Easy Air Fryer Chicken Stir Fry Recipe

After using an air fryer for more than three years now, it’s a shame that I haven’t tried making air fryer chicken stir fry yet! So without any further delay, here is my fail-proof air fryer chicken stir fry recipe that’s perfect for your high protein weight loss meal while also satisfying your craving for stir fry chicken to some extent!

I was an absolute sucker for chicken stir fry! I remember gorging uncountable crispy stir fried chicken bites during my pre-fitness era without even batting an eyelid about the calorie consumption!

Now that I am way too mindful of what I eat, it’s pretty much impossible for me to indulge in those deep fried items irrespective of how delicious they are!

If you are also in a similar journey like mine, I have a solution to curb our cravings for those crispy chicken stir fry!

And that perfect solution is nothing but my crispy air fryer chicken stir fry which fits right into the high-protein meal that we all fitness enthusiasts aim for!

What is air fryer chicken stir fry?

I agree that the name air fryer chicken stir fry is kind of an oxymoron! I know we are not stirring anything here as everything is getting done on its own inside the air fryer!

But the term “stir fry” invokes that irresistible craving which is quite difficult to ignore and this air fryer chicken stir fry flawlessly satisfies that temptation simply by replicating the same crispy chicken but without the truckload of oil!

Quick tip: Just so you know that excess oil is the hidden culprit in our food which we tend to overlook and then wonder why we are not losing body fat even after having balanced meals!

For your air fryer chicken stir fry, you marinate the bite sized pieces of chicken in a soy sauce based marinade with aromatics, spices & seasonings.

Then all you need to do is to air fry the marinated chicken bites to perfection with just a minimal spray of oil and voila!

You have rewarded yourself with a scrumptious meal that’s high in lean protein and low in calories!

Pair the air fryer chicken stir fry with fresh salad on the side and a small serving of complex carbs like quinoa or barley or roasted sweet potatoes and you have the most ideal fat loss meal at your disposal!

Ingredients for air fryer chicken stir fry

Chicken breast: Even though I am a chicken-thigh-kinda-girl, surprisingly enough, chicken breast works really well in this air fryer chicken stir fry recipe.

Even after being air fried and that too with almost zero oil, the bite-sized pieces of chicken breast do not turn too dry & rubbery.

The only thing you need to ensure is that this air fryer chicken stir fry is consumed within an hour of making to enjoy their best taste & texture.

The more you leave them to sit, the more it will release their moisture and gradually become tough & dry which you definitely would not want!

Soy sauce: No stir fry, be it traditional wok stir fry on stove top or in an air fryer, is complete without a generous dash of soy sauce!

The unique umami of any stir fry dish is imparted by this classic Chinese condiment.

You can use either dark soy sauce or light; but my recommendation would be to use dark soy as that packs a punch which you wouldn’t want to miss!

Vinegar: Every chicken stir fry dish needs a kick of tartness and my air fryer chicken stir fry too cannot be an exception!

So I used a tablespoon full of rice vinegar which adds that authentic Chinese zest without being too overpowering!

Chilli powder & Chilli flakes: Here comes the taste builders! To make your air fryer chicken stir fry cracking as well as lipsmacking, I used both chilli powder & chilli flakes!

Choose the type of chilli powder according to your spice level tolerance. If you want it too spicy, use a spicy chilli powder; otherwise use Kashmiri chilli for that vibrant red color!

The red chilli flakes will add the right amount of heat without making your eyes and nose watery! Lol!

Garlic powder: A good chicken stir fry always needs garlic – the OG of aromatics!

Instead of using minced garlic, I used garlic powder essentially because it is easier to add a powder from a bottle than to peel & mince a handful of garlic cloves!

As an alternative to garlic powder, you may also add garlic puree which could be easily mixed into the marinade.

Cornflour/Cornstarch: Finally comes the one which is at the heart of any crispy stir fried chicken! We call it cornflour here in India which is the same thing as cornstarch in the US.

The only duty, and a critical one at that, of this starch is to create that crispy outer coating around your air fryer chicken stir fry while sucking in all the flavors of the spices & aromatics!

Egg white: For binding the chicken pieces with something sticky, I used one egg white. It makes the perfect glue to ensure all spices, aromatics & starch are intact while coating the chicken pieces on all sides!

Salt & Pepper: The classic seasoning duo of salt & pepper is also added to the stir fry marinade to extract maximum flavors from all other ingredients.

But please do keep in mind that soy sauce is already quite salty; so you need to be really cautious while adding extra salt to the marinade.

The amount of black pepper does not have any restrictions except for your own liking!

How to make air fryer chicken stir fry?

Step 1: Wash and pat dry the chicken breasts. Cut each chicken breast into small pieces of about 2 cm length.

Step 2: Take them in a large mixing bowl and set aside while you prepare the stir frying marinade.

Step 3: In another mixing bowl, add all the other ingredients except oil – soy sauce, vinegar, egg white, garlic powder, chilli powder, chilli flakes, corn flour, salt and pepper.

Step 4: Using a wire whisk, give a good mix to make an evenly mixed marinating mixture.

Step 5: Pour this mixture over the chicken pieces. Then using a spatula, give everything a good stir so that each chicken piece is coated evenly with the marinade on all sides.

Step 6: Once you are happy with the marination, leave it for 30 minutes at room temperature allowing the flavors to penetrate into the meat.

Step 7: After about 30 minutes, start preheating your air fryer at 180 C / 350 F and set the timer to 20 minutes.

Step 8: When the air fryer is preheated, take out the basket and spray oil over the bottom surface of the basket.

Step 9: Next transfer the marinated chicken to the air fryer basket and spread them evenly in a single layer so that no two pieces are on top of another.

Step 10: Once you are happy with the arrangement, spray oil over the chicken nicely and return the basket back to the air fryer.

Step 11: Air fry the chicken till halfway through the cooking time or until your air fryer prompts you to turn food.

Step 12: Take the basket out again and flip over each chicken piece using a tong. Spray oil over the chicken after all the pieces are flipped.

Step 13: Return the basket back to the air fryer and continue to air fry for the remaining cooking time.

Step 14: Your air fryer stir fry chicken is done to perfection! Transfer them to a serving platter.

Step 15: Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and freshly chopped coriander leaves on top and serve them warm with your favorite dipping sauce on the side! Enjoy!!

More delicious air fryer recipe from Flavor Quotient

Easy Air Fryer Chicken Stir Fry | How To Stir Fry Chicken in Air Fryer

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

35 mins

Author: Priyanka

Cuisine: Oriental

Serves: 4 Servings

Ingredients

Chicken breast - 600 gms
Soy sauce - 2 tbsp
Rice vinegar - 1 tbsp
Egg white - 1
Corn flour - 3 tbsp
Garlic powder - 1 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Chilli flakes - ½ tsp
Salt - ½ tsp
Pepper - ½ tsp
Oil to spray

Instructions

Wash and pat dry the chicken breasts. Cut each chicken breast into small pieces of about 2 cm length.
Take them in a large mixing bowl and set aside while you prepare the stir frying marinade.
In another mixing bowl, add all the other ingredients except oil - soy sauce, vinegar, egg white, garlic powder, chilli powder, chilli flakes, corn flour, salt and pepper.
Using a wire whisk, give a good mix to make an evenly mixed marinating mixture.
Pour this mixture over the chicken pieces. Then using a spatula, give everything a good stir so that each chicken piece is coated evenly with the marinade on all sides.
Once you are happy with the marination, leave it for 30 minutes at room temperature allowing the flavors to penetrate into the meat.
After about 30 minutes, start preheating your air fryer at 180 C / 350 F and set the timer to 20 minutes.
When the air fryer is preheated, take out the basket and spray oil over the bottom surface of the basket.
Next transfer the marinated chicken to the air fryer basket and spread them evenly in a single layer so that no two pieces are on top of another.
Once you are happy with the arrangement, spray oil over the chicken nicely and return the basket back to the air fryer.
Air fry the chicken till halfway through the cooking time or until your air fryer prompts you to turn food.
Take the basket out again and flip over each chicken piece using a tong. Spray oil over the chicken after all the pieces are flipped.
Return the basket back to the air fryer and continue to air fry for the remaining cooking time.
Your air fryer stir fry chicken is done to perfection! Transfer them to a serving platter.
Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and freshly chopped coriander leaves on top and serve them warm with your favorite dipping sauce on the side! Enjoy!!