Could the cult kitchen gadget beloved for its crispy fries possibly handle the mammoth task of a full Christmas dinner? With the festive season in full swing, I decided to put this question to the test, swapping my traditional oven for a Ninja Foodi FlexDrawer air fryer to prepare the entire holiday spread.
The Festive Air Fryer Challenge Begins
Armed with a shopping list of all the classic components from Tesco – from roast potatoes and pigs in blankets to honey-glazed carrots, parsnips, stuffing, and Brussels sprouts – I was ready to begin. I must confess that a last-minute supermarket raid meant a whole turkey was unavailable, so I opted for a chicken as my centrepiece, a choice I suspect many secretly prefer anyway.
The Ninja Foodi FlexDrawer, retailing at £219.99, proved remarkably simple to navigate, no more complex than using a microwave. Its sleek design is a bonus for any kitchen counter. For someone who struggles with kitchen timings, the built-in recipe guide for cooking a whole bird with vegetables was an absolute lifesaver.
After prepping the chicken with lemon, herbs, garlic, salt, and pepper, I placed it in the air fryer for 37 minutes. An important caveat: I used the spacious 10.5-litre FlexDrawer model. While my small chicken (enough for two) fit perfectly, a large turkey would almost certainly not fit, making this method unsuitable for feeding a big family.
Cooking Process and Time-Saving Wins
Once the initial cook was done, I added all my prepared vegetables around the meat. A key advantage is that no pre-boiling of potatoes or veggies was needed – just season and slice beforehand. After a further 18 minutes of cooking, the bird was rested under foil. The total cooking time for the main components was just 55 minutes, a fraction of traditional oven cooking.
I found I could fit approximately 10 roast potatoes, 10 stuffing balls, and four portions of carrots in the drawer at once, with capacity for up to 15 potatoes at a push. Using the partition, I then cooked the pigs in blankets and stuffing balls separately, which took around 12 minutes. A major pro was the contained, simple process: no juggling multiple oven trays or monitoring bubbling pans.
The Verdict: Juicy Success with Some Crispy Failures
The results were largely impressive. The chicken was succulent and juicy, cooked perfectly in record time. For a small household, cooking your festive meat in an air fryer is a genuine, time-saving option.
However, there were notable cons. The roast potatoes failed to achieve a proper crispy crust without hot oil or goose fat, developing blackish patches instead. I'll be reverting to the oven for my spuds. Furthermore, making gravy in the air fryer is virtually impossible and messy. I also found less meat juice in the drawer for making homemade gravy, which was a disappointment.
In summary, the air fryer Christmas dinner experiment was a success with clear boundaries. The pros include halved cooking times, no pre-boiling, less mess, and juicy, tender results. The cons are significant: no gravy, poorly crisped potatoes, limited capacity, and inability to cook for more than three people in one go.
For couples or very small families, it's a fantastic, efficient alternative. But for a traditional gathering with a large turkey and all the trimmings for a crowd, the trusty oven and hob remain unchallenged. This story was first published on December 7, 2023.
