Air Fryer Chicken Stir Fry: Quick, Easy, Delicious

Chicken stir fry is a quick and easy meal to make in an air fryer. The chicken and vegetables are cooked at a high temperature for a short amount of time, typically between 7 and 20 minutes, depending on the recipe. It's important to shake or toss the ingredients during cooking to ensure they cook evenly. The chicken is cooked through when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F or higher.

Air fryer temperature settings

It's important to note that air fryers may not have a preheat mode, so you should set it to air fry for 3-4 minutes before adding your ingredients. You should also shake or toss the basket a few times during cooking to redistribute the food and ensure even cooking.

The ideal temperature for chicken stir fry in an air fryer seems to be around 380°F/195°C, with a cooking time of 16-20 minutes. However, it's always important to check that the chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F/74°C or higher. This can be done by checking the temperature in the centre of the largest chunks of chicken.

In addition to temperature settings, it's important to consider the ingredients you're using and how they may affect cooking time. For example, if you're adding vegetables to your chicken stir fry, they may need to cook for a shorter or longer time depending on their size and type. Bell peppers, red onion, and mushrooms are commonly used in chicken stir fry and typically take 7-8 minutes to cook through.

Overall, when cooking chicken stir fry in an air fryer, it's important to preheat your air fryer, use the correct temperature settings, and regularly toss or shake the basket to ensure even cooking. By following these steps, you can ensure your chicken stir fry is cooked thoroughly and safely.

How long to cook chicken stir fry for

Cooking chicken stir fry in an air fryer takes between 7 and 20 minutes, depending on the temperature and the size of the chicken chunks.

Firstly, preheat the air fryer to 200°C/400°F. If your air fryer doesn't have a preheat mode, set it to air fry for 3-4 minutes. Then, place the chicken and vegetables in the air fryer basket and air fry for 10-15 minutes, shaking the basket or tossing the food with tongs 1-2 times during cooking to ensure it cooks evenly.

If you are cooking at a higher temperature of 380°F/195°C, you will need to cook the chicken stir fry for 16-20 minutes, shaking and gently tossing halfway through.

For a chicken stir fry with sliced bell peppers, red onion and mushrooms, add the vegetables to the air fryer basket after 5 minutes, then air fry for an additional 7-8 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked and the vegetables are tender.

How to ensure even cooking

To ensure even cooking, toss the ingredients in the air fryer basket a few times during cooking. You can also shake the basket to redistribute the food. Make sure to check the temperature in the centre of the largest chunks of chicken to ensure they have reached 74°C/165°F or higher all the way through.

Internal temperature of chicken

The internal temperature of chicken in a stir fry cooked in an air fryer should be 165°F or higher. To achieve this, cook the chicken for 10-15 minutes at 380°F/195°C, shaking the basket or tossing the food with tongs a few times during cooking to ensure it cooks evenly.

It is important to check the temperature in the centre of a few of the largest chunks of chicken to ensure they have reached the correct internal temperature. This can be done with a meat thermometer.

If your air fryer doesn’t have a preheat mode, set it to air fry for 3-4 minutes before adding the chicken.

What vegetables to add

When making a chicken stir fry in an air fryer, you should cook the chicken and vegetables for 10-15 minutes at 200°C/400°F. You should shake the basket or toss the food with tongs a few times during cooking to ensure it cooks evenly.

When it comes to choosing vegetables to add to your stir fry, there are plenty of options to choose from. Bell peppers, red onion, and mushrooms are all great choices and go well with chicken. You could also add in zucchini, bok choy, brussels sprouts, broccoli, snap peas, cauliflower rice, or carrots. These vegetables will add colour, flavour, and texture to your stir fry.

If you want to get creative, you can experiment with different combinations of vegetables. For example, you could try a mix of bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms with a few slices of zucchini and bok choy. Or, if you're a fan of spicy food, you could add in some chilli peppers or jalapenos.

Remember to cut your vegetables into uniform sizes so that they cook evenly. You can also blanch or par-boil harder vegetables like carrots or broccoli before adding them to the air fryer to ensure they're tender.

Frequently asked questions