They’re all the rage, but what exactly are air fryers? Well, as the name suggests, they’re for frying foods such as meat, pastries and that king of fried tucker, the chip.

But doesn’t a deep-fat fryer do the same? Yes, except air fryers require much less oil, thanks to a chemical reaction called the Maillard reaction. This occurs in response to the circulation of hot air around the food in an air fryer, which is what separates the air fryer from its deep-fat rival.

Instead of your food being immersed in oil, air fryers require just a tablespoon of oil to achieve the same result as you’d expect from deep-frying. Consequently, it’s thought that air-fried food is healthier, thanks to a lower fat content and reduced calories.

That said, you’re still eating fried food. Oh, and it’ll take a bit longer to cook, too. But if you fancy giving it a go, here’s a tasty recipe suggestion to get you started, from the man from Del Monte…

DEL MONTE® AIR-FRIED PINEAPPLE CHICKEN GOUJONS

Serves 4 • Prep time: 20 mins • Cook time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Goujons

2 large, free-range chicken breasts, approx. 500g

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsps drained pineapple juice (from your can of Del Monte® Pineapple Slices)

1 tsp paprika

1 garlic clove, crushed

Salt and pepper

50g breadcrumbs

Salsa

1 can (435g) Del Monte® Pineapple Slices, drained and juice reserved

2 red peppers, diced

1 medium to large onion, finely chopped

4 tbsp coriander, finely chopped

Yoghurt

150g natural yogurt

1 tbsp drained pineapple juice (from your can of Del Monte® Pineapple Slices)

Salt and pepper

To serve

 1 gem lettuce, shredded

8 small tortilla wraps

Method:

1. Cut each chicken breast into eight even-size strips, whisk together the olive oil, reserved pineapple juice, paprika, garlic and season with salt and pepper, then stir in the chicken pieces and leave in the fridge for 30 mins to marinade.

2. Dice the Del Monte® Pineapple Slices, place in a bowl, add the red pepper, onion and coriander and stir to combine. In a separate bowl stir the pineapple juice into the yoghurt and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set both aside.

3. Spread the breadcrumbs onto a large plate and season with salt and pepper. Toss each chicken strip in the breadcrumbs, ensuring all sides are evenly coated.

4. Brush the base of the air fryer crisp basket with a little oil, then add the chicken strips in a single layer and cook at 200°C for 10 mins, turning over after five mins. You may need to do this in batches, depending on the size of your air fryer.

5. Warm the tortillas according to packet instructions then serve alongside the goujons, salsa, yogurt and lettuce.