There’s just something about a sweet and spicy flavor combination that’s perfect. This honey sriracha chicken air fryer recipe is a mouthwatering mix that you’ll love. Your air fryer does a great job of keeping chicken breast juicy and delicious, but the sauce is great on other cuts too!
Sriracha brings savory garlic and chili flavors to the mix, while honey adds sweetness to balance it out. Add a kiss of lime juice for an acid, and some soy for umami, and you’ve got an incredible flavor combination.
While I’m using chicken breast cutlets for this recipe because they cook quickly and perfectly in the air fryer, the sauce easily translates to other cuts of chicken as well. Try it on your chicken wings, thighs, legs, tenders, and more!
It’s also very adaptable if you’re heat averse, or if you just don’t have some of the ingredients on hand. Everything comes together in less than 15 minutes, making it an easy addition to the weeknight rotation.
What You’ll Need: Ingredients
1 pound chicken breast cutlets (about ½” thick)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper (or more to taste)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp sriracha sauce
1 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp honey
1 tsp cornstarch
1 green onion, sliced for garnish (optional)
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
The sauce portion of the recipe may be translated to any cut of chicken so if you don’t like breast cutlets, feel free to swap it in. Larger cuts will require more cooking time
You can reduce the sriracha for less heat. It may also be swapped out for other spicy options, such as buffalo sauce, gochujang, or other similar sauces
If you have a soy allergy, swap soy sauce for coconut aminos
The honey can be replaced by maple syrup, brown sugar, or even agave syrup
How to Cook Honey Sriracha Chicken in the Air Fryer
Preheat your air fryer to 375°F (or the closest setting your air fryer has)
In a medium bowl, toss the chicken cutlets with the olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder so that it’s evenly coated
Place the chicken into the preheated air fryer basket in a single layer
Cook on the air fry setting for 6 minutes at 375°F, flipping halfway through cooking
While the chicken is cooking, mix together the remaining ingredients in a small bowl, stirring to thoroughly combine
When the timer is done (make sure the chicken is around 160°F by this point, and add a few more minutes if not) dunk it into the sauce (use a fork or tongs) so that it’s well coated
Return the chicken to the air fryer basket
Increase the temperature to 400°F and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes, until sauce is thickened, edges are browned, and chicken reaches 165°F in the middle
Garnish with green onions or toasted sesame seeds and serve
What to Serve With Honey Sriracha Chicken
Roasted cauliflower
Rice pilaf
Cauliflower rice
Fried rice
Mashed potatoes
Scalloped potatoes
Baked sweet potato
Garlic noodles
Polenta
Grits
Egg rolls
Green beans
Brussel sprouts
Broccoli
Asparagus
Bok choy
Green salad
Fruit salad
There are many great sides to serve with honey sriracha chicken, including vegetables, pasta, and even some fresh fruit for dessert.
Honey sriracha sauce is made of a mix of honey and sriracha sauce, which is a chili garlic sauce, as its base. It is typically combined with soy sauce for umami, and an acid such as lime juice, lemon juice, or rice wine vinegar.
Since there are a number of variations that work for the sauce, it can easily be adjusted to suit a variety of palettes.
How to Use Honey Sriracha Seasoning?
If you prefer to use honey sriracha seasoning, just mix about 1 Tbsp seasoning with 1 Tbsp olive oil and apply it over your chicken or other protein before cooking.
This provides a powdered mix alternative to making your own sauce.
Do You Put Sriracha On Before or After Cooking?
Typically sriracha is put on after cooking, or just for the last few minutes. This allows the flavors to stay more fresh and vibrant.
That said, it may be applied before cooking as well, and compliments a variety of other flavors, particularly in marinades.
Is Sriracha Hotter Than Hot Sauce?
Sriracha is hotter than some hot sauce, like Frank’s Red Hot, but milder in Scoville units than Cholula hot sauce. So, whether you find sriracha hotter or milder depends on what sauce you’re most used to.
You can always start with a smaller amount of sauce than the recipe calls for and work up gradually if you’re nervous about spice level.
Should Sriracha Be Refrigerated After Opening?
If sriracha should be refrigerated after opening actually depends on the brand. Some, like the most famous maker Huy Fong Foods, does not call for refrigeration. Others, like Sky Valley, do ask for refrigeration after opening.
The best advice is to consult your bottle and follow the directions indicated by the manufacturer for best results.
Does Sriracha Go Bad?
Yes, like most foods, sriracha will eventually go bad. It will begin to oxidize and turn a brown color after a while. When it starts to separate, it should be discarded.
It will also lose flavor over time, though depending if you like spice or not that may not be a bad thing.
Recipe Pro Tips
If your chicken was fully cooked (165°F) at time of saucing, you can use any extra sauce as a topping if you’d like (there may also be sauce in the bottom of the air fryer basket to dump out)
Also feel free to reserve a small amount of sauce (2-3 Tbsp) before coating the chicken. You can warm it in the microwave for a minute or so to thicken it slightly if you do that for a nice finishing glaze
Make sure to try and keep your chicken cutlets as even in thickness as possible to promote even cooking. Use a meat mallet if needed to pound very thick sections down
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover cooked honey sriracha chicken in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 4 months
Reheat leftover chicken cutlets in the air fryer for 3-5 minutes (depending on thickness) at 350°F, or until chicken reaches 165°F again
This honey sriracha chicken air fryer recipe is just bursting with flavor! Sriracha, honey, lime juice, and some soy bring out all the flavor profiles for a meal that will make your taste buds sing.
I like to pair mine with some mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli, but there are a ton of different sides you can serve with this chicken to complete your meal.
The chicken breast cutlets are great since they cook so quickly, getting dinner on the table in 15 minutes or less! However, you can use any cut of chicken you like, so long as you account for the thickness in cooking times.
Make juicy chicken cutlets with a sweet and spicy honey sriracha glaze in your air fryer. This main course comes together in about 15 minutes, making it perfect for busy nights!
When the timer is done (make sure the chicken is near 160°F by this point, and add a few more minutes if not) dunk it into the sauce (use a fork or tongs) so that it’s well coated
Return the chicken to the air fryer basket
Increase the temperature to 400°F and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes, until sauce is thickened, edges are browned, and chicken reaches 165°F in the middle
Garnish with green onions or toasted sesame seeds and serve
1 Green onion
Notes
The sauce portion of the recipe may be translated to any cut of chicken so if you don’t like breast cutlets, feel free to swap it in. Larger cuts will require more cooking time
You can reduce the sriracha for less heat. It may also be swapped out for other spicy options, such as buffalo sauce, gochujang, or other similar sauces
If you have a soy allergy, swap soy sauce for coconut aminos
The honey can be replaced by maple syrup, brown sugar, or even agave syrup
If your chicken was fully cooked (165°F) at time of saucing, you can use any extra sauce as a topping if you’d like (there may also be sauce in the bottom of the air fryer basket to dump out)
Also feel free to reserve a small amount of sauce (2-3 Tbsp) before coating the chicken. You can warm it in the microwave for a minute or so to thicken it slightly if you do that for a nice finishing glaze
Make sure to try and keep your chicken cutlets as even in thickness as possible to promote even cooking. Use a meat mallet if needed to pound very thick sections down
Store leftover cooked honey sriracha chicken in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 4 months
Reheat leftover chicken cutlets in the air fryer for 3-5 minutes (depending on thickness) at 350°F, or until chicken reaches 165°F again
Exact nutritional values will vary based on brand of ingredients, any swaps, sides added, and quantity consumed, so please consider this a guideline only
I enjoy trying new recipes, creating my own, and dabbling with new techniques all the time. My husband loves to protest when I make him my guinea pig, but it’s all for the love of food!
My cooking philosophy is that great tasting food doesn't have to be complicated or time consuming to make. I'm a home cook with over 20 years of experience feeding myself and others. I've learned from a variety of different people, things I've learned online, and some trial and error as well.
I enjoy cooking a variety of foods, from convenience to comfort foods, as well as international cuisine. You can rest assured that all of my recipes have been actually made, thoroughly tested, and most importantly: tasted! I want you to enjoy my food as much as I do!
