Tiffany Haney
Air fryers are a great way to cook a delicious, quick and easy chicken curry. While air fryers are not designed to cook liquids, they are perfect for making a curry sauce, as the sauce thickens and caramelises. You can make a range of curries in an air fryer, including chicken tikka masala, lamb rogan josh, and chicken rezala. The cooking time is typically around 20 minutes, and you can serve your curry with rice, naan bread, or chapati.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Time | 20 minutes |
| Serves | 1-4 people |
| Ingredients | Chicken, peppers, onions, coconut milk, chillies, coriander, curry paste, tomato puree, sunflower oil/ghee, salt, pepper, ginger, garlic, cornflour, water |
| Equipment | Air fryer, cake barrel insert, metal pan |
| Temperature | 190°C-200°C/375°F-400°F |
| Reheating | Place in the air fryer at 190°C/375°F for 10-12 minutes |
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What You'll Learn
Air fryer chicken curry recipe
This recipe is for a delicious chicken curry cooked in an air fryer, serving 1 to 2 people. It is a quick and easy weeknight meal that can be prepared in 30 minutes.
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
- Fresh coriander and chillies for serving (optional)
- Rice, naan bread, or chapati for serving
Instructions:
First, prepare your chicken, onion, and red pepper by chopping them into bite-sized pieces. Place the cake barrel insert into your air fryer basket and add the oil, chopped chicken, onion, and pepper. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then mix to coat the ingredients in the oil and seasoning.
Air fry these ingredients for 10 minutes at 190°C/375°F, shaking the basket once halfway through cooking. After this, add in the curry paste, garlic, and ginger, and stir to combine. Place the basket back in the air fryer for another 2 minutes.
Remove the basket from the air fryer and stir the ingredients again. Check that the sauce is hot and the chicken is cooked through by slicing a piece of chicken to ensure it is no longer pink in the middle. If you would like to thicken the sauce, stir in 1 tbsp of cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp of cold water.
Serve the curry on top of rice, with fresh coriander and chillies on top, if desired. You can also serve it with naan bread or chapati on the side. Enjoy!
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.
- If you want to add blistered birds-eye chillies on top, place the chillies in the air fryer basket and air fry at 200°C/400°F for 3-4 minutes, shaking halfway through.
- This recipe can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat it in a pan over medium heat or in the air fryer using the cake barrel at 190°C/375°F for 10-12 minutes.
- If you have an air fryer with two cooking chambers, you can cook two curries at once or keep one portion warm while cooking the other.
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Chicken tikka masala in an air fryer
Chicken tikka masala is a mouthwatering combination of tender char-grilled chicken in a creamy onion and tomato sauce. The chicken is first marinated in spiced yoghurt and then cooked in a tandoor oven until tender. The masala sauce is made with tomatoes, onions, and spices, and finished with cream. This dish has roots in India and Anglo-Indian influences.
Ingredients:
- Chicken breasts
- Yoghurt
- Garam masala
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Beet
- Cayenne
- Salt
- Oil
- Onion
- Tomato
- Spices (such as cumin, coriander, paprika, cinnamon)
- Cream
- Rice
- Naan bread
Instructions:
- In a bowl, whisk together yoghurt, garam masala, garlic, ginger, beet, cayenne, and salt.
- Add the chicken and stir to coat completely with the marinade.
- Refrigerate the chicken for at least 15 minutes, or overnight for more intense flavour.
- Preheat the air fryer to 380°F (190°C) or 200°C/400°F, depending on your air fryer model.
- Mist the basket with oil and add the chicken.
- Cook for 9-12 minutes, or 20 minutes if your air fryer is set to 200°C/400°F, flipping the chicken over halfway through.
- The chicken should be juicy with charred edges.
- Slice the chicken into chunks and mix into the masala sauce.
- Stir in the cream and heat through for an additional 5 minutes in the air fryer.
- Serve the curry with rice and naan bread.
Note: This recipe serves 1-2 people and any leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
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Preparing ingredients and air fryer
Preparing the ingredients for an air fryer curry is simple and quick. For a chicken curry, you will need skinless and boneless chicken thighs or breasts, diced into small chunks. You can also use pre-cooked air fryer chicken tikka for extra flavour. The chicken is then coated in a mixture of oil or ghee, salt, pepper, and curry powder. You can use mild, medium, or hot curry powder, depending on your preference. Additionally, you can add minced garlic and ginger to the mix.
Chopped onions and red peppers are also added to the mix. For a saucier curry, you can add coconut milk or double cream, tomato puree or passata, and butter. Fresh coriander and chillies can be used to garnish the dish. If you want to thicken the sauce, cornflour mixed with cold water can be added at the end.
To cook the curry, you will need a metal pan that fits into the air fryer basket, such as a small cake tin. It is important to note that silicone pans are not recommended as they do not get hot enough. The pan should be about half full to avoid overfilling and splattering issues. You can also use a cake barrel insert, which is placed inside the air fryer basket.
Before adding the ingredients, preheat your air fryer to 190-200 degrees Celsius. This usually takes around five minutes. Then, add the ingredients in stages. First, cook the chicken for 10-12 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through. Next, add the onion and cook for five minutes before adding the garlic and ginger. Finally, add the remaining ingredients and cook for another 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is piping hot.
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Reheating and storing air-fried curry
When reheating curry in an air fryer, use a lower temperature than the original cooking temperature to prevent the dish from scorching and drying out. For example, if the curry was cooked at 190°C, reheat it at 160°C. You can also reheat naan bread in the air fryer for 3-4 minutes at 200°C.
It is important to note that different types of curries have varying recommended consumption times when stored in the refrigerator or freezer. For instance, chicken curry should be consumed within 2-4 days if refrigerated and up to two months if frozen. Vegetable curry will last 4-5 days in the fridge and up to 3 months in the freezer. Lamb curry should be consumed within 1-3 days when refrigerated and can be frozen for up to two months. Prawn curry, however, should be consumed within 1-2 days of refrigeration and should not be reheated if the original dish was not properly handled, cooked, or stored.
To reheat curry, you can use an oven, stovetop, or microwave, in addition to an air fryer. When using an oven, preheat to around 145-160°C for lamb or chicken curry, respectively, and cover the dish with foil to prevent the meat from drying out. Reheat for approximately 10-15 minutes. For vegetable curry, a microwave can be used, cooking for around 3 minutes and stirring every minute.
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Air fryer vs. other cooking methods
Air fryers are a convenient way to cook a range of dishes, from chicken curry to frozen foods like chicken nuggets and fries. They are especially useful for small batches of food and can help you achieve crispy, fried-like results without the need for large amounts of oil used in deep frying. However, they have limitations when compared to other cooking methods and appliances.
Air Fryer vs. Oven
The most obvious difference between a standalone air fryer and an oven is size. An air fryer is a countertop appliance that typically cooks one dish at a time, while an oven is a full-sized appliance that can handle multiple dishes or larger portions. Additionally, an air fryer circulates heated air to cook and crisp up food, while a conventional, non-convection oven uses still air to cook food. Ovens with air fry capabilities can be useful for air frying larger amounts of food.
Air Fryer vs. Deep Fryer
Air frying achieves similar results to deep frying in terms of crispiness, but it does so by using hot, moving air instead of submerging food in hot oil or fat. Air fryers use little to no oil, making them a healthier alternative to deep frying.
Air Fryer vs. Microwave
Microwaves use electromagnetism to accelerate particles within the food, while air fryers circulate dry heat to remove moisture from the exterior of foods. Some microwaves now offer air fry settings, but for optimal results, an appliance specifically designed for air frying may be preferable.
Air Fryer vs. Stovetop Cooking
Air fryers are excellent for cooking certain types of food, like sausages, chicken, and kebabs, but they may not be ideal for dishes that require precise control over the cooking process, such as steak. Stovetop cooking allows for more flexibility and the ability to cook a wider range of dishes, including those that use wet batter.
In conclusion, while air fryers have their advantages, they should be considered as a complementary cooking appliance to traditional methods rather than a replacement. They excel at cooking specific types of food and can be a convenient, healthier alternative to deep frying. However, they have limitations in terms of batch size, dish variety, and the learning curve involved in mastering their use.
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Frequently asked questions
It takes 20 minutes to cook chicken curry in an air fryer.
It is recommended to use a metal pan that fits into the air fryer basket. Small cake tins are also popular for air frying casseroles and stews. Avoid using silicone pans as they don't get hot enough.
You will need chicken, curry paste or powder, onion, garlic, ginger, tomato puree, passata, double cream, and butter. You can also add chillies, peppers, and coriander.
First, preheat your air fryer to 200 degrees Celsius. Then, add the chicken, onion, garlic, ginger, and seasonings to the pan. Cook the chicken for about 12 minutes, then add the onion and cook for another 5 minutes. Next, add the garlic and ginger, followed by the curry powder and tomato puree. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the passata and cook for another 5 minutes. Finally, add the double cream and butter, and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Yes, you can make curry in an air fryer without a cake barrel. However, you will need a metal pan that fits into the air fryer basket.
