Air-Fryer Southern Chicken Gravy Potato Bowls

AF-200 Crew Recipe

Air-Fryer Southern Chicken Gravy Potato Bowls

Some dinners don't need reinventing. Golden crispy chicken, buttery mashed potatoes and rich onion gravy have been making people happy for generations. This version brings everything together in one hearty bowl with crispy chicken on top, plenty of homemade gravy and enough comfort to make any miserable day considerably better. Simple. Filling. Proper food.

Air-Fryer Southern Chicken Gravy Potato Bowls
Air-Fryer Southern Chicken Gravy Potato Bowls preparation stage

You’ll Need

For the Chicken
600g chicken thigh fillets, cut into large strips
2 eggs, beaten

Crispy Coating
80g plain flour, 50g cornflour, 1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic granules, 1 tsp onion granules, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp black pepper, Oil spray

Creamy Mash
800g potatoes, peeled and chopped
50g butter, 100ml warm milk, Salt and black pepper

Onion Gravy
1 large onion, finely sliced, 20g butter
300ml chicken stock, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp wholegrain mustard, 1 tbsp plain flour

Optional but Dangerous

Sweetcorn

Garden peas

Crispy onions

Chopped parsley

Extra black pepper

Method

Preheat your air fryer to 200°C.

Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until tender, then drain.

Mash with the butter, warm milk, salt and black pepper until smooth. Keep warm.

In one bowl, beat the eggs.

In another bowl, mix together the flour, cornflour, smoked paprika, garlic granules, onion granules, thyme, salt and black pepper.

Dip each chicken strip into the egg, then coat thoroughly in the seasoned flour mixture.

Lightly spray the air fryer basket with oil and arrange the chicken in a single layer.

Spray the tops lightly with oil and air fry for 12–14 minutes, turning halfway through, until deeply golden and cooked through.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan and cook the onion gently for 8–10 minutes until soft and lightly caramelised.

Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, then gradually whisk in the chicken stock, Worcestershire sauce and wholegrain mustard. Simmer until the gravy is smooth and rich.

Divide the mashed potato between four serving bowls.

Top with the crispy chicken strips and pour the hot onion gravy generously over everything.

Finish with chopped parsley, cracked black pepper or crispy onions if using.

Lad Tip: Keep the chicken on top of the mash until you're ready to eat. Pouring the gravy over at the last minute keeps the coating crisp around the edges while still giving you that rich, comforting gravy in every bite.

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