Air-Frying Chicken With Nuwave: A Tasty, Quick Treat

If you're looking for a healthier way to enjoy fried chicken, then the NuWave Air Fryer is your answer. With this handy kitchen appliance, you can make delicious, crispy, and flavourful chicken without the excess oil and calories of traditional deep-frying. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you create mouthwatering chicken in your NuWave Air Fryer, whether you're cooking wings, breasts, or a whole chicken.

Preheat the air fryer

Preheating your NuWave Air Fryer is an important step to ensure your chicken cooks evenly and efficiently. It's a simple process, but there are a few key things to keep in mind.

First, always ensure your air fryer is clean before preheating. Wipe down both the inside and outside surfaces with a damp cloth to remove any residue or crumbs from previous use. It's important not to immerse any parts of the air fryer in water, as they are not dishwasher-safe.

Once your air fryer is clean, it's time to set the temperature and allow it to preheat. For most chicken recipes, a preheat temperature of 350°F to 400°F (175°C to 200°C) is recommended. However, depending on the specific model of your NuWave Air Fryer and the type of chicken you're cooking, you may need to adjust this slightly. For example, when cooking chicken wings, a preheat temperature of 400°F (200°C) is ideal. On the other hand, if you're cooking chicken breasts, preheating at 365°F is recommended.

The preheat time will also vary depending on your air fryer model, but it typically takes around 3 to 5 minutes. During this time, the internal temperature of the air fryer will rise to the desired level, ensuring even and efficient cooking when you add your chicken.

While the air fryer is preheating, you can prepare your chicken by seasoning it or coating it with breading, as per your chosen recipe. This way, your chicken will be ready to go as soon as the air fryer has finished preheating.

Once the preheat cycle is complete, you'll typically hear an audible beep, and the air fryer may display "Ready" or something similar. At this point, you can carefully place your chicken into the air fryer basket, ensuring it's not overcrowded, and set the cooking time and temperature according to your recipe.

Prepare the chicken

To prepare chicken in your NuWave Air Fryer, start by gathering your ingredients. You will need chicken, of course, and you can choose between chicken wings, chicken breasts, or a whole chicken. For a lighter fried chicken recipe, you can use bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces. For a whole chicken, remove the giblets and neck.

Once you've selected your chicken, it's time to season it. There are various seasoning options available. You can use a dry rub with ranch dressing mix, garlic salt, and other seasonings of your choice. Alternatively, you can marinate the chicken in a mixture of hot pepper sauce, bread crumbs, poultry seasoning, and dried parsley flakes. If you're using a whole chicken, coat it in olive oil and season with salt, black pepper, and lemon juice. Don't forget to fill the cavity with garlic and rosemary for added flavour.

After seasoning, if you're using the lighter fried chicken recipe, place the chicken pieces in a Ziploc bag and add the ranch dressing mix. Shake the bag to coat the chicken evenly. Then, add low-fat buttermilk to the bag, remove excess air, and refrigerate overnight. This step can be skipped if you're short on time.

For the whole chicken, pat it dry with paper towels before placing it in a bowl and coating it with oil and seasonings.

Now, set up your dipping bowls if you're using the lighter fried chicken recipe. You will need two bowls. In the first bowl, whisk an egg and an egg white. In the second bowl, mix bread crumbs with dry ranch dressing mix, garlic salt, or any other seasonings of your choice.

At this point, your chicken is almost ready for the Air Fryer! If you've marinated the chicken, let the milk drip off before moving on to the next step. Then, roll the chicken pieces in the egg mix, followed by the breading bowl, ensuring they are well-coated.

Finally, place the chicken on the rack with the skin sides down. Spray the chicken generously with butter cooking spray to promote crisping and prevent crumbs from flying around during cooking.

Marinade the chicken

To make chicken in your NuWave Air Fryer, you'll want to start by preparing a marinade. This is a great way to infuse your chicken with flavour and moisture, ensuring a juicy and tasty end result. Here's a guide on how to marinade chicken for your NuWave Air Fryer:

Start by gathering your ingredients. For a basic marinade, you'll need olive oil, salt, pepper, and your choice of additional seasonings. Fresh or dried herbs, spices, and citrus juices are all great options to enhance the flavour of your chicken. You can also use ingredients like buttermilk, eggs, and breadcrumbs if you're looking to create a crispy coating on your chicken.

Once you have your ingredients, it's time to prepare the chicken. If you're using frozen chicken, make sure to thaw it completely and pat it dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. This step is important, as it will help the chicken cook evenly and become crispy.

Now, create your marinade by combining your chosen ingredients in a bowl. Whisk or mix them well to ensure they are fully incorporated. You can also adjust the quantities of each ingredient to suit your taste preferences. Remember, you can always add more of a particular ingredient if you want a stronger flavour.

Next, place your chicken in a container or a large resealable bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken, ensuring that it is fully coated. Use your hands or tongs to gently rub the marinade into the chicken, making sure it reaches all the crevices. If you're using a bag, remove the excess air, seal it, and give it a good shake to evenly distribute the marinade.

After your chicken is well coated, it's important to let it marinate for a while. You can marinate it for as little as 15-20 minutes, but for more intense flavour, you can even leave it overnight in the refrigerator. The longer it sits, the more time the flavours have to penetrate the meat.

Once your chicken has finished marinating, you can remove it from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature before placing it in the air fryer. Remember to preheat your NuWave Air Fryer for best results, and always follow food safety guidelines when handling raw chicken.

Now you're ready to move on to the next steps of cooking your delicious chicken in the NuWave Air Fryer!

Season the chicken

Seasoning your chicken is a crucial step in the cooking process, as it adds flavour and enhances the taste of the meat. Here is a detailed guide on seasoning chicken for your NuWave Air Fryer:

Firstly, gather your ingredients. For a simple yet delicious seasoning, you will need olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. You can adjust the quantities of each ingredient to suit your taste preferences. For a zesty kick, you could also add some lemon juice. If you're feeling adventurous, you could even include some dry ranch dressing mix, garlic salt, and poultry seasoning.

Once you have your ingredients, it's time to create your marinade. Combine the olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika in a bowl and mix well. You can also add other spices or herbs to this mixture if you wish to experiment with different flavours. For instance, you could add some dried parsley flakes or a few dashes of your favourite hot sauce.

Now it's time to coat the chicken. Place your chicken pieces into a separate bowl and pour the marinade over them. Use your hands or tongs to toss the chicken, ensuring that each piece is evenly coated. Make sure to get into all the nooks and crannies for maximum flavour! Leave the chicken to marinate for about 15-20 minutes, or even overnight if you're planning ahead. This will allow the flavours to really penetrate the meat.

If you're using a whole chicken, there's an extra step. After coating the outside of the chicken with your chosen marinade, you'll need to fill the cavity with some flavourful ingredients. Fresh garlic and rosemary are a great combination, but you could also experiment with other herbs and spices.

Now your chicken is seasoned and ready to go into the NuWave Air Fryer! Remember to preheat your appliance and arrange the chicken pieces in a single layer to ensure even cooking. Enjoy your delicious, flavourful chicken!

Cook the chicken

Prepare the Chicken

If you are using frozen chicken, ensure that you thaw it completely before cooking. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture, as this will help the chicken cook evenly and become crispy. If you are using fresh chicken, simply ensure that you remove any excess moisture.

Season the Chicken

Prepare your chosen seasoning. You can use a dry ranch dressing mix, garlic salt, olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, or a combination of these. In a bowl, combine your chosen seasonings and mix well. Place the chicken in a separate bowl and pour the marinade over it, ensuring the chicken is coated evenly. Allow the chicken to marinate for about 15-20 minutes so that the flavors can penetrate the meat.

Preheat the Air Fryer

Preheat your NuWave Air Fryer by setting the temperature to 350-400°F (175-200°C). The preheating time will depend on your model, but it usually takes around 3-5 minutes.

Place the seasoned chicken in the Air Fryer basket, ensuring that the pieces are in a single layer without overcrowding. If necessary, cook the chicken in multiple batches. Set the cooking time and temperature to your desired level, usually between 350-400°F (175-200°C) for 15-25 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of the chicken.

For crispier chicken, you can increase the temperature to 375°F (190°C) and cook for an additional 15 minutes. Remember to flip the chicken halfway through the cooking process to ensure even cooking and crispiness on both sides.

Keep a close eye on the chicken as it cooks, and adjust the cooking time as needed. To check if the chicken is done, cut into one of the thicker pieces to ensure that the meat is no longer pink and that the juices run clear.

Serving

Once your chicken is cooked to your desired level of doneness, carefully remove it from the Air Fryer using oven mitts or tongs. Allow the chicken to rest for a few minutes before serving.

Enjoy your delicious and healthy air-fried chicken!

Frequently asked questions