Air Fryer Recipe
Prawn and Chorizo Skewers
Prawn and Chorizo Skewers are a quick and delicious dish that combines the freshness of seafood with the heartiness of chorizo, perfect for air frying.
Ingredients
- 300g fresh prawns, peeled and deveined
- 150g chorizo, cut into thin slices
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Lemon wedges for serving
- Wooden or metal skewers
Method
- Soak wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes if using them.
- In a large bowl, combine prawns, olive oil, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Toss until coated.
- Thread a prawn, a slice of chorizo, a piece of red pepper, and a piece of yellow pepper onto a skewer. Repeat until the skewer is filled.
- Preheat the air fryer to 180°C.
- Place the skewers in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook for 6-8 minutes until prawns are opaque and chorizo is slightly crispy.
Why this works in an air fryer
Air-fryer convection quickly dries the prawn surface while chorizo fat renders onto the peppers, carrying paprika flavour and helping browning. Thin chorizo slices crisp in the same short window that raw prawns turn opaque, so the skewer cooks evenly without needing a separate pan.
Equipment notes
Assumes a 5–6 litre basket that can take skewers in one layer with a little space between them; trim wooden skewers if needed. In a single-drawer air fryer, place skewers across the basket and turn once if browning is uneven. In a dual-zone model, split them between drawers and use sync finish, but expect 1–2 minutes extra if the smaller drawers are crowded.
Common pitfalls
- Prawns are tight and rubbery while the chorizo is only soft, not crisp: the chorizo slices are too thick; cut them to about 2–3mm or give the chorizo and peppers a 2-minute head start before adding prawns.
- No browning and liquid pooling in the basket by minute 5: the prawns were wet or partly frozen; pat them very dry and drain thoroughly before oiling, then cook in smaller batches.
- Pepper edges are blackening while prawns still look translucent in the centre: the pepper dice are too small; use roughly 2cm pieces and drop the temperature to 170°C for the remaining time.
- Grey patches on the underside of prawns after 8 minutes: the skewers are touching and blocking airflow; leave gaps between skewers or cook in two batches, turning once halfway.
Variations & substitutions
- Use cooked prawns only if necessary: air-fry the chorizo and peppers for 4 minutes first, then add the cooked prawns for just 1–2 minutes to heat through.
- Swap chorizo for ’nduja-coated pepper pieces for a softer, spicier result; it renders faster, so keep the temperature at 170°C to prevent scorching.
- Add courgette chunks in place of one pepper; cut them thick, as courgette releases water and may need the full 8 minutes for lightly browned edges.
- Use halloumi cubes instead of some chorizo for a milder skewer; brush lightly with oil and watch closely, as halloumi browns quickly but does not render fat.
Storage & reheating
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 24 hours, then reheat once in the air fryer at 170°C for 2–3 minutes until piping hot.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
