Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Fingers
Chicken Quick Recipes Simple Recipes Meat Dishes Air Fryer Recipes Retete Fitness
Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Fingers are a healthier alternative to the classic deep-fried version. To be honest, the deep-fried ones almost always win in taste 😄, but these are more than "okay" when you consider that they use very little oil and don't fill the kitchen with frying odors. They are easy to make — the fact that even my husband wanted me to teach him how to prepare them and asked me to add the recipe to the site says it all (the photo above is what he prepared this Saturday for breakfast). I'd dare say they are equally simple for kids too (let me know if I'm right).
If you were looking for the oven-baked chicken fingers recipe, I have a version here.
Ingredients
175 g chicken breast, skinless
1 egg
2 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs (Japanese breadcrumbs)
chili powder (or piment d'Espelette; or shichimi togarashi seasoning)
2 teaspoons sesame seeds (optional)
salt
a little oil (I used olive oil)
Servings: 2
Calories: 315 kcal / serving (calculated with 2 tablespoons oil and sesame)
Protein: 25 g / serving
Fat: 13 g / serving (calculated with 2 tablespoons oil)
Carbohydrates: 20 g
How to prepare crispy air fryer chicken fingers
- Cut the chicken breast into thin strips of 1.5-2 cm. For speed, you can use mini chicken breast fillets, which are already the right size for this recipe. You'll need 5-6 strips per serving. Season the chicken strips with salt.
- In 3 deep plates, place the flour, the breadcrumbs separately, and beat the egg with a little salt in the third.
- Dredge each chicken strip in flour, then shake off the excess.
- Add all the strips to the egg and mix so they are all coated. Take out one strip at a time and roll it through the breadcrumbs, making sure it's well covered on all sides.
- Place the breaded strips side by side on a flat plate. When they are all done, drizzle a little oil over both sides (about 1 tablespoon of oil per side; for those who want less fat, ideally use an oil spray and give a few spritzes on both sides — the oil will be more evenly distributed and you'll use less).
- Sprinkle chili powder over the strips, on one or both sides, depending on how spicy you want them. If desired, sprinkle sesame seeds (a mix of white and black looks great) and gently press them in with your hand.
- Preheat the Air Fryer to 200°C for 3 minutes. Place the strips in the Air Fryer basket and cook at 180°C for 16 minutes (flip them after 8 minutes). After 16 minutes, check if they are nicely golden all over; if not, flip them one more time and cook for another 2-3 minutes, checking every minute. We don't want them too dark — the chicken will become dry.
* Only place as many strips as fit in a single layer with some space between them; don't crowd or overlap them, they won't cook quickly and evenly; in my small Air Fryer with a 6L basket, only 5-6 strips fit per batch - Remove the chicken fingers and serve immediately — they are best when hot. A fresh vegetable or greens salad goes best alongside.
🔥 if you use an oil spray, you'll reduce the calories by 50 kcal / serving
Chicken strips coated in breadcrumbs and sprinkled with shichimi togarashi
