These Hot Honey Glazed Chicken Skewers are my personal take on Thai sweet chili chicken! Succulent chicken thighs are marinated to perfection, air-fried, and coated in a zesty hot honey glaze. Charred to perfection, they're served with all your favorite sides. This sweet and spicy delight is a must-try!
These chicken skewers are not your average chicken skewers. They are air fryer fish sauce chicken with a hot honey glaze, which means they are absolutely packed with so much flavor!
The fresh Thai chilies in this recipe add a kick of spice, while the sugar and honey balance it out, making the flavor similar to a Thai sweet chili sauce. The addition of the fish sauce keeps the chicken savory and so juicy!
Plus, using the air fryer means that these are super easy to make, and can be ready for lunch or dinner time in no time!
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Ingredients
To make these air fryer hot honey glazed chicken skewers, here's what you'll need:
To Prepare the Chicken
- Chicken Thighs: I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs here and diced them into cubes. You can also use chicken breasts if you prefer!
- Thai Chili: Use a red Thai chili pepper and chop it up into very fine pieces. This will mix with the honey in the glaze to create a flavor similar to Thai sweet chili sauce!
- Fish Sauce: I recommend using Red Boat Fish Sauce! If you have a different one on hand, you can use that instead.
- Sugar: Add a little bit of sugar to balance out the flavors!
- Oil: To add moisture and allow the chicken to get crispy.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic adds a savory depth of flavor.
- Skewers: You will need four skewers here!
For the Hot Honey Glaze
- Honey: To add sweetness!
- Thai Chilies: To add some spice. If you are sensitive to spice, take out the seeds first.
- Garlic Cloves: For a pungent savory flavor!
- Fish Sauce: Also using my favorite Red Boat Fish Sauce here.
- Rice Vinegar: For a bit of tang and acidity!
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Hot Honey Glazed Chicken Skewers
Step 1: In a bowl, add cubed chicken thighs, thai chili, Red Boat Fish Sauce, sugar, olive oil, and garlic. Mix to combine, cover and let marinade in the fridge for 45 minutes to an hour. In a large bowl, add water and skewers. Allow it to soak for 30 minutes.
Step 2: In a pan, add honey, thai chili, garlic cloves, Red Boat Fish Sauce, and rice vinegar. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce until it thickens slightly and remove from heat. Reserve half to use as a dipping sauce and set aside. The other half will be used for basting.
Step 3: After the chicken is done marinating and the skewers are done soaking, begin tightly skewering the chicken, until all the chicken has been skewered.
Step 4: Preheat your air fryer for 350F. Add the chicken skewers to the air fryer basket so they are not overlapping. Air fry at 350F for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, turn the temperature up to 400F, flip the skewers, baste with the hot honey glaze and air fry for 2-4 minutes until slightly charred. Flip and baste the other side with the hot honey glaze and air fry for 2-4 minutes or until charred and the internal temperature reaches 165F.
Step 5: Serve with fresh herbs, veggies, and noodles or rice!
Variations
- Vegetarian Version: Substitute the chicken with firm tofu or vegetables like bell peppers, zucchini, and mushrooms for vegetarian hot honey glazed skewers. Marinate and grill as directed!
- Different Protein: Try this recipe with shrimp, pork, or even beef for a different twist. Or, you this hot honey glaze and chicken marinade would go great on hot honey chicken wings!
- Extra Spicy: To make some extra spicy fish sauce chicken skewers, serve with a side of sriracha mayo or with a dash of your favorite hot sauce.
Equipment
To make these air fryer chicken skewers, you will need the following kitchen items:
- Mixing Bowls
- Sauté Pan
- Air Fryer
That's it! If you don't have an air fryer, you can opt to make these chicken skewers in the oven. Once the chicken is up to about 160 F, you can broil for one minute to get crispy edges!
Storage
Store any leftover hot honey glazed chicken skewers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days! Reheat in the microwave or air fryer before serving.
Top Tips
- Chicken Thighs vs. Chicken Breasts. Chicken thighs are more flavorful and remain juicier when air fried, but if you prefer leaner meat, chicken breasts can be substituted. Just be careful not to overcook, as they tend to dry out faster!
- Don't skimp on marinating time! The longer you marinate the chicken, the more intense the flavors will be. If you're short on time, 30 minutes will do, but for the best results, marinate for up to 2 hours.
- Adjust the heat! Adjust the number of Thai chilies based on your spice tolerance. For milder hot honey glazed chicken skewers, reduce the chilies or remove the seeds!
- Soak the skewers. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before grilling to prevent burning! You can alternatively use metal skewers if you have them.
FAQs
Absolutely! Especially if it is the summertime, this would be a great opportunity to fire up the grill. Since the chicken is cut into small pieces, it won't take too long to cook on the grill. Follow the same recipe instructions but cook until the chicken reaches a temperature of 165 F.
I chose to take my chicken off the skewer and serve it in a lettuce wrap with fresh herbs, noodles and veggies. However, you can serve yours any way you'd like! It would be delicious on a bed of rice with some fresh herbs and vegetables for a hearty dinner option. And don't forget some mini Oreo cheesecakes for dessert!
More Recipes to Try
Looking for other recipes? Be sure to try these:
Hot Honey Glazed Chicken Skewers
Ingredients
To Prepare the Chicken
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 thai chili minced
- ¼ cup fish sauce I used Red Boat Fish Sauce
- 2 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 3-4 garlic cloves
- 4 skewers
To Prepare the Hot Honey Glaze
- ½ cup honey
- 2 thai chiles
- 8 garlic cloves
- 4 teaspoon fish sauce I used Red Boat Fish Sauce
- 2 teaspoon rice vinegar
Instructions
- In a bowl, add cubed chicken thighs, thai chili, Red Boat Fish Sauce, sugar, olive oil, and garlic. Mix to combine, cover and let marinade in the fridge for 45 minutes to an hour.
- In a large bowl, add water and skewers. Allow it to soak for 30 minutes.
- In a pan, add honey, thai chili, garlic cloves, Red Boat Fish Sauce, and rice vinegar. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce until it thickens slightly and remove from heat. Reserve half to use as a dipping sauce and set aside. The other half will be used for basting.
- After the chicken is done marinating and the skewers are done soaking, begin tightly skewering the chicken, until all the chicken has been skewered.
- Preheat your air fryer for 350F. Add the chicken skewers to the air fryer basket so they are not overlapping. Air fry at 350F for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, turn the temperature up to 400F, flip the skewers, baste with the hot honey glaze and air fry for 2-4 minutes until slightly charred. Flip and baste the other side with the hot honey glaze and air fry for 2-4 minutes or until charred and the internal temperature reaches 165F. Serve with fresh herbs, veggies, and noodles or rice!
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