Here’s a super easy Air Fry Tandoori Chicken Lollipop recipe we’re loving right now

Butter chicken lasagne was the dish that brought celebrity chef Rick Matharu to our attention a decade ago. Since then, the popular chef has been bringing innovative Punjabi-Canadian comfort food to Canada’s food scene via his Rick’s Good Eats Mississauga restaurant and online marketplace — created as an ode to the immigrant experience.

In all his dishes, Matharu infuses flavours from his childhood with his passion for comfort food classics to evoke a feeling of nostalgia.

And now, he’s teamed up with Whirlpool to celebrate the Taste of Canada by encouraging Canadians to explore our nation’s diverse and multicultural flavour palette with the Whirlpool 7-in-1 Air Fry Oven.

Chef Rick Matharu (Whirlpool Canada)

Thankfully, the recipe he shared with us isn’t complicated at all. In the simple steps below, Matharu takes us through how to make his Air Fry Tandoori Chicken Lollipop in the Whirlpool 7-in-1 Air Fry Oven — a great way to impress guests at your next dinner party.

“Tandoori meets Fried Chicken but without litres of oil,” is how chef Marathu describes the outcome of cooking this delectable dish using the Whirlpool 7-in-1 Air Fry Oven. “I only needed a touch of Ghee to get a smokey, spicy Tandoori flavour with that crispy, classic Fried Chicken texture,” he said.

Total Servings: five servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: one hour

Ingredients

• 5 chicken drumsticks, skin on
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 small red chilli
• ½ inch ginger, peeled
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• ½ whisked whole egg
• 2 tablespoons ghee
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 teaspoon tandoori powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon chaat masala
• ½ teaspoon garam masala
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• cilantro leaves, garnish

Method

1. Using a mortar and pestle, grind the garlic, chilli, and ginger with the lemon juice into a paste.
2. In a small bowl, combine all the spices, and give them a mix, before adding them to the mortar and pestle, stirring to make the marinade.
3. To create the lollipop drumsticks, use a sharp knife to cut around the bone just below the drum of meat.
4. Scrape down and off any excess meat and cartilage to create the stick of the lollipop. Push the meat forward into a tight ball to make the lollipop shape.
5. To have the drumsticks stand up on their own, you may need to slightly trim the bottom of the ball of meat to create an even stand.
6. In a large bowl, marinate the meat with the spice paste (from step one).
7. Add in the egg and half of the ghee.
8. Dust over the all-purpose flour and cornstarch onto the drumsticks until they are well coated.
9. Add in the remaining ghee and mix the chicken lollipops well.
10. Stand the drumsticks in the Whirlpool Air Fry Basket, ensuring they are not touching and are spread out well.
11. Add a foil-lined baking sheet underneath the Air Fry Basket for easier cleanup and to catch any drippings.
12. Using the Air Fry Mode, Air Fry at 400℉ for 25 minutes on the middle rack.
13. Air Fry until the outside is crispy and the internal temperature is 165℉.

To take these tasty bites up a notch, place the chicken drumsticks in an upright position in the Air Fry basket (into lollipops) to ensure each side gets perfectly crispy with a light batter for an irresistible crunch. For an authentic finish, sprinkle the lollipops with chaat masala, garnish with cilantro, and serve with mint chutney.

With counter space but a thing of dreams in many homes, we love to hear about convenient appliances designed to make our lives easier (and maximize what little room we have).

To find out more about this neat appliance, visit Whirlpool.ca. To test more of Matharu’s recipes, follow him on Instagram.