Air Fryer Curry: Quick, Easy, And Delicious?

Air fryers are a convenient way to make a delicious, healthy, and fragrant curry in a short amount of time. While air fryers are not designed to cook liquids, they can be used to make a curry sauce, provided it is thick enough. Chicken curry is a popular dish to make in an air fryer, and it can be ready to serve in as little as 20 minutes. The air fryer also saves time and effort on cleaning up.

Can you cook curry in an air fryer?

Air fryer chicken curry recipe

Air fryers can be used to cook delicious chicken curry. The recipe below serves 4 people and takes 30 minutes to cook.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp sunflower oil or ghee
• 2 chicken breasts
• 1 large onion
• 1 red bell pepper
• Pinch of salt and pepper
• 2 heaped tbsp of your favourite curry paste, or 2 tbsp mild curry powder
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 tsp minced ginger
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• 2 tbsp cold water
• Fresh coriander and chillies, to serve
• Rice or naan bread, to serve

Instructions:

• Add the oil, chopped chicken, onion, and red pepper to the air fryer cake-barrel. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then mix to coat the chicken and onion in the oil and seasoning.
• Place the cake barrel in the air fryer basket and air fry for 10 minutes at 190°C/375°F. Shake the basket once halfway through cooking.
• Add the curry paste, garlic, and ginger. Stir together and place back in the air fryer for 2 minutes.
• Remove from the air fryer and stir. Check that the sauce is hot and the chicken is cooked through.
• If you want to thicken the sauce, stir in the cornflour mixed with cold water.
• Serve on top of rice or with naan bread, topped with fresh coriander and chillies.

Tips:

• If you prefer not to use curry paste, you can use a mixture of 1 tbsp sunflower oil/ghee, 2 tbsp mild curry powder, 1 tbsp ground coriander, ½ tbsp ground cumin, 1 tsp paprika, ½ tsp ground cinnamon, ½ tsp salt, and ½ tsp black pepper.
• You can also top the curry with blistered birds-eye chillies. Place the chillies in the air fryer basket and air fry for 3-4 minutes at 200°C/400°F, shaking halfway through, until starting to blister.
• To reheat leftovers, place the curry in the air fryer at 190°C/375°F for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, or heat in the microwave for a few minutes.

Air fryer chicken tikka masala curry

Air fryers are a great way to cook chicken tikka masala curry, with the sauce darkening and caramelising in the air fryer. The curry can be cooked in the air fryer in under 30 minutes, with minimal cleanup required afterwards.

To make the curry, you will need a metal pan that fits into the air fryer basket. You can use any metal pan, but small cake tins are a popular choice for casseroles and stews.

Ingredients:

• Chicken breast or thighs
• Salt
• Lemon juice
• Caster sugar
• Greek yogurt
• Ginger puree
• Garlic puree
• Tandoori masala
• Turmeric
• Garam masala
• Ground coriander
• Chilli powder
• Oil
• Spices (such as cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, cayenne, and cloves)
• Onion
• Tomato
• Cream
• Rice
• Naan bread
• Coriander leaves

Directions:

• Cut the chicken into chunks and add to a large bowl.
• Add lemon juice, salt, caster sugar, Greek yogurt, ginger puree, garlic puree, tandoori masala, turmeric, garam masala, ground coriander, and chilli powder to the chicken. Stir until completely mixed.
• Cover the bowl and leave to marinate in the fridge for 2-24 hours.
• Heat oil in the air fryer pan at 180°C/350°F. Add the marinated chicken to the pan and cook for 15 minutes at 200°C/400°F, shaking the basket a few times during cooking.
• Prepare the masala sauce by cooking onions and tomatoes with spices in the air fryer.
• Stir the cream into the sauce and heat through for five minutes in the fryer.
• Serve the curry with rice and naan bread, garnished with coriander leaves.

You can adjust the spice levels to suit your taste and even add some crushed chilli flakes for extra heat. This curry can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to three days or frozen for up to three months.

Air fryer saves time and effort

Air fryers are a great way to save time and effort when cooking curry. Traditional curry-making can be a time-consuming and tedious process, requiring constant attention to ensure that the spices infuse properly with the other ingredients. With an air fryer, you can transform this experience into a hassle-free one, yielding a fragrant and delicious curry without having to spend hours in the kitchen.

One of the biggest advantages of using an air fryer is the convenience it offers. Air fryers were initially developed as a substitute for deep and shallow frying foods. However, they have evolved to become versatile tools that can also be used to make sauces and stews. This means that you can prepare a thick curry sauce, add it to a small pan in your air fryer, and let it cook until it is ready to be served. The hot air in the air fryer browns and caramelises the curry, giving it that authentic pan-fried taste.

Another way air fryers save time and effort is by reducing the amount of cleanup required. Traditional curry-making often results in a messy kitchen, with splatters and spills all over the stove and surrounding areas. With an air fryer, there is minimal to no splatter, making the cleanup process much easier and quicker. You can simply enjoy your delicious curry without having to worry about spending hours scrubbing pots and pans.

Additionally, air fryers offer a healthy and cost-effective alternative to traditional curry-making methods. They allow you to indulge in the flavours of your favourite takeaway curries without compromising your health and wellness goals. Air fryers can help you create healthier versions of your favourite dishes, allowing you to control the ingredients and portions while still enjoying the taste and aroma of a classic curry.

Overall, air fryers are a game-changer when it comes to saving time and effort in the kitchen, especially when it comes to cooking curry. They offer convenience, versatility, and a hassle-free cooking experience, all while delivering mouth-watering flavours that will satisfy your curry cravings. So, the next time you're looking for a quick and easy meal, don't be afraid to break out your air fryer and whip up a delicious curry in a fraction of the time and with minimal cleanup.

Air fryer curry tastes like a takeaway

Air fryer curry: a tasty, quick, and easy takeaway-style dinner

Air fryers are a fantastic substitute for deep and shallow frying foods, and they can also be used to make sauces and stews. You can cook a delicious curry in an air fryer, and it will taste just like a takeaway, with the same level of mouth-watering flavours. The best part? It's healthier, quicker, and easier to make and clean up than a traditional curry.

How to make an air fryer curry

To make a curry in an air fryer, you will need a metal pan that fits into the basket. First, prepare a thick curry sauce. You can use curry paste, or make your own spice mix with ingredients like curry powder, cumin, cinnamon, and paprika. Then, add your sauce to the pan and place it in the air fryer until it's hot enough to serve. You can also add ingredients like chicken, peppers, and onions directly to the sauce.

Tips for a tasty air fryer curry

• If you like your curry spicy, use medium or hot curry powder.
• You can use a cake barrel insert to make saucy foods in your air fryer.
• Peppers and onions can get slightly charred when cooking in the air fryer, adding a lovely extra flavour dimension.
• You can reheat your curry in the air fryer using the cake barrel at 190°C/375°F for 10-12 minutes.
• If you want to cook chicken tikka masala in the air fryer, you can add pre-cooked air fryer chicken tikka or simply air fry some chicken tikka at the beginning.
• If you want to serve your curry with naan bread, you can heat it in your air fryer for 3-4 minutes at 200°C/400°F.

Air fryer curry recipe serves 4 people

Yes, you can cook curry in an air fryer! Here is a recipe for an air fryer chicken curry that serves four people.

First, you will need to prepare your ingredients:

• 1 tbsp sunflower oil or ghee
• 2 chicken breasts
• 1 large onion
• 1 red bell pepper
• Pinch of salt and pepper
• 2 heaped tbsp of your favourite curry paste (or 1 tbsp curry powder)
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 tsp minced ginger
• Fresh coriander and chillies (optional)
• Rice or naan bread to serve

You will also need a cake barrel insert for your air fryer.

Now, let's get cooking!

Start by adding the oil to the air fryer cake barrel, along with the chopped chicken, onion, and red pepper. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then mix to coat the chicken and onion in the oil and seasoning. Place the cake barrel in the air fryer basket and air fry for 10 minutes at 190°C/375°F, shaking the basket halfway through.

Next, add the curry paste, garlic, and ginger. Stir everything together and place it back in the air fryer for another 2 minutes.

Finally, check that the sauce is piping hot and the chicken is cooked through. If you want to thicken the sauce, stir in some cornflour slurry (1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp cold water).

Serve on a bed of rice or with naan bread, and sprinkle with fresh coriander and chillies if desired. Enjoy!

This curry is ready in less than 30 minutes and is a great, easy weeknight meal with minimal cleanup required. You can also make it ahead of time and refrigerate for up to 3 days, then reheat it in a pan or in the air fryer until piping hot.

Frequently asked questions