2 weeks Ago
I’ve written before about my sceptical approach to the latest machine which has invaded the kitchens of the world and its mother. Surely air fryers were just for people trying to make ‘healthy’ chips or influencers showing off their latest kitchen gadget. But after finally giving in to the hype, I can confirm they’re actually genius.
Less oil, faster cooking times, less energy consumption and — most importantly — less washing up. What’s not to love? Now that we’re properly into spring, I have some air-fryer suppers that feel fresh, full of flavour, and a little bit special. These aren’t your standard midweek spag bol quick fixes — these are the kind of meals that taste like you’ve put in the effort, without the hours spent hovering over the hob.
Butter chicken has always felt like a treat meal, but this Indian butter chicken version makes it even easier to pull off at home. The key is the marinade — yoghurt, tandoori paste, garlic and spices — giving the chicken a deep, smoky flavour. Cooking it in the air fryer means it stays juicy while getting that charred, tandoori-style edge.
Once it’s tossed into a rich, buttery tomato sauce with a hit of cream and lemon, it’s a proper family favourite. Serve it up with rice and naan. Pork belly usually requires an afternoon of slow roasting, but the air fryer delivers the goods in half the time.
This crispy pork belly with rice and super slaw starts with a simple rub of five spice, sesame and shaoxing wine, before being blasted with heat until the crackling is golden and shatteringly crisp. The trick is letting it dry out in the fridge overnight. Paired with garlic and ginger-infused rice and a fresh slaw, this one is a serious upgrade from your usual Friday-night takeaway.
Don’t forget a good drizzle of chilli crisp oil over the top (I love the red jars of Lao Gan Ma you can find in Asia Market) — it takes everything up a notch. And if you’re in the mood for something a bit indulgent, these spicy honey butter crispy chicken buns might just ruin all other chicken burgers for you. Buttermilk-marinated thighs get coated in a crunchy cornflake crust, crisped up in the air fryer, and then dunked in a glossy, honey-buffalo butter sauce.
Stuffed into soft brioche buns with pickles and crisp lettuce, they’re messy in the best way possible. Air Fryer Indian Butter Chicken Air Fryer Indian Butter Chicken. Photos: Donal Skehan; Food Styling: Charlotte O’Connell Serves: 4 Time: 30 minutes Ingredients For the sauce To serve Method 1.
Place the chicken thigh pieces into a bowl and add garlic, ginger, tandoori paste, honey, cumin and Greek yoghurt and mix together to combine. 2. Place the chicken into the air fryer basket and cook at 180C for 16 minutes.
3. For the sauce, place the butter into a deep-sided saucepan and, once the butter has melted, add the green chilli, cumin and coriander and fry for a few seconds. 4.
Add the tomato puree and cook for a further few minutes, then add in the tinned tomatoes and water. Cook, stirring, for 5-7 minutes, until the sauce is slightly thickened and smells fragrant. 5.
Stir in the fenugreek leaves, dried dill, cream and lemon juice, then add the cooked chicken, along with any juices from the air fryer. Cover with a lid and allow everything to cook together for 5 minutes, then serve sprinkled with some coriander alongside some steamed rice and naan. Read more Crispy Pork Belly with Rice & Super Slaw Crispy Pork Belly with Rice & Super Slaw.
Photo: Donal Skehan; Food Styling: Charlotte O’Connell Serves: 4 Time: 1 hour Ingredients For the rice: For the slaw: To serve: Method 1. Pat the pork skin dry with kitchen paper. Then, using a very sharp knife, score the skin all over, making sure to only puncture the skin and not the meat.
Flip the pork belly over and make small punctures in the meat with a skewer. 2. Combine 1 tablespoon of salt, the five spice, sesame seeds, sugar and shaoxing wine in a bowl to make a paste and apply this to the meat side of the belly, taking care not to touch the skin.
3. Line the basket of your air fryer with tin foil, then place the pork into the basket, drizzling any remaining paste around the meat. Pat the skin dry again and sprinkle with fine sea salt.
4. Turn the air fryer on and cook for 30 minutes at 150C. 5.
Prepare the rice by washing it well in cold water until the water runs clear. 6. Chop ginger and garlic and place a drizzle of sesame oil into a shallow casserole dish.
Turn the heat to medium and, once hot, add the garlic and ginger. 7. Stir for a few minutes, then add the rice and stir to coat in the aromatics.
Add the chicken stock, stir again, then bring to the boil. Place a lid onto the dish and then turn the heat down and cook, covered, for 10-15 minutes, until the rice has absorbed all of the liquid and is tender and cooked through. 8.
After 30 minutes, turn the air fryer up to 220C and cook the pork belly for a further 20-30 minutes. Leave to rest. 9.
Turn the heat off underneath the rice, cover with a tea towel and allow to steam. 10. To make the slaw, finely slice the green pepper and spring onions and place the veg into a large bowl.
Add soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of shaoxing rice wine, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, zest and juice of 1 lime and a good sprinkle of sesame seeds. Chop the coriander and add half to the slaw. 11.
Fluff up the rice with a fork, then drizzle in any juices from the air fryer. Add a sprinkle of sesame seeds and stir everything to combine. 12.
Serve the pork belly in slices with the rice and slaw, the rest of the coriander and the chilli crisp oil. Spicy Honey Butter Crispy Chicken Buns Spicy Honey Butter Crispy Chicken Buns. Photo: Donal Skehan; Food Styling: Charlotte O’Connell Serves: 6 Time: 50 minutes Ingredients For the coating: For the sauce: To serve: Method 1.
In a large bowl, mix the buttermilk with a generous season of sea salt and ground black pepper. Add the chicken to the bowl and marinate for at least 30 minutes. Set aside.
2. Pour the cornflakes in a large freezer bag and, with a rolling pin, crush the cornflakes until you have a coarse powder. Add the rest of the coating ingredients to the bag along with salt and pepper.
Seal the bag and shake the dry mix until all ingredients are combined. 3. Pour the dry mix in a large, wide, shallow bowl.
One by one, using tongs, dip each marinated chicken piece (shaking off any excess) in the dry mix until coated on all sides. 4. Arrange the chicken in the air-fryer basket and lightly brush the top with olive oil.
Place the basket back in and set to chicken mode and cook according to your air-fryer instructions (approximately 20 minutes). 5. While the chicken cooks, make the sauce.
In a large pan, melt the butter, hot sauce and honey on a low heat until combined and slightly thickened. 6. Once the chicken is cooked, dip the chicken directly in the hot sauce pan and coat the chicken on all sides, using a spoon to douse.
7. To assemble, spread the toasted bun with mayonnaise, add shredded romaine lettuce, pickles, chicken and top with the other bun. Serve immediately.
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