Marinated air-fried chicken with creamy avocado, sweet mango and quick-pickled red onion, tossed in a zesty lime, coriander and jalapeño dressing. Cooked in the Ninja Crispi Pro.
Adapted from Laurie Fleming’s recipe at Fork To Spoon (forktospoon.com). The standard version here adds a marinade for the chicken and quick-pickled onion. Like the other air fryer recipes, it was written for the Crispi Pro 6-in-1 before it arrived, so the times and settings are a starting point, not yet tested.
Equipment: Ninja Crispi Pro (5.7L glass container and crisper plate) and a meat thermometer. Marinate for 30 minutes at least, or overnight. Shopping: it takes a lot of lime, about 6 in all. Fresh jalapeños can be hard to find; a long green chilli does the same job.
Thigh beats breast. It stays juicier and forgives an extra minute or two. Breast works too; just don’t overcook it. Don’t overcrowd: cook the chicken in a single layer for even browning, in two batches if needed. And rest it five minutes before slicing to keep the juices in.
Avocado: choose ones that give slightly when pressed. Dice them last and squeeze over a little lime to slow browning. Corn: fresh is best, but drained canned or thawed frozen corn works fine. Dress at the last minute; it keeps everything crisp.
Make ahead: marinate the chicken overnight (without the lime juice), and make the dressing and pickled onion a day ahead. Pickled onion keeps in the fridge for about a week. Cook the chicken and prep the veg up to a day in advance and store them separately. Cut the avocado and add the dressing just before serving.
Leftovers keep for up to 2 days in the fridge, with the dressing stored separately. The 5.7L glass container with its lid works well. Re-crisp the chicken on Air Fry at 180°C for 3–4 minutes if you like it warm.
More upgrades for when you want to make it really special. Char the chicken: after it is cooked, finish it on Air Fry at 230°C for 2 minutes to get caramelised, charred edges from the sugar in the marinade. Add lots of herbs: tear in generous handfuls of mint, Thai basil and extra coriander just before serving — the biggest flavour lift for the least effort.
Add crunch: toasted cashews or peanuts (toast them in the 2.3L glass container on Air Fry at 160°C for 4–5 minutes, shaking once), fried shallots from a jar from the Asian grocer, scattered on just before serving, or sliced cucumber for extra freshness. Or crispy curry leaves: toss a handful of fresh curry leaves in 1 tsp oil and Air Fry at 200°C for 2–3 minutes, watching through the glass. Pull them out as soon as they go crisp, and crumble them over the top.
Make it a meal: serve it over mixed leaves or rocket to stretch it further, or add rice noodles or jasmine rice for a heartier dinner. Leftover Malaysian Curry Leaf Crispy Chicken instead of the marinated chicken makes a killer version of this salad. Serve with tortilla chips, garlic bread, a chilled cucumber salad, or sparkling lemonade or iced tea.
