Air Fryer Aldi Red Bag Chicken: Quick, Easy, Delicious!

Aldi's red bag chicken is a cult favourite for a reason. The Kirkwood brand frozen breaded chicken breast fillets are affordable, versatile, and most importantly, delicious. They can be used in a variety of recipes, from sandwiches to salads, pasta, and wraps. The best part? They can go straight from the freezer to the air fryer, making them a convenient and quick option for busy weeknights or last-minute guests.

Cooking spray for extra crispness

If you want your Aldi red bag chicken to be extra crispy, you can spray the chicken with cooking spray before placing it in the air fryer. This will also give it a more classic fried flavour.

Spray both sides of the chicken with your favourite cooking spray. You can also spritz the air fryer basket with cooking spray or rub vegetable oil inside the basket.

Make sure to leave a little bit of room around the chicken breasts in the air fryer basket so the air can circulate.

Cook straight from frozen

Aldi's Red Bag Chicken is a quick and easy meal to make straight from frozen. The chicken is fully cooked, so you just need to heat it up and get it crispy.

First, take your Red Bag of chicken out of the freezer. You can spritz the air fryer basket with cooking spray or rub it with vegetable oil, but this is not necessary. Then, place 2-4 chicken breast fillets into the basket. Make sure to leave space around the fillets so the air can circulate.

Air fry at 360-400ºF for 10-15 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165ºF. Once the chicken is crispy, remove it from the basket and serve while hot.

You can serve the chicken on its own or in a sandwich, on a salad, or with pasta.

Less oil needed than deep frying

Air frying Aldi's Red Bag Chicken is a healthier alternative to deep frying. The air fryer requires less oil, resulting in a healthier meal with less mess. The chicken can go straight from the freezer into the air fryer, making it a quick and convenient option for a tasty, crispy chicken dish.

The cooking spray used in the air fryer helps to create an extra crispy texture and adds a classic fried flavour to the chicken. This method of cooking is faster than using an oven and is a healthier alternative to deep frying, as the name suggests, uses a lot of oil.

The air fryer is also versatile, allowing you to cook the chicken to your desired level of crispiness. The temperature and cooking time can be adjusted to achieve your preferred level of doneness. Whether you like your chicken lightly browned or extra crispy, the air fryer can deliver the desired result.

Additionally, the air fryer's ability to cook frozen chicken without thawing is a significant advantage. This feature saves time and effort, making it ideal for busy weeknights when you crave a quick, tasty, and healthy meal.

In summary, the air fryer's convenience, speed, and ability to produce crispy, healthy chicken with less oil make it a superior choice over deep frying. It's a versatile cooking method that allows you to customise your chicken dishes to your liking.

Use in a range of recipes

The Aldi red bag chicken is a versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of recipes. Here are some ideas for how to use it in your cooking:

Sandwiches

The breaded chicken breasts are perfect for sandwiches, especially when paired with brioche buns, mayo, pickles, cheese, tomatoes, and lettuce. You can also add your favourite toppings to customise your sandwich.

Salads

Slice the chicken breasts into strips and serve them on a salad. For a Buffalo Chicken Salad, cook the chicken in the air fryer and then toss with a buffalo sauce before adding to your salad.

Pasta

Serve the breaded chicken breasts on top of a cheesy pasta dish.

Chicken Parmesan

Use the chicken breasts as a base for chicken parmesan. Simply top the cooked chicken with marinara sauce, grated parmesan cheese, and shredded mozzarella. You can then put it back in the air fryer or finish it in the oven to heat the sauce and melt the cheese.

Wraps

The breaded chicken breasts can be used in wraps, such as Roly Poly-style wraps.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

For a more indulgent dish, try using the chicken breasts in a Chicken Cordon Bleu recipe.

Sides

Serve the chicken with a range of sides, such as air fryer vegetables like asparagus, baked potato, or corn on the cob.

Dipping Sauces

Enjoy the chicken with a variety of dipping sauces, such as hot sauce, ranch dressing, barbecue sauce, or chick-fil-a sauce.

Toppings

Add some extra flavour to the chicken with toppings like sautéed peppers and onions, fresh mozzarella with marinara sauce, pepper jack cheese, or roasted mushrooms with Swiss cheese.

Seasonings

Experiment with different seasonings to mix up the flavour profile. Try adding garlic powder, Chinese five-spice blend, yeast extract, black pepper, ancho chilli powder, or Italian seasoning.

Quick and easy to make

Aldi's Red Bag Chicken is a quick and easy meal to make in your air fryer. The chicken is fully cooked, so you are simply reheating it to your desired crispiness.

To make the Red Bag Chicken in an air fryer, first, take the desired number of chicken breast fillets from the bag and place them in the air fryer basket. You can spritz the basket with cooking spray or rub it with vegetable oil before adding the chicken to get extra crispiness. However, this step is unnecessary if your air fryer does not usually require it.

Next, set your air fryer to 360-400ºF and cook the chicken for 10-15 minutes. For extra crispiness, you can cook the chicken for up to 18 minutes. Flip the chicken halfway through the cooking process. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165ºF.

Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the air fryer and serve while hot. You can serve the chicken as it is, or in a sandwich, on a salad, or with pasta.

Frequently asked questions