Start by trimming any excess fat from the chicken thighs, then cut them into 1-inch chunks for even cooking throughout the air fryer. While prepping the chicken, whisk together the soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, garlic powder, and freshly grated ginger in a bowl until the sugar dissolves completely. This double-duty prep work means your marinade is ready the moment you finish cutting the chicken.

Place the chicken chunks in a bowl or zip-top bag and pour half of the teriyaki sauce over them, making sure each piece is well-coated. Let the chicken marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature—this infuses the meat with flavor before cooking and helps it stay tender. I like to toss the chicken halfway through marinating to ensure even flavor distribution on all sides.

While the chicken marinates, preheat your air fryer to 400°F and lightly grease the basket with oil to prevent sticking. In a small saucepan, bring the remaining half of the teriyaki sauce to a boil over medium-high heat, then immediately reduce the heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes to concentrate the flavors and create a glossy glaze. The sauce will thicken slightly and become more intensely flavored—this is your finishing glaze.

Remove the marinated chicken from the bowl, letting excess marinade drip off, then arrange the pieces in a single layer in the preheated air fryer basket. Cook at 400°F for 15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through to ensure even browning and cooking. This initial phase gets the chicken partially cooked and develops a light golden exterior.

Pull the air fryer basket out and carefully brush the chicken pieces generously with the thickened teriyaki glaze from Step 3, making sure to coat all sides. Return the basket to the air fryer and cook for another 5 minutes at 400°F, then check that the internal temperature has reached 165°F with a meat thermometer. I find that brushing the glaze halfway through cooking (rather than all at once) helps it caramelize beautifully without burning.

Transfer the cooked chicken to a serving plate and brush with any remaining glaze from the pan for extra flavor and shine. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and the sesame oil for an authentic finishing touch. Serve immediately while the chicken is hot and the glaze is still glossy.