Shawarma Fries in the Air Fryer
Shawarma Fries are a Dutch kapsalon made in the air fryer: crispy fries covered in spiced shawarma chicken and melted Gouda, topped with cold salad and creamy garlic sauce. A hearty fast-food classic from Rotterdam that is easy to make at home.
Equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Knife
- 2 Bowl For the marinade and sauce
- 2 Alubakke That fit in the air fryer basket
- 1 Meat thermometer
Ingredients
Shawarma chicken
- 600 g chicken thigh fillets
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice Freshly squeezed
2 clove garlic Crushed
2 tsp cumin Ground
2 tsp paprika Sweet or smoked
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp turmeric
0.5 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
0.5 tsp black pepper Freshly ground
Fries and cheese
600 g frozen fries- 200 g Gouda Thinly sliced
Salad
- 0.5 pcs iceberg lettuce
2 pcs tomatoes
0.5 pcs cucumber
Garlic sauce
2 dl Greek yoghurt
3 tbsp mayonnaise- 2 clove garlic Crushed
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
Preparation
- Cut 600 g chicken thigh fillets into thin strips about 1 cm wide, so the meat gets crispy edges like real shawarma.
- Mix 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 2 clove garlic, 2 tsp cumin, 2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp turmeric, 0.5 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp salt and 0.5 tsp black pepper in a bowl to make a marinade.
- Marinate the chicken strips in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. First toss them thoroughly in the marinade so every piece is coated, and cover the bowl.
- Stir 2 dl Greek yoghurt, 3 tbsp mayonnaise, 2 clove garlic, 1 tbsp lemon juice and 1 pinch salt together to make a garlic sauce while the chicken marinates. Chill the sauce.
- Slice 0.5 pcs iceberg lettuce into fine strips, and cut 2 pcs tomatoes and 0.5 pcs cucumber into small cubes. Chill the salad so it is completely cold when served.
Cooking in the air fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 200 °C fan.
- Place the marinated chicken in the basket in an even layer and cook at 200 °C for 12 minutes. Shake the basket halfway through, so the strips get lightly caramelised at the edges.
- Use a meat thermometer to check that the chicken has a core temperature of at least 75 °C. Take the chicken out and keep it warm.
- Place 600 g frozen fries in the basket and cook at 200 °C for 18 minutes, until golden and crispy. Shake the basket 2-3 times along the way.
- Fill 2 aluminium trays with the hot fries and spread the shawarma chicken on top.
- Cover the chicken in both trays with 200 g Gouda slices, so the cheese spreads across the whole surface.
- Melt the cheese in the air fryer at 200 °C for 4 minutes per tray, until it bubbles and takes on a little colour. If there isn't room for both trays in the basket, melt them one at a time.
Assembly
- Once the trays are out of the air fryer, add the cold salad first and then the garlic sauce on top of the melted cheese.
- Serve immediately, while the cheese is hot and the salad is still cold and crisp.
Notes
Tips for perfect results:
Use sliced Gouda rather than grated cheese. The fan in the air fryer can blow grated cheese around the basket, while slices stay put and melt evenly over the chicken. Wait to add the salad and sauce until the cheese has melted and the trays are out of the air fryer – that way the salad stays cold and crisp, and the fries don't go soft. Variation:
Swap the chicken for thin strips of lamb or beef, or use ready-made kebab or shawarma meat. A few dollops of sambal oelek or chilli sauce give it the classic spicy kick. Choose fries without a coating if the dish needs to be gluten-free – always check the packaging. To serve:
Serve straight from the aluminium trays with extra garlic sauce on the side. The dish is a complete meal in itself, so all you need is a cold drink. Portion size:
If your air fryer is smaller, you can cook the fries in two batches and melt the cheese on one tray at a time.
Use sliced Gouda rather than grated cheese. The fan in the air fryer can blow grated cheese around the basket, while slices stay put and melt evenly over the chicken. Wait to add the salad and sauce until the cheese has melted and the trays are out of the air fryer – that way the salad stays cold and crisp, and the fries don't go soft. Variation:
Swap the chicken for thin strips of lamb or beef, or use ready-made kebab or shawarma meat. A few dollops of sambal oelek or chilli sauce give it the classic spicy kick. Choose fries without a coating if the dish needs to be gluten-free – always check the packaging. To serve:
Serve straight from the aluminium trays with extra garlic sauce on the side. The dish is a complete meal in itself, so all you need is a cold drink. Portion size:
If your air fryer is smaller, you can cook the fries in two batches and melt the cheese on one tray at a time.
Nutrition
Calories: 850kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 49gFat: 51gSaturated fat: 18gPolyunsaturated fat: 10gMonounsaturated fat: 20gTrans fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 220mgSodium: 1490mgPotassium: 1460mgFiber: 6gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 1950IUVitamin C: 25mgCalcium: 470mgIron: 4mgNet carbohydrates: 42g
