Air Fryer Chicken Breast Bites with Garlic and Barbecue Spice

This is the most-watched video on our channel, more than two million views, and it’s easy to see why. Diced chicken breast, a quick marinade, a handful of whole garlic cloves on top and 20 minutes in the air fryer. The chicken comes out browned and juicy, and the garlic turns soft and sweet.

Chicken breast dries out easily. Here the egg white and a spoonful of starch in the marinade protect it, so the pieces stay tender inside while the barbecue spice browns on the outside.

What you need

• Chicken breast, cut into bite-size dice.
• Green onion and ginger, shredded, for the marinade.
• Light soy sauce and cooking wine. Shaoxing wine is traditional. Dry sherry works.
• One egg white and a spoonful of starch. They keep the chicken juicy.
• Barbecue seasoning. The video uses a Chinese barbecue spice mix, the kind barbecue stalls use. Any dry barbecue rub with chili and cumin gives a similar result.
• A handful of garlic cloves, peeled and left whole.

Air Fryer Chicken Breast Bites with Garlic

Diced chicken breast in a soy, egg white and barbecue-spice marinade, air fried with whole garlic cloves.

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Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Servings: 1 batch

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Ingredients Method Video Notes

Ingredients

  

• chicken breast cut into dice
• green onion and ginger shredded
• light soy sauce
• cooking wine Shaoxing wine, or dry sherry
• 1 egg white
• 1 spoonful barbecue seasoning a dry barbecue spice mix
• 1 spoonful starch cornstarch or potato starch
• 1 handful garlic cloves peeled, whole
• oil a light spray
• white sesame seeds and chopped green onion to finish

Method

 

1. Cut the chicken breast into dice.
2. Put it in a bowl and add the shredded green onion and ginger, a splash of light soy sauce and a splash of cooking wine.
3. Add one egg white and a spoonful of barbecue seasoning.
4. Mix, stirring in one direction, until the chicken is coated.
5. Add a spoonful of starch and stir well.
6. Put the chicken in the air fryer basket and add a handful of garlic cloves on top.
7. Spray the surface lightly with oil.
8. Air fry at 180°C (356°F) for 20 minutes.
9. Sprinkle with white sesame seeds and chopped green onion and serve.

Video

Notes

The video doesn’t weigh the chicken or measure the soy sauce and cooking wine. They are added as a splash each. Start with about a tablespoon of each per breast and adjust next time.

The garlic cloves roast soft and sweet in the same 20 minutes. Eat them with the chicken.

Stirring in one direction is a Chinese marinating habit. It helps the egg white and starch cling to the meat so it stays juicy.

Tips

• Cut the pieces the same size so they cook evenly.
• Don’t pile them up. One layer in the basket browns best. Cook in two batches if you have a lot.
• Spray, don’t pour. A light spray of oil is all the surface needs.

Questions people ask

How long do I cook chicken breast pieces in the air fryer?

In this recipe, 20 minutes at 180°C (356°F) for diced chicken breast. Bigger pieces need a few minutes more. The inside should be white all the way through.

What can I use instead of barbecue seasoning?

Any dry spice rub you like: paprika, chili, cumin and garlic powder with a pinch of salt is close to the barbecue-stall flavour.