I have always been a massive fan of chicken lollipops, but I could never get deep frying right. They would either turn out burnt on the outside or undercooked on the inside. That is when I decided to try making chicken lollipops in the air fryer, and this version turned out to be one of the best I have made.
It is crispy, juicy, and very close to the chicken lollipops you get at Indian restaurants, without the hassle of deep frying.
Ingredients
- 500 grams chicken lollipops
- 2 tablespoons ginger garlic paste
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons cornflour
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Juice of half a lemon
- Oil for greasing
Method
Chicken Marination
- Add the chicken lollipops to a large bowl and mix them with the ginger garlic paste. Let this sit for a couple of minutes.
- Add soy sauce, chilli powder, and garam masala to the chicken. Mix well until everything is evenly coated.
- Cover the bowl and let the chicken marinate for at least 1 to 2 hours. For best results, marinate overnight.
- After marination, add cornflour, all-purpose flour, and lemon juice. Add a very small amount of water, just enough to help the flour stick to the chicken. The coating should be thick, not runny.
Air Frying the Chicken
- Preheat the air fryer at 200°C for 3 minutes.
- Lightly grease the air fryer basket with oil.
- Place the chicken lollipops in the air fryer in a single layer, making sure they are not overcrowded.
- Cook the chicken at 200°C for 8 minutes.
- Flip the chicken lollipops and cook for another 8 minutes until they are golden, crispy, and fully cooked.
Final Thoughts
These air fryer chicken lollipops are crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and packed with flavour. They are perfect as a starter, snack, or side dish.
