Air Fry L&L Hawaiian Barbecue Chicken

We used to always get takeout from L&L Hawaiian Barbecue. It was a quick and decently low calorie meal since we would get the BBQ Chicken bowl with steamed vegetables. Of course, nothing beats the price of meal prepping. This version is made with skinless chicken to keep the calories low, but feel free to use skin on chicken thighs.

How do you know if your chicken is done?
The safest method is using a meat thermometer to ensure that the internal temperature of the center/thickest of the chicken is at 165F. If you don't have a thermometer, pierce the chicken to check if the juices are clear or white. If it's pink then be sure to cook it longer. You can also cut the center of the chicken to pull the meat apart to check if the meat is white all the way through. If there are still pink hues in the meat, be sure to cook it a bit longer.

I always serve the finished product over a bed of chopped raw cabbage and a side of steamed vegetables. My husband prefers his cabbage slightly cooked, so I stir-fry his portion just for a minute. For the steamed vegetables, I use broccoli, chopped carrots, and snap peas.

Our PowerXL Air Fryer Vortex 7Qt is something we never knew we needed, but now use for everything except. Steaks, chicken, salmon, and even frozen foods like chicken nuggets. There are many models and size options, but I recommend this one. I can't imagine having an Air Fryer smaller than this 7Qt since it fits 2-3 pieces of steak/salmon per batch. Also, the temperature goes to 400F and can handle cooking anything you can fit in it.

Air Fryer L&L Hawaiian Barbecue Chicken

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Marinate Time: 4 hours
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 4 hour 20 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Calories:  186 per serving

Ingredients
-1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thigh (about 6 thighs)
-3/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
-2 tbs sugar
-1/4 cup water
-1/4 tsp minced ginger
-2 tbs minced garlic (less if you're not a fan)
-1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions
1. Combine marinade ingredients and pour into a gallon sized ziploc bag. Pat dry the chicken thighs before adding them.

2. Marinate for 4 hours in the refrigerator.

3. Preheat the air fryer for 3 minutes on 360F. Spray the basket with nonstick spray.

4. Remove the chicken thighs from the marinade and place them in the air fryer in batches. Air fry each batch for about 15-18 minutes, turning halfway through. The chicken is done once it has reached an internal temperature of 165F, check using a meat thermometer.

For bone-in chicken thighs, increase the cook time to 22-24 minutes at 360F.