Air Fryer Pandan Chicken: A Healthier Take on a Thai Favourite

Fried chicken wrapped in pandan leaves is one of my go-to dishes whenever we go out for Thai food. Every bite is savoury, sweet and infused with that unique, fragrant pandan aroma I absolutely adore. If you've been following Summer and Spice, you already know how much I love pandan - it's made its way into quite a few of my recipes. But this might just be the first savoury pandan dish I've shared here. So let me introduce you to one of our weeknight favourites: Air Fryer Pandan Chicken - a healthier twist on the traditional Thai pandan chicken, minus the frying.

Why you'll love this Air Fryer Pandan Chicken

What makes Air Fryer Pandan Chicken so special? For me, it's the way the pandan leaves wrap around the marinated chicken, locking in all the flavour and fragrance. As the parcels cook in the air fryer, the edges caramelise beautifully and your kitchen will smell incredible. Every time I make this, my kids polish off their plates in record time - rice pot, chicken plate, everything gone.

The best part? You can absolutely recreate this dish at home easily and get that same restaurant-quality pandan chicken straight from your air fryer.

Ingredients you'll need

This recipe has two components: the pandan-wrapped chicken and a simple yet delicious sweet soy sesame dipping sauce that brings it all together.

For the chicken

• Chicken thigh fillets - These are the best cut for this dish as they stay juicy and tender. You can use chicken breast for a leaner version, but just keep in mind the meat might be a bit drier.
• Pandan leaves - You'll need plenty. Fresh is always best, but frozen will do the trick too. Count about one leaf per chicken parcel.
• Marinade ingredients - Garlic, shallots, condensed milk, coconut milk, fish sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce and sesame oil. You could use light soy sauce, but dark soy gives a deeper flavour and a lovely caramelised colour.

How to make Air Fryer Pandan Chicken at home

Start by finely chopping the garlic and shallots. In a small bowl, mix them with the condensed milk, coconut milk, fish sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce and sesame oil. Whisk everything together to make the marinade.

Next, cut your chicken into 3x3 cm square pieces and add them to a mixing bowl. Pour over the marinade and give everything a good mix. Let it sit and marinate for at least half an hour - the longer, the better for flavour.

While the chicken is marinating, rinse your pandan leaves under tap water, pat them dry and cut them into lengths of about 12-15cm.

To wrap the chicken, use one pandan leaf strip to wrap two sides of the chicken square, then use another strip to wrap the opposite sides to form a neat little parcel. Secure each parcel with a toothpick.

Cooking in the Air Fryer

Arrange the pandan-wrapped chicken parcels in a single layer in your air fryer basket. Give them a quick spray with vegetable oil, then cook at 200°C for 15 minutes.

I would check around the 12-minute mark, as all air fryers cook a little differently. You want a nice caramelised finish. Of course, you could fry them in oil, but I love this air fryer version of pandan chicken for how healthy and mess-free it is.

The sweet soy sesame sauce

While the chicken is cooking, I make the dipping sauce. It's incredibly simple but truly makes a difference. Just mix 2 tablespoons of soy sauce with 1 tablespoon of honey in a small saucepan. Bring it to a gentle boil on low heat, remove from the heat and pour into a dipping bowl. Sprinkle over some toasted sesame seeds - done!

Serving suggestions

Air Fryer Pandan Chicken is perfect served with freshly steamed jasmine rice. I usually steam some green vegetables like broccoli or green beans on the side for a balanced, fuss-free family meal.

We had this for dinner last night and honestly, it was such a lovely meal. Everyone - kids and grown-ups alike - left the table happy and full. If you've never tried pandan in a savoury dish before, this is the one to start with.

Make it your own

This Air Fryer Pandan Chicken recipe is easily customisable. You can switch up the marinade, add a bit of chilli if you like it spicy or even try it with tofu for a vegetarian version. The air fryer keeps it light, while the pandan infuses everything with that unmistakable Thai flavour.

If you give this recipe a go, I would love to see your version!

If you love pandan leaves as I do, why not try some of the pandan pudding recipes on my website? They're just as fragrant and delicious as this Air Fryer Pandan Chicken, but with a sweet twist. Check out recipes like:

Pandan Silken Tofu Pudding

Vietnamese Pandan Corn Milk

Pandan Sticky Rice with Mango