Air Fryer Recipe
Mango Coconut Chicken Skewers
A delicious and easy-to-make mango coconut chicken skewers recipe, perfect for air frying.
Ingredients
- 400g of chicken breast, cut into cubes
- 1 ripe mango, diced
- 200 ml coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons desiccated coconut
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Skewers, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes
Method
- In a large bowl, combine the coconut milk, olive oil, curry powder, minced garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Add the chicken cubes to the marinade, ensuring that each piece is well coated. Cover the bowl and let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- Thread the marinated chicken cubes and mango pieces alternately onto the skewers.
- Preheat your air fryer to 180°C (356°F).
- Place the skewers in the basket, ensuring they are not overcrowded. Air fry the skewers for 12-15 minutes, turning them halfway through the cooking time.
Why this works in an air fryer
Hot convection drives moisture off the coconut-milk marinade so the curry spices toast rather than steam. The oil and coconut fat help browning on lean chicken breast, while mango’s sugars caramelise quickly; spacing the skewers lets air reach the sides instead of leaving pale, wet contact patches.
Equipment notes
Assumes a 4–6 litre basket taking 4–6 short skewers in one layer; trim wooden skewers so they do not touch the drawer walls. In a single-drawer air fryer, cook in batches if needed, while in a dual-zone model use both drawers evenly loaded and check the smaller/lighter-loaded side 2–3 minutes earlier.
Common pitfalls
- Chicken looks chalky outside but is still below 74°C in the centre? The cubes are too large; cut to roughly 2.5cm next time and finish the batch for 2–4 minutes more at 170°C to avoid drying the exterior.
- Mango is blackening before the chicken is cooked? The pieces are too ripe or too exposed; use firmer mango, cut larger chunks, and tuck fruit between chicken pieces rather than placing it at the skewer ends.
- Skewers are pale and wet at minute 10? Excess marinade is pooling and steaming; lift the skewers out of the bowl rather than pouring marinade over them, pat off heavy drips, and leave more space between skewers.
- Coconut flakes or garlic taste burnt and bitter? Loose solids have scorched in the airflow; scrape excess marinade solids from the surface before cooking and reduce to 170°C for the final minutes.
Variations & substitutions
- Use chicken thigh instead of breast for a juicier result; it tolerates the same temperature but may need 2–3 extra minutes because the pieces are fattier and less uniform.
- Swap mango for pineapple chunks for sharper sweetness; pineapple browns fast, so cut it large and check the fruit after the halfway turn.
- Use light coconut milk for a leaner marinade; it browns less readily, so avoid overcrowding and expect a slightly less glossy surface.
- Add a pinch of chilli flakes or grated ginger to the marinade; neither changes the timing, but ginger can catch if left in thick clumps on the chicken.
Storage & reheating
Keep cooked skewers refrigerated for up to 3 days, then reheat in the air fryer at 170°C for 4–6 minutes until piping hot, turning once.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
