Juicy Air Fryer Chicken Breast Recipe & Asparagus
You've heard of air fryers, right?..
You've heard of air fryers, right? These compact high-tech boxes are supposed to make healthier food in less time than traditional ovens and pans... And curious as I am, I gave it a try and a challenge: chicken breasts and asparagus! After all, it's quite tricky not to over dry the chicken breasts and not to overcook the tender asparagus. And I must say that the fryer did a great job, the chicken came out juicy as it should be and cooked thoroughly. At the same time, it had an amazing crispness that sometimes could be difficult to achieve in the oven without over drying the meat. The asparagus got crispiness as well, but stayed green and firm. A very good advantage of the air fryer for those who are often on a diet, as I am, is that the amount of oil can be reduced to a minimum and no butter is needed at all...
In my family, we used to say that the first pancake of the batch always ends up on the ceiling – meaning that when you try something for the first time, it is rarely a success... But my first experiment with the air fryer may have been an exception. Here is a simple recipe of what I cooked.
Ingredients:
For the chicken breasts:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 chicken breasts (boned and skinless)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon white pepper
½ teaspoon cumin
⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
½ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon sweet paprika powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
For the asparagus:
1 bunch of asparagus, woody ends trimmed
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
Freshly grated Parmesan (optional)
Fresh lemon juice (optional)
Kitchen utensils: air fryer, large plate or bowl for marinating, fork of whisk, spatula or kitchen tweezers.