22 December 2023 , 17:16
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An online chef has shared how you can make a Christmas dinner with a "tasty twist" this year.
Using an air fryer to cook meals is more popular than ever, and a lot of people are planning on using them to prepare their roast dinner on Christmas Day. The search for 'air fryer Christmas dinner recipes' has significantly increased as people continue to be affected by the ongoing rising cost of living crisis. Using an air fryer can save both time and help cut back on energy costs.
Cooking-lover Rebecca shares health and tasty recipes on TikTok page Healthy Airfryer Recipes (@healthyairfyerrecipes) and has partner with Wren Kitchens to share her top hacks for the perfect air fryer Christmas dinner - including a Marmite dish. Rebecca said: "I've found that the air fryer works wonders not just for chicken and roast potatoes, but also for turkey and pigs in blankets.
"The turkey cooks evenly and retains its moisture, resulting in a succulent and flavourful dish."
She continued: "As for pigs in blankets, the air fryer creates that perfect crispiness in the bacon while keeping the sausages juicy inside. The roast potatoes are also a game-changer. The air fryer gives them that perfect crunch on the outside while keeping them fluffy on the inside.
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"It's a fantastic way to achieve those crispy edges that everyone loves!." Rebecca used a Ninja air fryer for her Christmas dinner and start out by cooking a crispy chicken for 40 minutes.
Explaining what she did, Rebecca said: "So you want to rub some oil and chicken season onto the chicken. You want to put it into the air fryer for 20 minutes at 200 degrees the turn over and do another 20 minutes "You will get this lovely golden chicken that looks just like this."
Next, she moved onto making braised red cabbage. The cook chopped up some red cabbage and put it into a bowl, added some brown sugar, olive oil, two red onions, water and a knob of butter. She mixed it all together and then put it into the air fryer.
Rebecca said: "My air fryer has a pressure cook function - I can pressure cook this and it took around 10 minutes on high. It's perfect because usually if you do this on the hob you'd be looking at two hours. You have a tasty, full flavour, braised red cabbage."'
Next on her list was making honey parsnips and carrots. Rebecca explained: "For this you want to start by peeling and chopping your carrots, the peeling and chopping your parsnips, pour in a bowl then add honey and mustard. Mix it together and add into the air dryer. For this I used the bake function for 20 minutes. Then I used the air fryer function for another 10 minutes."
But most unusual of all is Rebecca's Brussels sprouts - which she marinates in Marmite and garlic. She said: "We're doing Brussels sprouts with a tasty twist. Wash and peel your sprouts then add in some crushed garlic, vegetable stock, marmite, and water.
Online chef Rebecca cooked a whole chicken in her air fryer in 40 minutes (@healthyairfryerrecipes/TikTok)"Give it a good stir place it [the bowl] into the air fryer basket. Then you want to air fry this for 15 minutes at 200 degrees."
Advising the best way to cook potatoes at Christmas, the healthy recipe maker said: "One of the best hacks that I do is actually using tinned potatoes - trust me on this. It's as easy as putting them into the air fryer with some seasoning. Air fry them for 20 minutes at 20 degrees. They will come out with a little crunch on the outside, soft inside."
Darren Watts, Showroom Development & Design Director at Wren Kitchens, commented: "Preparation is key when it comes to making the perfect Christmas dinner. Ensure your workspace is clear of clutter and clean to avoid any food disasters. Caring for your worktop prior to food prep will make all the difference to your meal."
Do you have a Christmas hack to share? Get in touch via [email protected].
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