Air Fryer Sesame Chicken

One of the easiest ways to make Sesame Chicken is in your Air Fryer. If you don't own an Air Fryer you don't know what you are missing.

Up until now, If I'm not grilling my chicken on the BBQ I would use my Instant Pot Pressure Cooker. Now that I've made this Sesame Chicken in my Air Fryer, I don't think I will ever go back to using my Pressure Cooker.

Not that there is anything wrong with making chicken in the Pressure Cooker. But there is a time and a place for that. In my opinion, I prefer the way the chicken turns out in the air fryer versus my Instant Pot.

💭 Ingredient Substitution

I have every type of oil on hand so for me sesame oil is no big deal but if you don't have any you can use any oil that is neutral in flavor like olive oil, sunflower oil or even canola oil. The reason for using oil is to help the dry rub stick to the chicken.

💭 Recipe Tip

Cooking time may vary depending on the size of the chicken breasts. Additionally, some air fryers cook hotter (food positioned closer to the heating element, etc.) so I recommend checking the internal temperature of the chicken with a digital thermometer around the 20-minute mark when you flip the breast over.

The dry rub I list on the recipe card is optional but serves as a good starting point for those of you that aren't very familiar with dry rubs. If you have another kind of poultry rub be my guest. At a minimum, you should use a little salt & pepper.

🐓 How to Handle Raw Chicken

Leave the chicken in the fridge until ready to use.
Be careful of dripping juices. Clean up immediately.
Do not wash raw chicken (which prevents cross-contamination).
Wash all utensils and cutting boards (if applicable).
If marinating the chicken, make sure you toss the juices before you cook. Don't ever use the juice from the marinade.
Wash your hands after handling raw chicken.

📋 Gather your Ingredients

You will need the following ingredients to make Sesame Chicken in your Air Fryer (see recipe card for quantities): Chicken Breasts, Sesame Oil, Kosher Salt, Ground Black Pepper, Paprika, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder and Cayenne Pepper.

🥣 How to Make Air Fryer Sesame Chicken

Preheat the Air Fryer to 350°F.
Rub each chicken breast with sesame oil.
In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and cayenne pepper.
Rub each chicken breast with the dry rub ensuring both breasts are entirely covered.
Place the chicken breasts on the rack (or basket) inside the air fryer.
Cook for 20 minutes then flip the chicken breasts and continue cooking for another 10 minutes.
Remove the chicken breasts from the air fryer when the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Optionally garnish the chicken with sesame seeds.

📖 Recipe