Healthy Air Fryer Chicken and Veggies

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This healthy air fryer chicken and veggies has juicy, tender chicken pieces and perfectly roasted veggies. A quick and easy air fryer recipe that delivers all the flavors you crave in just 20 minutes!

Air Fryer Roast Recipe

Roasted vegetables are usually cooked like roast potatoes—crispy with brown edges and as delicious as those are, the juices in this vegetable roast is the reason it's so good!

Without the tomatoes you won't get the juices but that's the whole point of this recipe, it's that incredibly delicious broth!

So What If I Don't Want The Broth?

Easy, just skip on the parchment paper. The parchment paper is not only there for easy clean up although clean up is a breeze with it that's for sure!

Parchment paper helps retain all the juices which would otherwise be minimal or not at all. Without parchment paper there is nothing there to trap the moisture while the veggies are roasting so it all evaporates.

Will The Vegetables Brown in the Air Fryer When Using Parchment Paper?

I think this will strongly depend on the type of vegetables you use. For example - broccoli, zucchini, cauliflower, eggplants, brussel sprouts, bell peppers, onions, carrots and green beans are easy to brown in the air fryer.

Something else to consider is the air fryer cooking temperature. Let's say for example you use all the correct browning vegetables and then air fry on low heat, you won't get the same crispy edges and it will obviously take longer.

Veggies do brown in the air fryer without parchment paper but not as much as when you use no parchment paper. However, it depends on what you want to achieve. This chicken and veggies is the perfect balance between lightly browned edges (some deeper brown) and healthy juices!

Can Parchment Paper Catch Fire in The Air Fryer?

If you use parchment paper in the oven and you see it flying around inside the oven, you would think that somethings wrong, right? Absolutely! So even in the air fryer, this is not a good thing!

After all, there's a heating element in the air fryer too. Make sure the edges of the parchment paper are weighed down with food, that it's cut to size or use specific air fryer parchment paper. It's available at most supermarkets and online.

I know some people prefer parchment paper over the fryer sheets - in which case, check the specific temperature range for the parchment paper . It will be written on the packaging and it should be able to withstand high heat.

In this recipe, I used high temperature parchment paper 220°C/428°F weighed it down with food and pushed it in on the sides. As long as it's not flying around inside the air fryer because that's not safe and could potentially start a fire.

You can also buy an air fryer mat that matches the size of your air fryer, the mat has holes in it and it allows air to circulate while cooking. This helps browning as the fat is being released it drips through those holes. It was not necessary to use for this veggie and chicken air fryer roast because we cooked it fast, high and wanted to retain the juices.

The tomatoes in this recipe are ripe San Marzano tomatoes, you can use any ripe, firm tomatoes. If the tomatoes are not the best quality in terms of fresh and ripe, you wont get the same result.

Ingredients For This Healthy Air Fryer Chicken and Veggies

To make this easy air fryer recipe, you will need the following ingredients.

Chicken breasts - chopped into bite size pieces

Eggplant - (also known as melanzane, aubergine)

Bell peppers - I used yellow for the sweet less over-powering taste.

Tomatoes - Fresh ripe San Marzano tomatoes. Use any tomatoes, but they must be ripe and firm to stand up to the high heat when roasting.

Salt and pepper - to taste.

Vegetable spice - or your preferred clean and delicious dry spice. We use this one.

Parsley - Freshly chopped parsely. Chives are also good here.

Pine nuts - Optional but they do add a nice crunchy texture and do try and toast them for a much better nuttier crunch and the texture improves too. Store the cooled nuts in an airtight container for freshness when not using.

How to Make This Air Fryer Chicken and Vegetables Recipe

You need a few ingredients - and both the prep and cook time are quick.

Work on a board to prep and have a sheet of parchment paper ready to season and cook, making it even easier and less clean up!

1. Prep

Veggies: Clean and cut the eggplant, bell pepper and tomatoes into chunky pieces. Making the pieces a bit chunky helps them stand up to the high-heat without falling apart or drying out. If they are more or less the same size - 1-inch pieces, the cook evenly.

Chicken: Use room-temperature or properly thawed chicken breasts. Slice them lengthwise and then into pieces about the same size as the veggies.

2. Combine on Parchment Paper

Place the chopped veggies on a large piece of parchment paper. Dry the chicken with a paper towel and add it to the veggies.

Season everything with salt, black pepper, and your choice of vegetable spice or any clean spices. We use these spices.

Drizzle the mixture with extra virgin olive oil and toss lightly with your hands to coat everything evenly.

3. Cook

Air fry - Place the parchment paper with the chicken and veggies into the air fryer basket and cook at 200°C (392°F) for 15 minutes.

Check in halfway through the cook time for peace of mind although this recipe is full proof. The veggies cook till tender and the chicken will be cooked without being dry - thanks to those juices.

Don't mix it please or start poking around with a spoon! It cooks beautifully on it's own, the chicken tender and juicy and the veggies delicious! All in just 20 minutes.

Don’t worry about the juices—they keep the food moist—but don’t overcook to avoid burnt tops.

Recipe Notes Tips & Tricks

From my kitchen to yours, here are some tips that just may be of help to you.

Chicken: The chunky pieces of chicken (and veg) is to make sure that they can hold up to the high heat in the cooking time without shrinking or drying out. (I like to actually see the chicken)

Vegetables: Eggplant, bell pepper and tomatoes are all softer veggies which require a shorter cooking time. Root veggies - carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes, horseradish etc. will take a lot longer!

Oil: Do you need to add oil? Yes you need oil on the food to flavor it, prevent drying out and to help brown it.

Season: The seasoning is simple sea or kosher salt and black pepper. Add the salt and pepper just before placing the food into the air fryer to avoid the eggplants releasing excess moisture.

Spice: Feel free to add any spice that you prefer. We use these spices and olive oil.

Bonus Tip! Have a sheet of parchment paper ready, as you clean and chop, add the veggies and chicken straight onto the paper. If you start with the eggplant, drizzle a little olive oil over them while you prep the rest of the ingredients. This will prevent the eggplant from turning brown.

What to Serve With Chicken and Veggies

Serve this air fryer chicken and veg with couscous, rice, pita bread and sour cream (so good!) ciabatta or bread rolls to scoop up all those juices.

Ideas on How to Serve Chicken and Veg

You can serve it with either pearl couscous (1st image below) or Moroccon couscous (2nd image below).

Variations

This is how I found this recipe to work best - with PITA bread! Homemade or store-bought.

• Simply stuff the roasted veggies and chicken into pita bread, alongside some homemade or store-bought falafel.
• Add hummus or tahini sauce, and maybe a bit of pickled red cabbage for some tang.
• Fresh parsley, tomatoes, and cucumbers add a freshness to the whole dish.
• Serve with a side of pickles or an easy couscous salad.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I cook raw chicken and vegetables together in an air fryer?

Yes, you can definitely cook raw chicken and vegetables together in an air fryer! For easy cleanup, use a sheet of parchment paper. Simply pile your cleaned veggies and sliced chicken onto the paper, season them well, and drizzle with olive oil. If you're using fresh tomatoes in the mix, you can air fry everything at 200°C (400°F) for 20 minutes, and there’s no need to turn them!
However, if you're using only root vegetables like potatoes, carrots, turnips, or parsnips, you’ll want to air fry at a lower heat. This is because these veggies don’t release juices like ripe tomatoes, so they can burn more easily.

Can you cook chicken and vegetables together at the same time?

Yes you can cook chicken and vegetables together at the same time as long as the chicken the vegetables are cut more or less the same size so that they can cook at the same time. The chunkier cuts are better than small pieces so that can stand up to the air fryer or oven temperature.

Do you need to oil chicken before air frying?

Yes please add oil to the chicken to prevent it from drying out! The oil coats the chicken and adds flavor. The only time you can skip the oil is if you are cooking chicken in a liquid, like stock, broth, water, wine or you are marinating in yogurt, spices etc.

More Air Fryer Recipes

• Seasoned Air Fryer Pork Belly Bites
• Easy Air Fryer Roasted Tomatoes Recipe
• Best Crispy Pork Belly Air Fryer (Easy Recipe)
• Air Fryer Tortilla Wraps
• Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

I Love Hearing From You!

If you give this recipe a try, I would love to know what you think of it. Simply leave a rating and comment below. Enjoying my recipes and want to see more? Find me here Facebook Pinterest Instagram 

Disclaimer

This article provides helpful tips and suggestions based on personal experience. However, My Anosmic Kitchen is not responsible for any damage or issues that may occur with your kitchen appliances. Before using parchment paper in your air fryer, always consult your appliance’s manufacturer instructions to ensure safety.