Who does not love chicken teriyaki on a stick? Keto teriyaki chicken skewers are tender, juicy, and smothered in a thick, garlicky sauce, ready in under 30 minutes.
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Chicken thighs are meaty and fatty enough to hold up well to both air fryer heat and the grill. Chicken breast works too, just watch it does not dry out from overcooking.
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Chef Jenn’s Take on Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the teriyaki sauce specifically for brushing and dipping at the end, do not marinate with the whole batch.
Slice the chicken thighs lengthwise into long, half-inch-thick strips, then marinate in almost all the sauce for up to an hour. Weave the strips onto skewers and air fry at 360 degrees for about 15 minutes, or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees. Brush with the reserved sauce before serving. Air fryers vary a lot model to model, so follow your own manufacturer’s recommended times and temperatures rather than trusting a recipe blindly. If your basket cannot fit skewers, put the chicken pieces directly in the basket instead, or use shorter skewers.
This grills well too, medium-high heat works fine. If using wood skewers, soaking helps a little, though after years of cooking professionally, I have found it does not help nearly as much as people think. Reusable metal skewers are genuinely the better choice.
A reader once asked whether liquid aminos can substitute for soy sauce, and they can, I offer coconut aminos as an option in my own Teriyaki Sauce too, since soy has inflammatory properties some strict ketoers prefer to avoid.
What You’ll Love About Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
- Works in the air fryer or on the grill, whichever you prefer.
- Tender, juicy chicken smothered in a thick, garlicky sauce.
- Ready in under 30 minutes, impressive enough for guests.
Ingredients
- Chicken thighs – Boneless, skinless, sliced lengthwise into strips. Chicken breast works too, watch it doesn’t dry out.
- Keto Teriyaki Sauce – Homemade, divided between marinating and brushing.
- Green onions and sesame seeds – Optional, for garnish.
How to Make Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.
Slice the chicken thighs lengthwise into long, 1/2-inch thick strips. Marinate the strips in almost all of the teriyaki sauce for up to an hour, reserving about 2 tbsp for brushing and dipping.
Weave the chicken strips onto skewers and place in the air fryer basket. Air fry at 360°F for about 15 minutes, or until the chicken reaches 165°F.
Brush with the reserved teriyaki sauce and serve, garnished with green onions and sesame seeds.
Make It A Meal
I love this garlicky, gingery sauce with Brussels Sprouts with Almonds & Brown Butter, or over a bed of cauliflower rice.
You could also plate the skewers next to Mashed Turnips or Mashed Cauliflower. For more Asian-inspired keto dinners, Chicken Stir Fry is worth adding to the rotation.
Storage
Chill the skewers completely, then slide the chicken off. Package in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat in the air fryer on low heat until hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
It sure can be! Typical teriyaki sauce is loaded with soy sauce and brown sugar. Neither of these is good for a keto diet. But, if you swap the brown sugar for a brown sugar alternative and either count the carbs in the soy sauce (you don’t really eat much of the sauce usually) or use coconut aminos, then voila, you can make this keto friendly.
In this dish made with keto teriyaki sauce, there are only about XX net carbs per serving. This makes it a great choice for low carb and keto diets.
This is a hot debate right now. It is low in carbs so on that score, yes, it is keto friendly. However, soy has been shown to have inflammatory properties so many strict ketoers tend to avoid it. Plus, it is very high in sodium. The choice to use soy sauce or not is a personal one and how it fits with your keto goals.
Add Preferred SourceKeto Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs about 6 thighs, cut into strips
- 1/2 cup Teriyaki Sauce divided
- 1/4 cup green onions sliced
- 1/2 tablespoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken thigh strips in almost all the teriyaki sauce for up to an hour. Reserve 2 tbsp of teriyaki sauce for dipping and brushing.
- Weave the chicken thigh strips onto the skewers and place them in the basket of an air fryer.
- Air fry at 360F for about 15 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165F. Brush with remaining teriyaki sauce and serve!
Notes
Recipe Card Tips
- Reserve a couple tablespoons of sauce for brushing and dipping, rather than using it all for marinating.
- Follow your own air fryer’s recommended times and temperatures, since models vary a lot.
- Use a real thermometer and pull the chicken at 165°F rather than guessing.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed. Erythritol carbs (sugar substitutes) are not included in the carbohydrate counts as they have been shown not to impact blood sugar, and they have zero calories and zero carbs. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
Chef Jenn’s Favorite Picks
I’m a chef and a die-hard foodie, so I’m always on the lookout for fabulous recipes.
At the time of posting this keto Teriyaki Chicken Skewers recipe, these are the recipes that I’m calling my favorites:
- Korean beef bowl – a quick pick that’s PACKED with flavor
- Instant pot sauerkraut and sausage – don’t knock it till you’ve tried it!
- Minestrone soup – whenever I need a fiber fix, this is my go-to soup!
- Parmigiana sausage – my kids go nuts for this dish!
- Low carb wonton soup
Such a simple yet effective way of adding flavour to chicken. They cooked beautifully in my air fryer. I did turn them halfway through whilst I was checking on them!
This is so true! I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love chicken teriyaki LOL And these skewers look absolutely fantastic!
These skewers look amazing, so perfect for the coming warm season!
OMG! I am used to making teriyaki chicken, but I have never tried this skewers way. Your recipe sounds amazing, and I cannot wait to give it a try!
Such an easy meal with lovely sweet and salty flavors. So good over rice when they’re deskewered after the frying!
I’m wondering if liquid aminos be substituted for soy sauce ? it ” kinda” has the same taste ( to me)
Hi there, yes, they’re interchangeable. Soy has inflammatory properties that strict ketoers avoid so I offer coconut aminos as an option. Great question! ~Jenn