Wokless Sesame Garlic Chicken and Broccoli in the Air Fryer

Savory sesame and garlic flavors of takeout mixed with the crispy brown crunch that only comes from the air fryer.

I use an older model of this air fryer, but this is the newer version I recommend — it cooks faster, crisps better, and has the same reliability I love. You can check it out here.

All nutrition facts are AI generated and approximate.

Ingredients

• 1½ lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 4 cups broccoli florets (broken into bite-sized pieces)
• 1 (8 oz) package mini peppers (cut in strips)
• 1 small white onion (cut in small slices)
• 4 Tbs olive oil

Coating

• ¼ cup cornstarch
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp garlic

Sauce

• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 1 Tbs rice vinegar
• 1 Tbs honey
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp ginger powder
• 2 tsp garlic (minced)

Directions

1. Cut thighs into 1-inch pieces.
2. In a small bowl, mix coating ingredients.
3. In a medium bowl, toss thigh pieces in 2 Tbs olive oil.
4. Stir in coating ingredients—it may look a little gummy, but it’ll be good.
5. In a separate bowl, toss vegetables with remaining 2 Tbs olive oil.
6. Preheat air fryer to 375°F.
7. Cook chicken pieces for 20 minutes, shaking halfway.
8. Remove chicken from air fryer.
9. Add vegetables to air fryer; air fry 10 minutes.
10. Toss vegetables with chicken.
11. In a small bowl, whisk together sauce ingredients.
12. Stir sauce into chicken and veggies.
13. Serve over cauliflower rice or on its own for a low-carb dinner.

Notes

• Gummy is fine: The cornstarch coating may look pasty raw—it crisps up in the air fryer.
• Cook separately: Air fry the chicken and vegetables apart so each gets the right texture.
• Shake halfway: Toss the basket midway through for even browning.
• Sauce at the end: Stir in the sauce after cooking so it clings without scorching.
• Low-carb serving: Spoon it over cauliflower rice or enjoy on its own.

Why This Works

• Air-fryer convection: Circulating heat crisps the coating like frying—no wok or pool of oil required.
• Cornstarch crust: The starch dries and browns into a crackly shell that grips the sauce.
• Separate cooking: Chicken needs longer than vegetables, so cooking apart keeps the broccoli crisp-tender.
• Sauce off the heat: Stirring in honey and soy after cooking glazes without burning the sugars.