Air Fryer Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin Bites
42g protein. 12 minutes in the air fryer. Stop buying chicken breast on autopilot.
Cubed pork tenderloin tossed with a honey-garlic-soy glaze and air fried to caramelized edges in 12 minutes. Served over jasmine rice and steamed broccoli for a 4-day meal prep that holds up to Thursday.
Stop buying chicken breast every week like it is the law. Pork tenderloin is leaner than chicken thighs, costs less than half of salmon, and the air fryer cooks it in 12 minutes with edges that hold up Monday through Thursday. The honey-garlic glaze makes it the meal you actually look forward to opening at your desk.
I came to pork tenderloin late. For years I rotated chicken-rice-broccoli on a five-day loop because it was cheap and I knew the macros cold. Then I did the math at Costco one Sunday and realized a 2-pack of pork tenderloin was almost a dollar a pound cheaper than chicken breast, with 36g of protein per 4-ounce serving. Same ballpark on macros, way more flavor, holds caramelization without drying out. I have not gone back.
The air fryer is the move here. A regular oven takes 25 minutes and you have to babysit the glaze so it does not burn. The air fryer goes 12 minutes at 400 with a single pause to toss, and the high circulation gets you those sticky-on-the-outside edges without overshooting the inside. The cornstarch slurry at the end is non-negotiable. It turns the pan juices into a glaze that clings to every bite and survives reheating.
Air Fryer Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin Bites
Ingredients
- FOR THE PORK
- FOR THE HONEY GARLIC GLAZE
- FOR SERVING
Instructions
- Cook jasmine rice: rinse rice until water runs clear. Combine with 3 cups water in a pot, bring to a boil, reduce to low, cover, cook 15 minutes. Remove from heat, let stand 5 minutes, fluff with a fork.
- While rice cooks, toss cubed pork with cornstarch, avocado oil, salt, and pepper until evenly coated. The cornstarch is what gives you the sticky exterior.
- Preheat air fryer to 400F. Arrange pork in a single layer (work in two batches if your basket is small). Air fry 6 minutes, toss, then air fry another 5-6 minutes until internal temp hits 145F and edges are caramelized.
- While pork cooks, microwave the steam-in-bag broccoli per package directions (usually 4-5 minutes). Set aside.
- Make the glaze: whisk soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Whisk in the cornstarch slurry and cook 1-2 minutes until thick and glossy.
- Toss the air-fried pork in the glaze until every cube is coated.
- Divide rice among 4 meal prep containers. Top with broccoli and glazed pork. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.
- Store in the fridge up to 4 days. For best texture on day 3-4, reheat the rice and pork covered in the microwave for 90 seconds. Store the glaze separately if you want extra-crispy edges on reheat.