Air Fryer Recipe
Piri Piri Chicken Skewers
Piri Piri chicken skewers are a flavorful dish inspired by Southern African cuisine, perfect for air frying.
Ingredients
- 500g chicken breast or thigh fillets, cut into cubes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons Piri Piri sauce
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lemon, juiced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Wooden or metal skewers
Method
- In a large bowl, combine olive oil, Piri Piri sauce, smoked paprika, minced garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
- Add the chicken pieces to the marinade, ensuring each piece is well-coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the air fryer to 200°C (390°F).
- Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto skewers.
- Place the skewers in the air fryer basket, ensuring they do not overlap. Cook for 12-15 minutes, turning midway through, until the chicken is cooked through and slightly charred.
Why this works in an air fryer
Small chicken cubes expose plenty of surface area to the air fryer’s fast convection, so the chilli-oil marinade dries and browns before the centre overcooks. Thigh stays juicier from intramuscular fat; breast benefits from the short, hot cook and acidic lemon marinade, which lightly tenderises the surface.
Equipment notes
Assumes a 5–6 litre basket taking 4–5 short skewers in one layer with gaps for airflow; in a single-drawer model cook one batch at a time, while dual-zone fryers may need 1–3 extra minutes if both drawers are loaded because airflow and heat recovery are reduced.
Common pitfalls
- Chicken looks pale and wet at minute 10: the skewers are too crowded or the marinade is pooling; spread them out, blot excess marinade next time, and add 2–3 minutes at 200°C.
- Edges are dark but the centre is under 74°C: the cubes are too large or uneven; cut to roughly 2.5cm pieces and finish at 180°C for a few minutes to avoid burning the outside.
- Wooden skewers smell scorched or tips blacken early: they are too long or dry; soak for 20–30 minutes and trim so no wood sits close to the heating element.
- Garlic tastes bitter with black specks: minced garlic has caught in the high heat; scrape off burnt bits and use garlic paste or a little garlic powder in the marinade next time.
Variations & substitutions
- Use boneless chicken thighs instead of breast for a juicier skewer; they may need the upper end of the cooking time because the pieces are fattier.
- Swap half the Piri Piri sauce for Greek yoghurt for a milder, more tender result; expect less charring because the surface browns more gently.
- Add chunks of red pepper or red onion between chicken pieces; keep them similar in size so they char without blocking heat from the chicken.
- Use prawns instead of chicken with the same marinade, but cook at 190°C for about 5–7 minutes as they dry out quickly once opaque.
Storage & reheating
Keep cooked skewers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days, then reheat in the air fryer at 180°C for 4–6 minutes until piping hot.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
