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Five Spice Chicken in a bowl with white rice and cooked green cabbage. There is a brown spoon and red and gold chopsticks next to it. There is also garlic, herbs, and a side of dipping sauce on top.

Five Spice Chicken

This air fryer five spice chicken features tender, juicy chicken thighs marinated in a bold blend of Chinese five spice, hoisin, soy sauce, and honey, then air fried to caramelized perfection in under 15 minutes.
5 from 7 votes
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 281kcal

Equipment

Ingredients 

Main Ingredients

Dipping Sauce

Instructions

  • Using a sharp knife, debone the chicken thighs and trim any excess fat.
    1.5 pounds chicken thighs
  • In a large bowl, combine the chicken thighs with soy sauce, dark soy sauce, hoisin sauce, honey, oyster sauce, minced garlic, red chili flakes, and Chinese five spice powder. Mix well until evenly coated and marinate for at least 15 minutes, or overnight for best results.
    2 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce, 2 tablespoon hoisin sauce, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 3 cloves garlic, ½ teaspoon red chili flakes, 1.5 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
  • Preheat your air fryer to 425°F for a few minutes. Add the chicken thighs in a single layer, cooking in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding. Air fry for 11–14 minutes until browned and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F or higher.
    See recipe notes below for other cooking methods.
  • While the chicken cooks, make the dipping sauce by combining honey, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, and Chinese five spice powder. Stir until well mixed.
    1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce, 2 teaspoon soy sauce, ⅛ teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
  • Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for a few minutes before slicing. Serve with rice, veggies, and the dipping sauce on the side.

Notes

Alternate Cooking Methods:
  • Pan-Fry or Grill: Sear the chicken on each side for 4–6 minutes until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
  • Oven: Bake at 400°F for 25–30 minutes until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

Nutrition

Calories: 281kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 162mg | Sodium: 1228mg | Potassium: 505mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 121IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 3mg