The invention of the air fryer sure is a blessing for all foodies. What used to take hours to cook can now be served half the time. Of all the recipes that are a hit, any kind of chicken unarguably takes the trophy. But can you put a juicy, marinated chicken in your air fryer? Let’s find out.
Yes, you can put marinated chicken in an air fryer; however, make sure that the marinade on it is not wet enough to drip around in the air fryer. If wet, it’ll splatter everywhere from the fan’s pressure and cause a mess.
Classic marinated chicken
One of the biggest concerns while cooking big chunks of chicken is what if it ends up drying from the core. So many people have given up on cooking thick pieces because of this particular fear. Granted, it is a bit tricky to balance the flavor while keeping most of the moisture inside the meat.
Other than that, if the batter is too runny, then it can splatter everywhere inside the air fryer and cause a mess that’ll be tough to clean later.
The key to a well-marinated chicken lies in the ingredients of the marinade. Your marinade should be aromatic and flavorful. This does not mean you have to go overboard with the ingredients; sometimes, less is more, and this is one of those times.
Worry not, fellow foodies, for we bring you the best yet simplest chicken recipes of all time! Take notes and enjoy a plate of tender chicken to your heart’s content.
Ingredients
- Boneless chicken breasts – 2 pieces
- Lime juice – 3 tbsp
- Lime zest – ½ tsp
- Orange juice – 3 tbsp
- Orange zest – ½ tsp
- Lemon juice – 3 tbsp
- Lemon zest – ½ tsp
- Minced garlic – 1 tsp
- Olive oil – ½ cup
- Crushed red chili – 1 tbsp (optional)
- Black pepper – 1 tsp (optional)
- Siracha/tobacco/teriyaki – according to flavor (optional)
- Salt – to taste
Step-by-step method
- Mix all the ingredients above in a bowl and set aside.
- Take the chicken pieces and use a flattening tool like a hammer to thin the slices. If you want thick chicken pieces, you can skip this step altogether.
- Put the chicken in a large Ziploc bag. Pour the marinade mix and shake well until the chicken is covered in the juices.
- Keep the Ziploc bag in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours – the more time it takes, the better flavors it absorbs to the core.
- Preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes at 350°F. Since the marinade already has oil, you don’t need to use more oil in the air fryer basket. Set the chicken pieces in the tray but do not let them overlap.
- Let the chicken cook for 12 minutes. Pause the air fryer and flip each piece with a spatula. Cook for another 8-10 minutes.
- Use a kitchen meat thermometer to check the temperature of the core. The internal temperature should be 165°F.
- Once the desired temperature is reached, take the chicken out and let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Cut and serve the delicious marinated chicken with a suitable side dish.
Conclusion
An air fryer might be tricky to operate during the first couple of uses, but once you learn its basics, there is no going back. A simple dish like fried chicken can be cooked in a ton of ways. Marinated chicken might look scary and too simple, but we guarantee a hit meal once you master the simplest of recipes.