Air-Fryer Chicken Tenders in a Honey & Chilli Yoghurt Sauce
If you're stuck for Aleppo pepper, a combination of sweet paprika and cayenne pepper is a good substitute.
SERVES
4
PEOPLE
PREP TIME
15
MINUTES
COOKING TIME
12
MINUTES
Ingredients
Chicken Tenders:
1 large egg
3 tbsp plain flour
150g panko dried breadcrumbs
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp smoked paprika
400g mini chicken fillets
Olive oil spray
Salad:
1 head little gem lettuce
3-4 spring onions
Small handful flat leaf parsley
Small handful fresh coriander
Juice of half a lemon
Extra virgin olive oil
A little honey
Yoghurt dressing:
250g Greek yoghurt
1 tsp honey
Splash of lemon juice
1 tsp Aleppo pepper
Salt and black ground pepper to season
To serve:
4 pitta breads
Thinly sliced red onion
Chilli sauce
Method
Crack the egg into a bowl and whisk it lightly. Put the flour in a second bowl, and in a third bowl combine the breadcrumbs, cumin, garlic powder, sea salt and paprika. Line the three bowls up on your countertop, with a plate at the end. Working one chicken mini fillet at a time, toss each first in the flour, coating it well and shaking off any excess. Next, dip the chicken in the egg, again coating it thoroughly. Finally toss it in the breadcrumbs, gently pressing in the breadcrumbs to ensure the chicken is evenly coated. Do not worry if the coating of breadcrumbs seems a little thin to your eye, they will crisp up beautifully in the air fryer and give you a lovely crunchy coating. Place the coated chicken fillets on the plate as you go. When they are all prepared, spray them on both sides with a little olive oil. You only need a little, two sprays on each side per chicken fillet is plenty.
Air fry the chicken at 180 Celsius for eight to ten minutes until they are crisp and golden. The time needed will depend upon the size of the fillets, so check them after eight minutes, and then give them an additional two minutes if necessary. If you have a probe meat thermometer, use that to check the internal temperature of the chicken. Once it is at 74 Celsius, it is done.
While the chicken is cooking, make the salad and yoghurt sauce, and toast the pittas. Shred the lettuce, finely slice the spring onions, and roughly chop the herbs. Combine all three in a bowl, and add the juice of half a lemon, a splash of extra virgin olive oil, a little honey, some flaky sea salt and a grind of black pepper. Toss the salad, then taste, adding more seasoning or honey to your own preference. Set aside for now.
Combine the yoghurt, Aleppo pepper, one teaspoon of honey, a splash of lemon juice and some salt and pepper in another bowl. Stir to combine everything thoroughly and set aside.
Toast the pitta breads.
By now your chicken will be ready. Remove it from air fryer and assemble the pitta pockets. Cut a slit in each pitta bread and open it up on one side. Spoon in some of the yoghurt sauce and lots of the salad. Stuff the pittas with the chicken fillets, and then finish with some very thinly sliced red onion and your favourite chilli sauce. Serve with the rest of the yoghurt sauce on the side and any sides of your choice.
