Tony Jackman’s chicken thighs and drumsticks with paprika and bacon. (Photo: Tony Jackman)
Still the most popular ingredient to cook in an air fryer, in a tie with potatoes, chicken cooked in this fashionable countertop convection oven results in superbly juicy meat that is cooked through to the bone.
This time, I added plenty of flavour in two key forms: bacon, and ground paprika. The bacon was streaky, rolled into little rounds and slidden into gaps between the chicken thighs and drumsticks.
There was also the expected salt and black pepper, which were added, along with the paprika, to the premium olive oil in a bowl in which the chicken was tossed before being placed in the basket of the air fryer.
I removed the rack, so that the drawer of the machine was used as a pot. Which is all that it is, really.
Tony’s juicy chicken thighs with bacon and paprika
(Serves 3-4)
Ingredients
8-10 chicken thighs and drumsticks
4 Tbsp De Rustica Estate Collection Coratina olive oil, or similar
8 streaky bacon rashers, rolled up
Paprika to taste
Salt and black pepper to taste
Method
Remove the rack from the air fryer basket (this presumes that, like mine, your machine is one with a drawer that pulls out; if yours has a pull-down door, cook them on a rack instead).
Preheat the air fryer to 200°C.
Place the chicken portions at the bottom, skin side down.
Season them with salt and black pepper, and sprinkle with paprika.
Cook, skin side down, for 15 minutes at 200°C. Shake the pan half way through.
Turn the chicken pieces over and season the other sides with salt, black pepper and paprika. Turn the bacon rashers over too — they should have browned nicely on the top side.
Cook for another 15 minutes, shaking the basket half way through.
Insert a skewer to the middle of the largest chicken portion, push down and see if juices run clear. If not, cook for a couple of minutes more, but I doubt this will be necessary. DM
Tony Jackman is twice winner of the Galliova Food Writer of the Year award, in 2021 and 2023.
Follow Tony Jackman on Instagram @tony_jackman_cooks.