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Air Fryer Salt and Pepper Chicken Recipe

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4.6 from 128 reviews

This Air Fryer Salt and Pepper Chicken recipe features crispy, flavorful skinless chicken thigh pieces coated in a spiced cornflour mix and cooked to perfection in the air fryer. Enhanced with sautéed onions, garlic salt, black pepper, and fresh chopped chillies and spring onions, this dish offers a perfect balance of spicy and savory flavors in a quick, healthy, and convenient way.

Ingredients

Chicken

  • 5 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch in USA)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tsp Chinese five spice
  • 500 g (1.1 lb) skinless chicken thigh fillets, quartered
  • Spray oil (about 20 squirts altogether)

Also

  • 1 large onion, peeled and chopped into large chunks
  • 1 tsp garlic salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 red chilli pepper (serrano or fresno), finely diced
  • 1 green chilli pepper (serrano or fresno), finely diced
  • 3 spring onions (scallions), roughly chopped

Instructions

  1. Prepare the coating: In a large bowl, mix together the cornflour, salt, black pepper, and Chinese five spice until combined evenly to create the seasoning blend.
  2. Coat the chicken: Add the quartered chicken thigh fillets to the bowl and toss thoroughly to ensure each piece is well coated with the cornflour spice mixture.
  3. Air fry the chicken: Arrange the coated chicken in a single layer inside the air fryer basket. If necessary, cook in batches to avoid overcrowding. Spray the chicken pieces with spray oil, then air fry at 200°C (400°F) for 20 minutes, shaking the basket twice during cooking to promote even crisping. Once done, remove the chicken from the air fryer and place it in a bowl.
  4. Cook the onions: Place the chopped onion, garlic salt, and black pepper into the now-empty air fryer basket and toss to combine. Spray with additional spray oil, then air fry at 200°C (400°F) for 5 minutes to soften and caramelize the onions.
  5. Add chillies and spring onions: Add the finely diced red and green chillies to the air fryer basket, toss, and air fry for an additional 2 minutes. Finally, add the roughly chopped spring onions along with the cooked chicken pieces, toss everything together, and air fry for a further 1–2 minutes until the chicken is heated through and well combined with the vegetables.
  6. Serve: Remove from the air fryer and serve your salt and pepper chicken hot with your choice of sides such as steamed rice, noodles, or a fresh salad.

Notes

  • Ensure not to overcrowd the air fryer basket to achieve a crispy texture on the chicken.
  • You can adjust the amount of chillies to suit your preferred spice level.
  • Using skinless chicken thighs helps keep the meat tender and juicy.
  • Spray oil helps the cornflour coating crisp without adding too much extra fat.
  • Chinese five spice powder is essential to achieving the signature aromatic flavor in this dish.

Find it online: https://forkvista.com/air-fryer-salt-and-pepper-chicken-recipe/