How to Make Lemongrass Chicken Jerky with an Air Fryer - Crispy and Fragrant

Prepare the Chicken Breast

After purchasing the chicken breast, it needs to be cleaned thoroughly. Choose fresh chicken breast without any foul odor. Rinse the chicken with salt and ginger wine (or white wine) to remove any fishy smell, then rinse again with clean water and let it drain.

Steam the Chicken Breast

Steaming is the ideal method to retain the meat's sweetness and tenderness.

First, add a suitable amount of water to the pan, so that the water level is about one-third of the way up the pan from the bottom to the steamer basket.

Add lemongrass (peeled of its outer layers) and smashed ginger to the steaming water to enhance the flavor. Then, place the chicken breast in the steamer basket, spreading the lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves evenly around.

Steam the chicken over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, just until cooked through, to avoid drying out the meat.

Shred the Chicken Breast

Once the chicken breast is cooked, let it cool slightly before shredding it into bite-sized strips. To achieve long, tender strips, shred the chicken while it's still warm and keep the bones intact during the shredding process.

Marinate the Chicken

This step is crucial in giving the lemongrass chicken jerky its rich flavor. Place the shredded chicken into a large bowl, then add the following ingredients (for about 1.1 kg of chicken breast):

• 5g five-spice powder
• 4 tablespoons Korean chili powder
• 1 tablespoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon spicy chili powder
• 2.5 tablespoons yellow sugar
• 5 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2.5 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon MSG
• 1 tablespoon white wine
• 3 tablespoons cooking oil
• 3 tablespoons annatto oil
• Half of the minced garlic and ginger

Mix this mixture thoroughly and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes so that the flavors fully infuse the chicken.

Stir-fry the Chicken

Heat some cooking oil in a pan, then add minced garlic and shallots, frying until fragrant.

Once golden, add the marinated chicken and stir-fry over medium heat, stirring continuously to prevent burning.

Add half of the sliced lemongrass to the pan. When the chicken is well-seasoned, add the chili peppers, kaffir lime leaves, and the remaining lemongrass, stirring for another minute to blend the flavors.

Dry the Chicken in an Air Fryer

Divide the chicken into several batches for drying.

Place each batch into the air fryer, set the temperature to 100°C, and dry for about 30-32 minutes.

During the drying process, after the first 15 minutes, open the fryer and stir the chicken to ensure even drying. For subsequent batches, as the fryer will already be hot, the drying time may only need to be about 25-28 minutes.

Adjust the time and temperature as needed to achieve the desired level of dryness while maintaining moisture and tenderness in the meat.

Finish and Store

Once the chicken is fully dried, remove it and let it cool completely before storing it in an airtight container or zip-lock bag, and place it in the refrigerator. If stored properly, the chicken jerky can maintain its crispness for up to a month without becoming chewy.