Air Fryer Salt & Pepper Chicken Rice Bowls

Part of our Easy Wins with AO collection, this is your favourite takeaway, made the easy way, and even better, thanks to the air fryer. Juicy, salt-and-pepper seasoned chicken turns golden and crisp while staying perfectly tender inside, then gets tossed in a glossy, sticky glaze that’s packed with flavour. Add in sweet peppers and pak choi for freshness and crunch, and finish with a sprinkle of fragrant spring onions. Swap the chicken for tofu or beef to suit your mood or dietary preferences, it will be just as delicious. And if you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, they make the perfect next-day wrap filling for a speedy, satisfying lunch.

Start your shop...

Pick which supermarket you want to send your ingredients to:

Ingredients

chicken thighs 500 g
cornflour 2 tsp
black pepper pinch
bell pepper 2 (sliced)
spring onions 4 (sliced)
red chillies 1
pak choi 2
honey 2 tbsp
rice vinegar 2 tbsp
sriracha 2 tbsp
basmati microwave rice 500 g
Chinese 5 spice 2 tsp
sesame seeds 2 tsp (toasted)
lime 1 (wedges)
garlic granules 2 tsp

Method

Cook the chicken

Heat the air fryer to 200°C. Chop the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces.
In a bowl, combine the chicken with the cornflour, a pinch of black pepper, Chinese 5 Spice and the garlic granules, mixing well. Drizzle with a dash of your preferred oil or cooking spray. Add to the air fryer basket and cook for 12 - 15 minutes.

Prep the rest of the ingredients

While the chicken cooks, thinly slice the bell peppers, spring onions and red chillies. Adjust the amount of red chillies used to taste. Separate the leaves from the pak choi and finely chop the thicker stalks.

Cook the vegetables

Add the bell peppers, red chillies and half the spring onions to the air fryer basket. Drizzle in your preferred oil, toss well and cook for 4 - 5 minutes.
Make the glaze - in a small bowl, mix together the honey, rice vinegar and sriracha.
Add the pak choi leaves to the air fryer basket, pour in the glaze and mix well. Cook for another 2 minutes.

Cook the rice

Cook the basmati microwave rice according to the packet instructions.

Plate Up

Plate up the Salt & Pepper Chicken with the rice, scatter over the reserved spring onions and toasted sesame seeds. If you like a little extra heat add some more red chillies on top. Serve with the lime wedges on the side. Tuck in and enjoy!

More recipes like this...