Air Fryer Chicken Tempura
A delicious and healthier take on traditional tempura, featuring tender chicken strips with a crispy coating, all made easy in the air fryer.
Ingredients
Chicken Preparation
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut lengthwise into strips)
- to taste Salt
- 1 teaspoon chicken seasoning blend (divided) I use Lawry's
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder (divided)
- ½ teaspoon Cajun seasoning (divided)
Batter Mixture
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons tapioca flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup cold water
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 egg white (beaten)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Coating
- 1 cup corn flakes (crushed)
Instructions
Preparation
- Sprinkle the chicken with salt. Rub half of the chicken seasoning, half of the garlic powder, and half of the Cajun seasoning into the chicken strips. Massage the spices in with your hands.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, tapioca flour, baking soda, and the remaining half of each seasoning.
- Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Beat the water and egg yolk together, then pour this into the well. Mix just until moistened, then stir in the beaten egg whites and olive oil.
- In a separate bowl, place the crushed corn flakes.
Cooking
- Dip each piece of chicken into the batter to coat well, then roll in the crushed corn flakes.
- Lightly oil a baking sheet and arrange the chicken pieces on it. Roll each piece on the baking sheet to lightly coat with oil or spritz each chicken piece lightly with oil from a non-aerosol container.
- Place the chicken in your air fryer basket, keeping space between each piece. If needed, cook in batches to avoid crowding the basket, which can result in soggy chicken.
- Preheat the air fryer to 350°F and set the baking time to 18 minutes.
- Halfway through cooking, shake the basket to help the chicken cook evenly.
- Once done, place the chicken strips on a serving dish and serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
Make sure the chicken strips are of even thickness for even cooking. Don't skip the oil coating; it helps achieve that crispy texture we all love. Experiment with different seasonings to find your favorite flavor combination.