Air-Fried Salt And Pepper Chicken Perfection

Salt and pepper chicken is a famous Taiwanese snack, featuring crispy chicken bites coated in a savoury pepper salt and garnished with crispy basil and chilli pepper. This delicious dish can be made in an air fryer in a few simple steps. The ingredients are easy to source and the method is straightforward, making this the perfect fakeaway dish for a Friday night.

Air Fryer Salt and Pepper Chicken Characteristics and Values

Marinating the chicken

Firstly, gather your ingredients. While you can use a variety of seasonings and spices, some essential ingredients for the marinade include chicken, ginger, garlic, salt, and pepper. You can also add sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and wine for extra flavour. The chicken should be boneless and skinless, and cut into bite-sized pieces or 1-inch pieces.

Next, prepare the marinade by combining the ingredients in a large bowl. You can adjust the measurements of each ingredient to suit your taste preferences. For example, if you prefer a stronger garlic flavour, you can add more garlic cloves. Ensure you mix the ingredients well so that the flavours blend together.

Once the marinade is ready, add the chicken pieces to the bowl and toss them in the mixture until they are thoroughly coated. Use your hands or a large spoon to mix everything together. Make sure all the chicken pieces are evenly coated to ensure consistent flavour.

After coating the chicken, you have two options. You can let the chicken marinate at room temperature for at least 20 to 30 minutes. This will allow the flavours to penetrate the chicken, but it will also depend on how strong you want the flavours to be. Alternatively, you can cover the bowl and refrigerate it overnight for a more intense flavour.

While the chicken is marinating, you can prepare the other components of the dish, such as the spice mix or the air fryer. You can also use this time to chop any additional ingredients, such as spring onions or peppers, which will be cooked alongside the chicken.

Once the marinating time is complete, you can move on to the next step of coating the chicken with cornstarch or dredging it in a cornstarch and egg mixture, as described in other steps of the recipe. Remember to always wash your hands and any utensils after handling raw chicken to prevent cross-contamination.

Coating the chicken with cornstarch

Before you begin, make sure you have all the necessary ingredients, including cornstarch, and that you have marinated your chicken. A simple marinade of grated ginger, garlic, salt, pepper, and sugar works well, and you can adjust the marination time according to your preference.

Now, let's get started with coating the chicken:

• Prepare a shallow bowl filled with cornstarch. You can use a plate or a wide container, ensuring it is large enough to easily coat the chicken pieces.
• Take each piece of chicken and generously coat it with cornstarch. You can do this by gently pressing the chicken into the cornstarch or by sprinkling cornstarch over the chicken until it is adequately coated. Repeat this step for all the chicken pieces.
• Place the cornstarch-coated chicken pieces on a rack or a plate. It is important to ensure that the pieces do not overlap at this stage.
• Once all the chicken pieces are coated, you can proceed to the next step of air frying. However, if you are not cooking the chicken immediately, you may want to place the coated chicken in the refrigerator to prevent the cornstarch from becoming soggy.

By following these steps, you will ensure that your chicken is evenly coated with cornstarch, which will help create that desirable crispy texture when cooked in the air fryer. Remember to adjust the amount of cornstarch as needed to ensure all surfaces of the chicken are covered.

Adding the chicken to the air fryer basket

Once you have marinated your chicken, it's time to add it to the air fryer basket. If you are using a rack, there is no need to flip the chicken halfway through. If not, you will need to flip the chicken pieces over halfway through cooking and spray on more cooking oil for an even crisp.

Make sure the chicken pieces are in a single layer and do not overlap in the basket. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook the chicken in batches.

Spray the chicken with cooking oil. This will help it to crisp up. Make sure to spray both sides of the chicken.

Now, simply let the air fryer do its thing! Depending on your air fryer model and the size of your chicken pieces, the cooking time will vary. As a rough guide, cook for around 10 minutes at 350°F/176°C, then increase the temperature to 400°F/200°C and cook for another 5 minutes or until the chicken is golden brown.

When the chicken is cooked, remove it from the air fryer and transfer it to a bowl. If you are cooking the chicken in batches, keep the first batch warm while you cook the rest.

Cooking the chicken

Now that your chicken is marinated and coated with cornstarch, it's time to cook it! Place the chicken pieces in your air fryer basket, ensuring they don't overlap. If your air fryer is small, you may need to cook the chicken in batches. Spray or brush the chicken with oil. This will help the chicken crisp up.

Cook the chicken at 350°F (176°C) for 10 minutes. Then, take the chicken out, flip it over, spray oil again, and raise the temperature to 400°F (200°C). Cook for another 5 minutes or until the chicken turns golden brown. The chicken is cooked when it is golden and has an internal temperature of 165°F.

If you are using an air fryer with a basket, you may need to flip the chicken pieces halfway through the cooking process. If your air fryer doesn't have a basket, consider using a rack to place the chicken on. This way, you won't need to flip the chicken.

Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the air fryer and transfer it to a bowl. If you are cooking a large batch, you may need to do this in batches.

Adding the seasoning

The chicken pieces should be marinated for at least 20 minutes, or even overnight for a more intense flavour. You can use any of your favourite marinades, but a simple option is to combine grated ginger and garlic with salt, pepper, and sugar. After marinating, the chicken pieces are coated with cornstarch. This can be done by pressing the cornstarch onto the chicken, or by adding it a few tablespoons at a time and stirring until all the pieces are covered.

Once the chicken is coated in cornstarch, it's time to cook it in the air fryer. Place the chicken pieces in a single layer in the air fryer basket, making sure they don't overlap. Spray or brush the chicken with oil to help it crisp up. Depending on the type of air fryer you have, you may need to flip the chicken pieces halfway through cooking. The chicken is cooked through when it is golden brown and has an internal temperature of 165°F.

After the chicken is cooked, it's time to add the seasoning. Transfer the chicken to a bowl and sprinkle the spice mix over it, gently tossing to combine. You can add the seasoning gradually, tasting as you go, to ensure you don't add too much. In addition to the spice mix, you can also add fresh herbs like basil or curry leaves for extra flavour.

Frequently asked questions