Stir Fry In An Air Fryer: Is It Possible?

Air fryers are a great alternative to the stove, pan, or wok for cooking stir-fries. They are quicker, lower maintenance, and healthier than traditional deep-frying methods. You can cook stir-fries with chicken, beef, shrimp, or vegetables in an air fryer. The cooking time is usually between 7 to 15 minutes, depending on the ingredients and the air fryer model.

Chicken stir fry in an air fryer

Ingredients

• Chicken breast or thighs
• Sesame oil
• Freshly grated ginger
• Portabella mushrooms
• Fresh snow peas or frozen
• Olive oil cooking spray
• Soy sauce
• Brown sugar
• Chilli powder
• White onion
• Red bell pepper
• Orange or yellow bell pepper
• Rice or noodles (optional)

Method

First, make the marinade by combining the sesame oil, soy sauce, brown sugar, chilli powder, and grated ginger in a small bowl. Whisk the ingredients until they are well combined.

Next, pour the sauce into a large shallow dish or a sealable bag. Add the chicken pieces and toss them in the sauce until they are fully coated. Place the dish in the refrigerator and let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes to an hour.

Lightly spray the air fryer basket with olive oil cooking spray. Then, place the marinated chicken into the basket, along with the mushrooms, onion, bell peppers, and snow peas.

Air fry the ingredients at 380 degrees Fahrenheit for 7-9 minutes. Be sure to toss the ingredients midway through the cooking process to ensure even cooking. The chicken is ready when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Serving Suggestions

This chicken stir fry can be served with a variety of rice, such as cauliflower rice, steamed rice, white rice, brown rice, basmati rice, or wild rice. It also goes well with mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, or sweet potatoes.

Storage

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container or a resealable bag for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. For longer storage, freeze the leftovers in a freezer-safe container for up to 1 month.

Vegetables to use in a stir fry

Vegetables are a key component of a delicious stir fry. The best stir-fries have a mix of textures, from crunchy to soft, and a variety of colours.

Some vegetables take longer to cook than others, so it's important to know the order in which to add them to your wok or pan. First, add the vegetables that take a little longer to cook, like carrots, mushrooms, onions, and baby corn. Then, add the quicker-cooking vegetables, such as broccoli, snow peas/sugar snap peas, bell peppers, and water chestnuts.

• Bell peppers (any colour)
• Broccoli
• Snow peas/sugar snap peas
• Carrots
• Mushrooms
• Baby corn
• Water chestnuts
• Onions (white, yellow, or red)
• Asparagus
• Bean sprouts
• Celery
• Zucchini/courgette
• Cauliflower
• Tomatoes

You can also add some leafy greens, like spinach or bok choy, at the end, just to wilt them.

Marinade for stir fry

Marinating your meat before stir-frying is a great way to improve the flavour and texture of your proteins. A good marinade will help tenderise the meat, alter its proteins so that it retains moisture, and improve the browning characteristics that are the goal of high-heat cooking.

There are a few key ingredients that serve a functional purpose in a marinade, beyond just adding flavour. These include:

• Salt: A flavour and texture enhancer that brings out the meat's natural flavours and tenderises it by breaking down myosin, a tough protein found in meat.
• Sugar: A flavour enhancer that aids in caramelisation and the Maillard browning process. It speeds up browning and creates more depth of flavour, while also balancing out the saltiness of the salt and soy sauce.
• Soy Sauce: A flavour enhancer and builder that is rich in glutamates, which makes meat taste more savoury and improves juiciness.
• Oil: This helps distribute cornstarch, seasonings, and fat-soluble flavours evenly when mixing the marinade with the meat. Use an oil with a high smoke point, such as peanut oil, corn oil, refined light olive oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil.
• Cornstarch: When added to marinades, cornstarch provides a light coating that protects the meat from the intense heat of the wok. This helps prevent overcooking and toughening of the outer layers of meat. It also acts as a binder, helping liquid ingredients come together and bind to the meat.

In addition to these functional ingredients, you can also include aromatics such as pepper (white or black) and Shaoxing wine, a slightly nutty-tasting flavour builder that adds an unmistakable aroma to any stir-fry dish.

• 1/2 pound sliced or diced chicken, pork, or beef
• 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper (white or black)
• 1/2 teaspoon Shaoxing wine
• 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon vegetable, peanut, or canola oil
• 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

Simply combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix with your hands to coat the meat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before cooking.

How to cook stir fry in an air fryer

Air fryer stir fry is a delicious, healthy, and quick recipe that's perfect for busy weeknights. This simple recipe is full of fresh vegetables and bite-size pieces of chicken breast or other meat alternatives that can be marinated in a homemade stir fry sauce.

Ingredients

• Skinless chicken breasts or thighs
• Hoisin sauce
• Soy sauce
• Sesame oil
• Red pepper flakes
• Garlic cloves
• Ginger
• Onion
• Mushrooms
• Bell pepper
• Broccoli florets
• Olive oil
• Rice or noodles

Method

Firstly, mix the stir fry sauce ingredients (hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, garlic cloves, and ginger) together in a small bowl or mason jar.

Next, add the cut chicken pieces to the sauce and mix well to ensure all the pieces are coated. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes and up to an hour or two.

While the chicken is marinating, prepare the vegetables by washing, drying, and cutting them into bite-sized pieces. Be sure to wash any utensils that have come into contact with raw chicken before using them to prepare the vegetables. Toss the vegetables in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt and black pepper.

Remove the chicken from the marinade and place the pieces in the air fryer basket, which has been coated with non-stick cooking spray. For best results, place them in a single layer.

Add the vegetables to the basket with the chicken.

Air fry at 380 degrees Fahrenheit for about 9 minutes, tossing the contents at the halfway mark. The stir fry is done when the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Drizzle with extra stir fry sauce or soy sauce before serving with rice or noodles.

Tips

• There is no need to pre-heat the air fryer before cooking this recipe.
• Avocado oil or olive oil spray are good options to use in the air fryer.
• A good quality teriyaki sauce can be substituted for the stir fry sauce.
• For a vegetarian option, try using crispy tofu or extra-firm tofu.
• If your vegetables are crisping up too much, just add a touch of water to the air fryer to create some steam.
• If you want to add rice to the stir fry, cook it separately first and then add it to the air fryer with a bit of oil towards the end to create "fried rice".

Serving suggestions for stir fry

There are many ways to serve a stir fry, depending on your preferences and dietary requirements. Here are some serving suggestions:

Rice or Noodles

A stir fry is commonly served with rice or noodles. For rice, you could use white rice, brown rice, basmati rice, jasmine rice, or cauliflower rice. Alternatively, you could serve your stir fry with egg noodles, rice noodles, or zoodles (zucchini noodles).

Sides

You could also serve your stir fry with a side dish such as fried rice, vegetable fried rice, mushroom fried rice, or garlic noodles.

Meat and Seafood

If you want to add more protein to your stir fry, you could include chicken, beef, shrimp, or scallops. For a vegetarian option, you could add crispy tofu or extra-firm tofu.

Vegetables

Stir fries are a great way to include more vegetables in your diet. You can add bell peppers, green beans, snow peas, broccoli, mushrooms, onions, or cabbage to your stir fry.

Toppings and Garnishes

To add extra flavour and texture, you can top your stir fry with fried or boiled eggs, toasted nuts (such as cashews, peanuts, or almonds), crispy roasted chickpeas, or extra stir fry sauce.

Starters and Appetizers

If you're serving your stir fry as part of a larger meal, you could start with some lettuce wraps with peanut dipping sauce or Vietnamese shrimp toast.

Customization

Stir fries are very versatile, so feel free to experiment with different ingredients and seasonings to suit your taste preferences. You can also adjust the spice level by adding more or less red pepper.

Frequently asked questions