- Servings 2
Ingredients
- 3/4 lbs Boneless Chicken Thigh (about 3-4 small thighs)
- 1/2 Inch Ginger
- 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp Japanese Sake (can substitute with Dry Sherry)
- 2 tsp Toasted Sesame Oil
- 2 tsp Sweetener (Monkfruit Erythritol Blend, sugar or sweetener of choice)
- 4 Cloves Garlic (add up to 6 garlic cloves if you like garlic)
- 1/2 tsp Togarashi (optional)
- 1 Lemon Wedge (optional)
Directions
1) Gather all the ingredients.
2) Grate garlic and ginger with a grater and add into a small mixing bowl.
3) Combine Soy Sauce, sweetener, Japanese sake, Sesame Oil, optional Togarashi into the small mixing bowl, mix well and transfer marinade into a zip-lock bag.
4) Cut chicken into 1/2 x 1/2 inch small bite-size pieces, place them into the zip-lock bag and marinate for 1 hour minimum (up to overnight) in the refrigerator.
5) Once 1 hour has passed, remove chicken from marinade and transfer to an air fryer tray.
6) Air Fry at 360F for 10-12 minutes until chicken is golden brown. Transfer to a serving plate and serve with a wedge of lemon. Enjoy hot!
Hope you enjoy your Air Fried Soy Sauce Chicken Marinade!
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Air Fried Soy Sauce Chicken Marinade
Ingredients
- 3/4 lbs Boneless Chicken Thigh about 3-4 small thighs
- 1/2 Inch Ginger
- 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp Japanese Sake can substitute with Dry Sherry
- 2 tsp Sesame Oil
- 2 tsp Sweetener monkfruit erythritol blend, sugar or sweetener of choice
- 4 Cloves Garlic add up to 6 garlic cloves if you like garlic
- 1/2 tsp Togarashi optional
- 1 Lemon Wedge optional
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients.
- Grate garlic and ginger with a grater and add into a small mixing bowl.
- Combine Soy Sauce, sweetener, Japanese sake, Sesame Oil, optional Togarashi into the small mixing bowl, mix well and transfer marinade into a zip-lock bag.
- Cut chicken into 1/2 x 1/2 inch small bite-size pieces, place them into the zip-lock bag and marinate for 1 hour minimum (up to overnight) in the refrigerator.
- Once 1 hour has passed, remove chicken from marinade and transfer to an air fryer tray.
- Air Fry at 360F for 10-12 minutes until chicken is golden brown. Transfer to a serving plate and serve with a wedge of lemon. Enjoy hot!
Video
Nutrition
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The video stated to air dry at 360. The instructions say to sit dry at 390
Hey Sue! Thank you for catching that! The correct temp is 360F and has been corrected.
I tried this recipe and it turned out very well. I used Chinese rice wine for cooking instead of Japanese sake and it turned out well, but I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations of where and what to look for to get sake for cooking.
Hi Amanda! We use junmai sake, which is the type of sake. Various companies make it, but some popular ones here in the USA are Takara or Ozeki. Just make sure you don’t get mirin, which is sake with sugar added. You can usually get this at Asian supermarkets or even some alcohol specialty shops. Here is a link if you need more info https://www.lowcarbingasian.com/lcas-top-used-ingredients/