Who doesn’t love keto chicken teriyaki on a stick? Smothered in thick and rich garlicky teriyaki sauce, these keto Teriyaki Chicken Skewers are tender, juicy, and succulent. Read on and I, Chef Jenn, will show you all my tips and tricks to make this amazing dish in under 30!
Cooked in a jiffy, this air fryer teriyaki chicken recipe is amped up and loaded with flavor! With just a handful of ingredients, this fun and quick dish is impressive enough for guests, but still easy enough for a weeknight dinner.
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What is Teriyaki?
Teriyaki is a slightly sweet and salty sauce that originates from Japan. Loaded with garlic and ginger, it’s a tangy sauce that really packs a punch of flavor.
I use it on these keto chicken skewers but you can also use it as a dip, dressing, and marinade for a variety of other meats like beef, salmon, shrimp, and even veggies.
What You Need To Make Keto Teriyaki Chicken Skewers
- Skewers – I really recommend buying metal ones. They’re not just a one-use item, and they don’t burn. These 10-inch ones fit in my Cuisinart air fryer basket.
- Digital thermometer – don’t mess with chicken! It should be cooked to 165F to be eaten safely.
- My dialed up keto Teriyaki Sauce
- Chicken thighs – boneless and skinless
- Green onions and sesame seeds for garnish
How To Make
For a full list of ingredients and instructions, please scroll down to the recipe at the bottom of the page.
- Slice the boneless and skinless chicken thighs lengthwise into long 1/2-inch thick strips
- Marinade the for about an hour in the Teriyaki Sauce.
- Weave them onto the skewers and pop them in the air fryer for about 15 minutes.
- That’s all!
Can I grill keto teriyaki chicken?
Yes, you sure can! Simply fire up your grill to a medium-high heat and pop the skewers on to cook.
If you’re using wood skewers, don’t forget to soak them first. Though honestly, after a million years of cooking professionally, soaking the skewers first doesn’t really help that much.
Your best bet is to use reusable metal skewers.
Recommended
Chef Jenn’s Tips to Make Keto Teriyaki Chicken Air Fryer Style
- Chicken thighs are meaty, fatty and juicy enough to hold up to air fryer temps and even grilling. You can use chicken breast, just watch it doesn’t dry out by getting overcooked.
- Air fryers are all different. Follow the recommended temps and times for your air fryer.
- If your air fryer won’t hold skewers, you can still air fry this dish – just put the chicken pieces in the bottom of the basket or check out these shorter skewers.
- Use a good digital thermometer to temp the chicken and pull it out when it gets to 165-F.
- Save some sauce to brush on at the end or for dipping!
- Want a different spin? Sub some sugar substitute for the honey (or use sugar-free honey) in this baked teriyaki chicken dish.
Make it a Meal
I love this garlicky, gingery, and slightly sweet keto teriyaki sauce on chicken and it pairs soooo nicely with dishes like Brussels Sprouts with Almonds and Brown Butter or even just plain Cauliflower Rice.
You could also snug the skewers on a plate next to a pile of creamy mashed turnips or mashed cauliflower. And for dessert, enjoy a keto snickerdoodle cookie!
Can I freze this dish?
Yes! These low carb teriyaki skewers are freezer friendly!
Simply chill the skewers completely and then slide them off the skewers. Package them in a freezer-safe plastic bag or reusable container.
Freeze for up to three months.
To reheat, thaw them in the fridge overnight then heat them in the air fryer on a low heat until hot. Enjoy!
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.
Step By Step Process
Keto 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 tbsp 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!
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