Frozen Tyson Popcorn Chicken Air Fryer Recipe: The Ultimate Guide
If you haven’t tried making frozen popcorn chicken in your air fryer, you’re missing out! These crunchy nibbles are absolutely irresistible, and they’re so easy to make. They are also healthy, nutritious, and low in calories, so you can indulge without guilt. Plus, It’s a great way to get your kids involved in the kitchen.
Food buffs even swear that dipping them in sauce(honey mustard, BBQ sauce, or ranch dressing) gives them an extra bit of flavor, but we’ll leave that up to you!
Anyway, this easy recipe yields perfectly crispy chicken with very little effort, and it only takes a few minutes to cook. The key is to make sure that your chicken pieces are well coated in oil so they come out nice and crispy. Compared to other recipes, our frozen popcorn chicken air fryer recipe is quicker, easier, uses less oil, and has no artificial ingredients.
So if you are looking for a healthier and more delicious alternative to regular popcorn chicken, as an air fryer expert, we highly recommend you try this recipe! At the end of the article, we have listed the air fryer and frozen popcorn chicken we used, don’t miss out!
Popcorn Chicken Air Fryer Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Cosori Air Fryer
Ingredients
- ½ Pack Frozen popcorn chicken
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp Honey mustard
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F
- Coat the chicken pieces with olive oil or cooking spray
- Place the chicken in the air fryer basket and cook for 10 minutes
- Serve with your favorite dipping sauce
Notes
Instructions: A Step-By-Step Guide To Cooking Popcorn Chicken In An Air Fryer
Before we get started on the recipe, you should note that this depends on your tastes and preferences. You can switch out some of the ingredients to make air fryer popcorn chicken with a personal touch. This is just a recipe that we have tried, tested, and absolutely loved!
1. Preparation
Start by preheating your air fryer to 400 degrees F. This will ensure that your chicken cooks evenly. If you are using a frozen product, there is no need to thaw the chicken before cooking. You can also prepare the frozen chicken according to the package instructions, but it is not necessary.
2. Coat Chicken In Olive Oil Or Cooking Spray (OPTIONAL)
Place the frozen chicken in a single layer on a baking sheet or in the air fryer basket. Lightly coat the chicken pieces with olive oil or cooking spray. This will help to ensure that the chicken comes out crispy. Plus, the added fat will help to keep the chicken moist.
If you don’t have a cooking spray, you can also use a pastry brush to coat the chicken with oil. It pretty much does the same thing. Be sure not to use too much oil, or your chicken will be greasy- just a light coating will do.
3. Cook the Frozen Chicken Popcorns
Place the chicken in the air fryer basket and cook for 10 minutes. Be sure to spread the chicken out in a single layer so that it cooks evenly. If your frozen chicken popcorn can’t fit in one basket, don’t overcrowd them – just cook them in batches. It only takes 10 min to cook frozen popcorn chicken, so it’s not a big deal.
Keep an eye on them, so they don’t overcook. We suggest giving them a gentle shake after every few minutes of cooking to ensure they are evenly cooked. If you like your popcorn crisper, you can cook them for an extra minute or two, but no longer than that.
4. Serve with your favorite sauce
Once the frozen popcorn chicken is cooked, remove it from the air fryer and serve with your favorite dipping sauce. We love honey mustard, BBQ sauce, or ranch dressing. But you can really use any sauce you like. You can also add some salt and pepper to taste if you like.
So there you have it! A quick and easy recipe for frozen popcorn chicken that is sure to please the whole family.
How Long To Cook Popcorn Chicken In Air Fryer
The cooking time varies depending on the size and thickness of the popcorn chicken pieces, but on average, it takes about 10 minutes to cook frozen popcorn chicken in an air fryer. There are also experts who agree that cooking your frozen chicken popcorn for an extra 2-3 minutes will make them extra crispy. So again, we leave that to you to decide!
Just don’t overcook them — we don’t want any dry chicken popcorn here! And don’t forget to give them a little shake every few minutes during cooking to ensure even cooking.
Quick Tips Before Cooking Popcorn Chicken Air Fryer Recipe:
A big chunk of people who use Airfryers has no idea how best to use their device. Most think it’s just about throwing in your foodstuff and you’ll have perfectly fried food. While that is somewhat true, there are a few things you can do to get the best results.
Here are a few:
- You must preheat your air fryer before cooking the frozen chicken popcorn.
- Do not over-crowd the air fryer basket.
- Check on your Popcorn every few minutes, and don’t forget to shake the basket for even cooking.
- Don’t thaw the popcorn chicken before cooking, as this will make them soggy.
- When in doubt, always cook for less time and then increase the cooking time if needed. You can always cook longer, but you can’t undo overcooked food.
To make your frozen popcorn chicken extra crispy, you can dredge them in a little flour before cooking. This will help to create a crispy coating.
How Can I Make My Air Fryer Popcorn Chicken More Crispy?
This is one question we get a lot – and the simple answer is it depends on your preference. For a simple and gentle crispy texture, you can air fry your popcorn for a few extra minutes, depending on how crispy you want them to be.
You can also give them a little coat by spraying or brushing cooking oil on them before cooking. This will help to create a nice crispy coating on your popcorn chicken. Another method that works perfectly is the dredging method. This involves coating the popcorn chicken in a flour mixture before cooking. This is a great method to use if you want a really crispy and crunchy coating on your popcorn chicken.
But if you’re looking for a really crispy texture, we suggest breading your chicken popcorn before cooking. This will give you that extra crunch that you’re looking for. You can use a simple breadcrumb and egg mixture, or you can go all out and use your favorite batter recipe.
How To Serve Your Popcorn Chicken Air Fryer Recipe
There are so many ways to enjoy this delicious air fryer popcorn chicken recipe! Serve it as a main course with some sides, or enjoy it as a tasty appetizer or snack.
Here are some of our favorite ways to serve this dish:
- As An Appetizer Or Snack: Serve the chicken popcorn with your favorite dipping sauce on the side. We love it with honey mustard, BBQ sauce, or ranch dressing.
- As A Main Course: Serve the chicken popcorn over a bed of rice or salad. Top with your favorite sauce or dressing, and enjoy!
You can also be creative and add your own unique toppings and sauces to make it even more irresistible. No matter how you choose to enjoy it, this air fryer popcorn chicken recipe is sure to be a hit!
Best Frozen Popcorn Chicken You Can Buy
Currently, we have so many brands promising the best quality frozen popcorn chicken on the market. While some might be good, others might not meet your expectations. To make your work easier, we’ve gone ahead and done the research for you.
Here are some of the best brands of frozen popcorn chicken that you can buy:
- Tyson Popcorn Chicken Air Fryer: – If you’re looking for a quick and easy snack or appetizer, Tyson’s popcorn chicken is a great option. It’s made with all white meat chicken and is coated in a light breading. Simply cook in your air fryer according to the instructions on the package, and you’ll have crispy and delicious popcorn chicken in no time.
- Perdue Popcorn Chicken Air Fryer: – Perdue Farms is a well-known and trusted brand when it comes to poultry products. Their frozen popcorn chicken is made with all white meat chicken and is perfect for a quick and easy snack or meal.
- Banquet Popcorn Chicken Air Fryer: – You can never go wrong with Banquet’s frozen foods. Their popcorn chicken is simply delicious and perfect for a quick snack or meal. They also come with instructions on how to cook them in your air fryer, so you can be sure they’ll turn out perfectly crispy and tasty every time.
The Air Fryer We Used For This Recipe
While testing out this recipe, we used COSORI Pro Air Fryer, and we have to say we were really impressed with the results. The chicken came out crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. We also loved how evenly it cooked the chicken, leaving no cold or undercooked spots.
Overall, we think this is a great air fryer and would definitely recommend it if you’re in the market for one. It’s a great size, not too big or small, and it comes with some handy features like a preheat function and a shake reminder.
If you don’t have a COSORI Pro Air Fryer, don’t worry. Any air fryer will do the job just fine. Just be sure to follow the instructions that came with your particular model.
Enjoy this Simple Frozen Popcorn Chicken Air Fryer Recipe!
Generally, popcorn chicken is a great dish to have whether you want to snack on it or have it as your main meal. It is also relatively easy to cook, and with an air fryer, you are assured of a healthy dish.
We hope you enjoyed our air fryer popcorn chicken recipe and that you’ll try it out for yourself. Be sure to let us know how it turns out in the comments below, and don’t forget to share this recipe with your friends and family!
My love for food was influenced by my brother, a chef at a 2-star Michelin restaurant, and we often exchange food knowledge together. It’s been 12 years since I first stepped into the kitchen, and with my vast experience and expertise, I will share many ideas on how to make dishes more delicious!