Air fryer Mediterranean Chicken and Potatoes
You can’t really go wrong with chicken and potatoes can you?
I’ve gone to the next level by adding a lil Mediterranean flair and whacking it in the air fryer to save precious time and some washing up. This is also a great way to sneak capers and anchovies into a dish with your partner/family/friends noticing, but they really do help bring a beautiful saltiness and enhanced flavour to the meal.
Serve alongside your crispy potatoes and whatever sides you fancy. Roasted veg, especially peppers would work well or even a leafy green salad if you want to see a bit of green on your plate.
One question I get asked quite frequently is, “will the air fryer dry out my chicken?” and the answer is the same for most appliances to be honest. If you overcook the chicken, then yes it will dry out, but as long as you check a recipe for cooking temperatures and times you should get lovely moist meat. One thing you do need to watch out for is the ferocity of your air fryer as some as more powerful than others so you may need to reduce temps/times on some of your recipes.
This recipe is from my book, Poppy Cooks: The Actually Delicious Air Fryer Cookbook but figured I’d share a couple free recipes on here! Did I mention the book is a Sunday Times bestseller?!! I have to keep writing it out because I legit can’t believe it.
For more air fryer recipes, check out my ‘air fryer‘ page.
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 2 chicken legs, split into thighs and drumsticks
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 tsp garlic granules
- 1 tsp onion granules
- 1 heaped tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
For the Sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
- 1 tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 tbsp capers, chopped
- 1 tsp tomato puree
- 3 anchovies, chopped
- 200g baby plum tomatoes, halved
- Balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to taste
For the potatoes
- 250g baby potatoes
- Olive oil, salt and pepper
Method
- Toast off the black peppercorns, cumin seeds and coriander in a dry pan over medium heat until they are fragrant, then crush them in a pestle and mortar to a powder. Mix 1 tsp of this mix with your other spices, lemon zest and juice and olive oil. Rub this mix all over the chicken and leave for an hour if you can be arsed, or you can just throw it straight in.
- Cut the potatoes in half and drizzle with olive oil, then season well with salt and pepper and airfry for 15 minutes 160ºc/320ºf. Heat a frying pan with a drizzle of olive oil over a medium heat and throw in the garlic to infuse into the oil.
- When the potatoes have had 15 minutes, add the chicken on top and cook for 25-30 minutes at 200ºc/400ºf. Add the chopped capers and anchovies to the garlic and oil and allow to fry off for a few minutes, then add in tomato puree and cook out.
- Throw the fresh tomatoes and tinned tomatoes into the pan and leave to bubble away until reduced and delish. Finish the sauce with a splash of balsamic vinegar to taste. When the chicken is done, dish it up with the potatoes, sauce and a bit of a parsley garnish.