I Am... Hot Pot at Home
One of my all time favorite meals is hot pot. We eat it at least once a month, if not more. It can be a cold and cozy night or a warm summer evening – it doesn’t matter because hot pot is always the answer. It’s a fun and filling way to spend the night eating and chatting because you’re literally hanging around a hot pot at the table where you cook and eat together. Essentially, all you do to prepare hot pot is make a soup that is simmered at the table. You load up the table with a bunch of raw sliced meats, veggies, tofu, seafood, and noodles. Everyone cooks what they like, right at the table. Then it's scooped out of the pot, dipped into your own customized sauce, and devoured. Hot pot is all about choosing your ingredients/what you’re going to put into your pot. There’s a huge variety of hot pot, even within China – there’s mind numbing spicy hot pots, herbal hot pots, curry hot pots, soothing plain hot pots, really there’s no wrong way. Here’s an in-depth guide to get you started!
What is hot pot?
If you’re new to hot pot, it’s a low stress way to have a fun and interactive meal with the people you love. Hot pot is a social way of eating: a variety of food is cooked in a communal simmering pot of flavored broth. The meal starts with the pot coming to a boil. The meat, seafood, vegetables, tofu, and noodles are added and cook quickly (and sometimes slowly) in the bubbling broth. Everyone scoops out whatever their heart desires and adds more to replace it. Fun times, yummy food, and much laughter is shared. At its core, Hot pot is a Chinese way of way of cooking food in a simmering pot of soup at the table. It’s similar to fondue, except instead of cheese or hot oil, you have a flavorful soup stock. Raw ingredients are cooked in the soup, then eaten with dipping sauces. It’s a fun and communal way of eating and super popular both at home and in restaurants. Hot pot is near and dear to Chinese people across the world and is starting to become more mainstream and popular. Hot pot creates a cozy, warm atmosphere and really brings people together as you sit around a pot, cooking, eating, talking, and relaxing. The food is important but also important are the feels and the feels of hot pot can’t be beat.Is it really this complicated?
NO! This is an all encompassing how-to guide but the tl;dr of it all is that you can just go to your local Asian supermarketand buy from their hot pot selection. If you live somewhere far away from one, you can buy the hot pot soup mix online, thinly slice some proteins, wash some veg, and have at it. It doesn't need to be hard.Where does hot pot come from?
Hot pot originated in China but it’s now all over Asia in different incarnations. There are bubbly Korean stews, Japanese shabu shabus, Vietnamese hot pots, and more!How to have hot pot at home
- Decide on the broth. Go homemade or store bought, either work great.
- Shop for the ingredients. Go to the (ideally Asian) grocery store and buy ALL THE THINGS.
- Prep: wash the vegetables, lay out the meats, seafood, dumplings, balls, vegetables, and noodles out on plates or trays. Keep the meats together, the seafoods together, the vegetables together, the dumplings together, and on and on so that everything is contained and separate.
- Set the table. Set the table with everything you need, more on that below!
- Hot pot! Bring the soup up to a boil, cook your ingredients at the table, dip in sauce, eat, drink, laugh, enjoy.
What equipment do I need for hot pot?
Essentially you need two pieces of equipment for hot pot: a burner and a pot. The burner needs to be portable enough to sit at the center of your table. It can be anything you like, but make sure it's not charcoal because it'll fill your home with carbon monoxide. For the burner, there are several ways to go: induction, gas, or a two-in-one pot connected to electric source. I say you go with whichever one you might already have, or if you are going to be buying something, I’d choose induction. Induction is easy to clean – just wipe it down. Plus you don’t need to buy extra gas canisters. We’ve used the two-in-one before too, but it’s easier to use a pot you already have. As for pots, you want one that’s shallow so your food isn’t drowning. You want to be able to see it floating in there so a deep stockpot isn’t going to cut it. Growing up, we always had a split pot so the adults could have spicy soup while the kids had a mild soup. Split pots are great for people who want two kinds of soup or if you want to keep one side for meat and the other side for vegetables.Our personal hot pot set up
Mike and I use a portable induction cooker with our favorite cast iron shallow brasier, it retains heat amazingly and after we’re done, we just wipe down the induction cooker and pop the brasier in the dishwasher. There are three main components of Chinese hot pot: broth, ingredients, and sauce.Hot Pot Broth
There are a bunch of different variations of hot pot in China, depending on the region, it goes from fiery red and spicy (Sichuan and Chongqing) to milky and herbal. Soup is the backbone of your hot pot, but really, you don’t need to worry about it too much. If you want to go all out and make a homemade stock, go for it. Sometimes if I’m feeling particularly extra, I’ll do just that, but more often than not, I’ll just use a store bought stock or seasoning packet. Our favorite base happens to be Japanese dashi with soy, sake, mirin, and a touch of sugar. It isn’t Chinese at all, but, you know, since hot pot is all about customization, we are here for it, especially since it reminds us of oden. The light yet deep umami richness is the perfect flavor for all the ingredients to soak up.Store bought broth
Lee Kum Kee makes a large variety of seasoning packets – you can find those and all of the ingredients for Chinese hot pot at your local Asian grocery store. If you’re looking for spicy, Hai Di Lao is a famous Chinese hot pot restaurant that sells their hot pot seasoning packets. There’s also an extremely popular hot pot restaurant (Little Sheep Hot Pot) that sells its soup base as well. Be careful of store bought packages, because some of them can be extra extra spicy. If the ingredients list mentions mala or sichuan pepper, you might be in for a spice-fest. When in doubt, use a half- or a quarter-package and taste test beforehand.Homemade hot pot broth
Most days, we just use a simple no sodium chicken stock dressed up with some soy sauce, shaoxing wine, toasted sesame oil, ginger, and scallions. For a Japanese dashi flavor, use instant dashi seasoned with soy, sake, mirin, and a touch of sugar.How much broth do I need?
You’ll need enough broth to fill your pot. Most seasoning packages have enough to make 6-8 cups. All you do is mix the packet with water. As you’re cooking your hot pot, the soup base will inevitably go down, just top it up with water, there’s no need to add extra flavoring because the soup intensifies and concentrates as it boils down.Hot Pot Ingredients
This is the MOST fun part of hot pot. If you love variety and eating a bunch of different things in one meal, this is the meal for you! The best kind of hot pot contains a little thinly sliced meat, a little seafood, some veg, tofu, dumplings, and noodles of course! Everything tastes amazing when cooked in a hot pot. And the best part is, all you’re really doing is buying fresh, raw ingredients. If you’re wondering where to buy hot pot ingredients, the answer is an Asian grocery store! All grocery stores will (obviously) carry different things, but my main recommendation is to hit up any Asian grocery store because they will have a huge selection to choose from. I’ll break down the different categories of ingredients; it’s best to try to get a couple of each category.Thinly sliced meats
Meat, it’s what hot pot is for. Essentially you can cook any kind of meat in hot pot, as long as it’s sliced thinly. You pop it into the boiling water, swish it around a bit and let the pot come back up to a boil, pull it out and eat it. Typically thinly sliced beef, pork, and chicken are very popular. There are a variety of cuts that you can get thinly sliced in trays at your Asian grocery store – go wild and buy a bunch. Some of our favorites are: rib eye, pork belly, pork jowl, lamb shoulder, and pork shoulder. Or, if you like, you can DIY it! Pick pieces of meat that are heavily marbled and pop them in the freezer for about 30 minutes – it should feel slightly solid, but still yield, and then slice it as thinly as possible.Seafood
Seafood is a very common addition to hot pot but it's something we often skip. When we do it, we actually love those frozen seafood medley packs that contain shrimp, squid, scallops, and sometimes even mussels and clams. Fresh fish is a good bet too when we're splurging (or feeling healthy)Vegetables
Traditionally chinese hot pot is a bit light on the veg but vegetables are Mike’s favorite part of hot pot (sometimes I think he could eat hot pot with just a head of lettuce) and I've come over to the healthy side. I like a bit more variety, so I usually include some sort of Asian vegetable (gai lan, as pictured) and mushrooms. Anything goes, just make sure you’re not over cooking your vegetables! Pop them in, let them cook, then pull them out immediately, unless they’re the starchy variety of vegetable like daikon, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and taro. Tomatoes are amazing in hot pot, but be careful because they get really hot!Tofu
Tofu hot pots are a thing all by themselves. There is a huge variety of tofu at Asian grocery stores and they are all amazing. Tofu is some of the best stuff to put in hot pot because they soak up all the flavors. Mike’s partial to mini tofu puffs and I like medium firm tofu. I also love egg tofu, the kind that comes in a tube. When you’re popping the tofu into the hot pot, it doesn’t need long because you can essentially eat tofu “raw” but if you let it simmer for a while it’ll be one of the best bites: juicy and full of all the delicious hot pot soup.Fish balls and meatballs
When you get to the Asian grocery store, head to the frozen section. Sometimes there will also be a case beside the fish where fresh fish balls are. Fish balls, if you haven’t had them, are the bomb. They have the best texture and are not very fishy. They’re kind of hard to explain, but trust me, you’ll love them. I call them fish balls, but they come in all kinds of flavors: shrimp, squid, cuttlefish, lobster – if it swims, it comes in fishball form. I particularly like the “golden” ones because they’re deep fried. Oh, and grab some meatballs too, they usually have these in the deli section – in our local store we have a selection of Vietnamese meatballs and I always grab some to throw in.Dumplings
Speaking of dumplings, grab some frozen dumplings to put in your hot pot. I like to get the ones that are already fully cooked since you can’t really see inside them. Those packages will feature a large “fully cooked” text on the front. Getting fully cooked dumplings ensures that you don’t accidentally pull out a dumpling and bite into a raw filling. Get the classic pork and vegetable combo and if you see it, go for pork and corn, it’s my fave.Noodles
Noodles are the carb of choice for hot pot, they go right into the soup and soak up all the flavors. Sometimes people have bowls of rice too, so if that’s what floats your hot pot boat, go for it! I love noodles, so they’re essential. I usually go for udon because they’re thick and chewy and delicious, but mung bean noodles are excellent at soaking up flavor too. Shirataki is also amazing if you’re going low carb or keto.How to prep ingredients for hot pot
If you have a bunch of ready to go items like sliced meats, seafoods, and various balls, just open up the packages and put everything out on plates. I like to put everything on separate plates, but if you don't have enough plates, it's best to keep the meats, vegetables, and frozen stuff separated. Depending on how much you bought, you won’t need to put everything out - but if you have a big table, it never hurts and is always impressive!- Meats: If you have whole cuts of meat, place them in the freezer for 20-30 minutes until slightly firm (this helps a LOT!) and thinly slice.
- Seafood: Cut into bite sized pieces for quick and even cooking.
- Vegetables: Wash and dry all the vegetables. For large leaf and root vegetables, cut them into small pieces.
- Tofu: Drain and cut into bite size pieces.
- Noodles: Remove from the package. For most noodles, it's best to soak in hot water for 30 seconds and drain first.
- Balls and dumplings: Remove from the packages. If you like you can slice the balls in half. Make sure you don’t put the dumplings out too early because they’ll melt.
Hot pot sauces
Here’s where the fun starts: the dipping. Everything that comes out of the hot pot is dipped in sauce. Well, maybe not the noodles, but you know, you can pour sauce on to those. Every family has their own version of hot pot dipping sauce ingredients and within that everyone has their own personal sauce recipe. Provide a bunch of sauces and let people mix and match. Growing up, I just dipped in a simple sweet soy sauce with green onion and cilantro mix, but now I prefer a mix of Chinese sesame paste, hoisin sauce, sweet soy sauce, and shacha (Chinese barbecue sauce).Shacha sauce
If there’s a sauce that I think is always offered with hot pot, aside from soy sauce, it’s shacha. Shacha is made from soybean oil, garlic, shallots, chilis, brill fish, and dried shrimp. It’s an umami bomb and so so delicious. Shacha is from Taiwan and the best brand is Bullhead and it comes in a little silver can (although it actually comes in a big can too and that’s what we have in our fridge) with a resealable top. Confusingly, it’s labeled as Chinese barbecue sauce. Give it a good mix before you scoop some out, the good stuff usually settles at the bottom. People typically mix it up with a bit of soy sauce, sesame oil, green onions, and cilantro. Some people also mix in a raw egg yolk for an extra bit of oomph. They sell it at the Asian grocery store and online.Sesame sauce
Sesame paste or sesame sauce is the other big gun at the sauce table. Essentially it’s Chinese sesame paste - which is similar to tahini but made with toasted sesame seeds and it’s nuttier, deeper, and more toasty tasting .You can have sesame sauce on it’s own diluted with a bit of water, soy sauce, and toasted sesame oil, sprinkled with cilantro and scallions, or you can mix it up with other sauces. It’s super thick, so give it a good stir (just like natural almond butter!) before using. They sell it at the Asian grocery store and online. Whangzhihe is probably the most common sesame paste sauce you’ll see.How to set the table for hot pot
Now that all the shopping and prep is done, it’s time to set the table.- Place the burner and the pot in the middle of the table.
- Arrange the ingredients around the table.
- Have a sauce station - usually it’s a little nicer to have the station away from the table since it frees up space. We put all the sauces on the counter and head there when we need refills. Have little dipping bowls to mix up sauce in, sometimes you might even want 2 sauce dishes per person!
- Place a bowl, plate, chopsticks, and napkin at each setting.
- Have a couple of plates with tongs and hot pot strainers (the little individual scoop-y thing you see in the photo), and a ladle. It’s nice if you have one hot pot strainer per person but if you’re good at sharing, you can get away with one between two people.
- Don’t forget the drinks! You can go with beer or if you want those authentic feels, try wine! Wine is crazy popular in China. If you’re doing non alcoholic, iced green or jasmine teas or suan mei tang aka cold sour plum tea are good choices.
How to hot pot
Once the table is set, the soup is bubbling in the middle, and you have your own custom sauce made, this is how you do it:- Decide on a couple of pieces of what you want to eat. Most people start with meat, but if you’re feeling dumplings, tofu, or vegetables, you do you!
- Use a pair of tongs to gently place your pieces of choice into the pot – go for 3-5 pieces per person.
- Once everything is in the pot, the bubbling will subside a bit. Let everything come back up to a simmer. If you’re cooking thinly sliced beef, you can just give it a gently swish in the bubbling soup until it is cooked to your liking then pull it out immediately.
- Use a scoop to scoop out the pieces you put in and place them in your bowl.
- Dip the pieces in your sauce, enjoy, and repeat as needed!
Hot pot FAQ
How do you get the food out of the hot pot?
Don’t dip your chopsticks in the pot! Use a hot pot strainer to scoop your food out. It’s easier, cleaner, and you’ll be able to find your food more quickly.When is it cooked?
This is probably what confuses most people about hot pot. Generally, letting everything come to a boil before you start scooping food out is a good rule, but here are some *hot pot cooking times:*- Meats - since they’re thinly sliced or cut, it shouldn’t take more than 30 seconds for beef and up to 1-2 minutes for pork, chicken, and lamb.
- Seafood - seafood cooks quickly in general, 1-2 minutes should do it.
- Vegetables - leafy greens can take a quick dip, things like potatoes will take until they’re tender, up to 15 minutes.
- Dumplings - cook these according to package directions.
- Balls - these usually come fully cooked, but give them up to 5 minutes at a boil to make sure they’re heated through.
- Noodles - cook these according to package directions.
- Tofu - this can go in as long as little as you like.
Do you add everything at once to hot pot?
It’s easier if you don’t add everything at once, just add in a few pieces at a time, the ones you want to eat. This keeps the soup bubbling and the food fresh so you don’t find a random piece of leathery beef that’s been in the pot for hours.Help! I don’t live near an Asian supermarket and still want to hot pot
You can make do with a regular grocery store! Use chicken broth with some ginger, garlic, soy, and toasted sesame oil. Pick out some meats, freeze them slightly, and thinly slice. Get some leafy greens and check out what they have in the frozen section. There will usually be some frozen dumplings at the very least. Grab a package of tofu and some noodles you can have a scaled-down version of hot pot. Order some dipping sauces online for maximum enjoyment.Go forth and Hot Pot
Alright my friends! You’re ready to go forth and hot pot. Cook, dip, and eat away. I hope you give this a chance. It’s so cozy and comforting and warm. Happy hot-potting! xoxo stephHot Pot at Home
For maximum authenticity, get as much variety as you can. Use the scale button to change for number of guests. See post for more ingredient suggestions.
- induction burner
- wide shallow pot
- 1 package hot pot soup mix (see notes for substitution)
- 1 lb meat (at least 2 kinds, thinly sliced ribeye and pork jowl preferred)
- 1 lb seafood (at least 2 kinds, shrimp and salmon preferred)
- 1.5 lb vegetables (oyster mushrooms, broccoli, and cherry tomatoes preferred)
- 1 lb tofu (1/2 firm and 1/2 tofu puffs preferred)
- 8 dumplings (such as gyoza or potstickers)
- 8 fish balls
- 8 meatballs (vietnamese preferred, ikea if needed)
- 1 lb noodles (frozen sanuki udon preferred)
Hot Pot Sauce
- 1/4 cup soy sauce (sweet soy sauce preferred)
- 2 tbsp green onions (thinly sliced)
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 Thai bird’s eye chili (sliced, optional)
Mike's Hot Pot Sauce
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp sriracha
- 2 tbsp shacha (optional)
Arrange all ingredients on separate platters, keeping the meats together, seafood together, and dumplings and meatballs together, so as not to cross contaminate. Or just arrange each ingredient on its own plate.
Combine your soup mix with enough water to fill the pot 1” from the top. Bring your soup to a boil at the table. See notes for soup mix alternatives.
Make the sauces: combine sauce ingredients and let sit for 1 minute in two separate bowls. Taste and adjust as needed. See post for sauce alternatives.
Set place settings, divvy up sauces, and pour drinks. Prepare and set aside a carafe or pitcher of water to refill the soup when it gets low. Enjoy!
If you can’t get your hands on a hot pot soup packet, combine 1 quart chicken stock, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil, 1 tbsp sliced ginger, and 1 tbsp chopped green onions, and enough water to fill up your pot.
You can also use instant dashi powder.
Estimated nutrition doesn’t include sauce or soup.
I Am... Pumpkin Basque Cheesecake
Pumpkin Basque cheesecake forever! I’ve been making this on repeat all season long. Creamy basque cheesecake is my all time favorite dessert. I love the soft ooze of a runny Basque cheesecake. If you haven’t had one before, you must! I implore you, it is the ultimate manifestation of cheesecake: creamy, sweet, and pure cheesecake flavor with none of the distracting graham cracker crust. Come fall, all my cheesecakes take on an autumnal feel thanks to pumpkin. Love it or hate it, pumpkin and pumpkin spice is here to stay and to me, nothing is more fall then the warm and cozy smells of pumpkin mixed together with cinnamon and sugar. If you love pumpkin pie and you love cheesecake, this is the pinnacle of fall desserts. It has the earthy sweetness of pumpkin without being too overwhelming and the tangy decadence of cheesecake.
What is Basque cheesecake?
Basque cheesecake was in San Sebastian in the 70s by a restaurant called La Vina. They did a bunch of experiments and the one cheesecake they kept coming back to was a crustless, burnished cake that was light yet dense and full of cream cheese flavor and a signature brown-black top. The classic San Sebastián basque cheesecake is delicious, but I prefer the Japanese take: slightly oozy and loose in the middle, lightly sweet, with a good amount of cheesiness and just the right amount of dense. Basque cheesecake is the best combination of taste and texture. The edges of the cheesecake are slightly firmer with a lingering tongue coating smoothness that gives way to a supple molten cream center that barely holds together. The contrast is what gets me every time – a soft and cake tender shell surrounding a velvety smoothness that barely holds its shape, like the most decadent slice of triple cream brie. This particular recipe is a riff off my favorite basque cheesecake recipe with roasted, puréed kabocha folded in.How to make pumpkin Basque cheesecake
- Cream. Cream together the cream cheese and sugar. It’s best if your cream cheese is ultra soft. I like to leave it out at room temp for as long as possible before creaming so it blends up completely lump free. If you have a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment and remember to scrape down the sides.
- Mix. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing in completely without adding too much air. If you’re using a stand mixer, add the eggs and beat with the paddle on low.
- Stir. Stir in the pumpkin/kabocha and spices, then slowly pour in the cream and mix until just combined.
- Bake. Pour the batter into a parchment paper lined pan and bake in a super hot oven so the top gets nice and burnt while the inside stays creamy.
Pumpkin Basque cheesecake ingredients
- Cream cheese. My favorite cream cheese is Philly cream cheese, of course. Make sure you temper it at room temp so it it silky smooth and creamy without any lumps
- Sugar. Not too much sugar, just enough so it’s lightly sweet and delicious. I’ve only ever used granulated sugar, but I think brown sugar would add a hint of depth and caramel flavor.
- Eggs. You’ll need 4 large eggs to stabilize and hold the cake together. Make sure you get some nice, high quality eggs.
- Heavy Cream. Heavy cream is what makes this cake SO smooth and rich. You might also know heavy cream as whipping cream. Either will work as long as it has over 36% milk fat.
- Pumpkin. You can use canned puréed pumpkin (I love Libby’s!) but since this is a super simple recipe, I decided to cube and roast kabocha (aka Japanese pumpkin) for an extra bit of a special touch.
- Spices. A simple mix of cinnamon, ground ginger, cloves, and nutmeg adds just the right amount of warm spice.
What is kabocha?
Kabocha is a winter squash that is often referred to as a Japanese pumpkin. They have a deep green, thick skin, and bright orange flesh. Just like pumpkins, they are found in both sweet and savory dishes. They have a distinctively sweeter flavor profile compared to pumpkin and cook up more dry and fluffy making them more intensely flavored. Roasted kabocha is smooth and fluffy, sweet and nutty. They taste like a mix of pumpkin and butternut/honeynut squash and sweet potatoes. They’re amazing!How to cook kabocha for pie
- Prep the kabocha: wash and dry the outside then place on a heavy cutting board and use a large knife to cut in half. Kabocha are notoriously hard, so be careful. Scoop out the seeds then cut into wedges/chunks.
- Wrap the wedges/chunks in foil and place on a baking sheet and roast in a 400°F oven until tender and cooked through, about 30-40 minutes. You should be able to easily pierce the flesh with a fork.
- Remove, let cool, and scoop the flesh from the skin.
- Blend or purée until smooth. If desired, push through a metal sieve then use as directed in your recipe.
Do I need a springform pan for cheesecake?
The best pan is one that has tall sides so your cheesecake can burnish and brown on the top with just the slightest bit of jiggle in the middle. I like to use 6 inch rounds that are at least 3 inches in height. I’ve also baked Basque cheesecake in loaf pans and they come out really nice when you slice it up. The best part about Basque cheesecake is that you don’t need to use a springform pan and you don’t need a finicky water bath. Take advantage of that and use any pan you have. The deeper and smaller the pan, the more likely you will have a jiggly ooze-y cheesecake. The larger and more shallow your pan, the more likely you’ll have a firm cheesecake.How to line a pan for cheesecake
Measure out a piece of parchment paper larger than the cake pan, scrunch it up into a ball, then flatten it out. That will make it easier to line and push the parchment into the edges of the pan. Place the scrunched up and unfolded parchment paper into the pan, shaping, pushing, and pressing the paper into the edges and up the sides. If you’re worried, you can double line the pan.How long to bake Basque cheesecake
This depends on how creamy and jiggly you want the middle of your cheesecake to be. For a runny, creamy, just set center bake for 20 minutes. For just a bit creamy, go for 25 minutes, and for set, 30 minutes. Burnt top: To the the burnished top while still have a runny center, turn on the broiler and keep a close eye on it while it browns. It only takes a couple of seconds.Do I need to chill cheesecake?
You don’t have to chill it until it’s fridge-cold, but it’s best to let it cool completely. The cheesecake will continue to set and bake after you take it out of the oven, so leave it in the pan and let it cool completely before removing and serving. If you like a cold cheesecake you can pop it into the fridge and serve it once it’s completely cold. For a still runny center, after it’s completely cool, remove from the pan and slice without placing in the fridge. Happy pumpkin cheesecake making! xoxo steph PS - if you’re a pumpkin lover, please check out these other pumpkin recipes:Pumpkin Basque Cheesecake
Creamy, sweet, and pure cheesecake with a touch of seasonal pumpkin.
- 16 oz cream cheese (room temp (two 8oz bricks))
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup canned pure pumpkin puree (or puréed kabocha)
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
Heat the oven to 430°F. (If you have convection mode, set the oven to convection.)
Line a 6 inch round 3 inch tall cake pan with parchment paper with an overhang of 2 inches. I like to double line it just to make sure it pops out of the pan easily.
In a stand mixer, or by hand, beat the cream cheese with the sugar until smooth, making sure the sugar is completely incorporated, and the mixture is light, fluffy, and lump free. Be sure to scrape the bowl down.
Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure the batter is smooth and incorporated before adding another egg. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, as needed.
Gently mix in the pumpkin and spices.
Slowly pour in the cream, mixing until just combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 25-30 minutes. The top should be a dark amber and the middle should still wobble and jiggle. If you want the top to be more caramelized, leave it a bit longer, but know that the center will not be as gooey.
Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan on a wire rack at room temp until completely cool.
Remove the cake from the tin and slice at room temperature for a gooey, lava-like cheesecake. If desired, place in the fridge to cool which will result in a soft and creamy cheesecake without the ooze. Enjoy!
I Am... Garlic Lobster Pasta
I made this garlicky lobster pasta for Mike and it was amazing, if I do say so myself. The other day, Mike randomly came home with two cooked lobsters. “Surprise!” he said. We love lobster but hardly ever buy it or eat it at home. I have made lobster before (lobster risotto, creamy lobster pasta, and a steak and lobster sandwich) but it’s just not one of the things that comes to mind when we’re thinking of dinner. I don’t know why because it’s actually easy to cook and is super impressive and delicious. This lobster pasta is essentially an aglio e olio with a secret ingredient. It's loaded with pieces of lobster and finished with crunchy bread crumbs. The lobster is tossed in at the last minute, just to heat it through and get all those garlicky umami flavors on it without overwhelming the sweet flavor of the lobster meat. It comes together super quickly, like most pasta dishes. Grab some cooked lobster tails, and you have a quick, easy, impressive date night dish.
How to make garlic lobster pasta
- Prep the ingredients: toast the breadcrumbs, chop the parsley, shell and chop the lobster into bite size pieces.
- Cook your pasta in salted boiling water, timing it so it cooks one minute less than what the box considers al dente.
- While the pasta is cooking, warm extra virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Add sliced garlic and let it infuse the oil, softening but not browning.
- After the garlic is super aromatic and soft, stir in the crushed red pepper, parsley and oyster sauce, making sure everything is mixed together.
- Use a 1/3 measuring cup and scoop some of the starchy pasta water and add it to the pan with the garlic. Bring it up to a simmer, stirring and emulsifying the sauce.
- When the pasta is ready, use a pair of tongs to transfer it over to the pan with the sauce.
- Add in the lobster and toss everything until it is glossy with sauce, adding extra pasta water if needed.
- Finish with the breadcrumbs and extra parsley and enjoy immediately!
How to plate lobster pasta
Everyone always says you eat with your eyes first and it is true, especially with this pasta. You put in the effort to make it, so make it extra pretty on the plate! Grab two shallow, large-ish bowls (these are commonly called pasta bowls). For extra bonus points, warm them in the oven. When the pasta is ready, use a pair of tongs to divide the pasta, along with chunks for lobster, evenly into the two bowls. Make sure to scoop up any extra bits of sauce or slices of garlic and add them to the tops of the noodles. Reserve some of the pieces of lobster for the top. Finish with fresh parsley and breadcrumbs then enjoy immediately!Ingredients
- Extra virgin olive oil - use the good stuff because you deserve it. First cold press is best and as a rule of thumb, go for a dark or opaque bottle because olive oil doesn’t like being in the light.
- Breadcrumbs - toasted breadcrumbs add crunch and texture. I like grabbing the ends of sourdough and blitzing them in a food processor and cooking the coarse crumbs in olive oil until they’re almost deep fried and completely caramelized and golden.
- Flat leaf parsley - an underrated ingredient! I feel like a lot of people think flat leaf parsley is there just for garnish. But it adds a huge hit of freshness and when you cook it in oil it deepens the flavor. I love this sauce because it has parsley cooked in olive oil and it finishes the pasta for a hit of freshness.
- Spaghetti or other long pasta - I like the simplicity of spaghetti with this dish but of course there is a huge variety of long pastas out there. If you’re going to make your own, this is the perfect recipe to pair with fresh pasta https://weightloss-update.fit/how-to-make-fresh-pasta-the-easy-way-our-almost-no-knead-pasta-recipe/. If you’re buying it, go for a bronze extruded pasta with a rough surface that will help the sauce catch and cling.
- Crushed red pepper flakes - a little (or big, depending on your spice tolerance) of crushed red peppers that will bloom in the oil and impart a bit of warmth and spice.
- Oyster sauce - this is the secret ingredient that adds a huge amount of umami and seafood flavor to the sauce. It’s sweet and thick and full of complexity. More on oyster sauce below.
- Lobster - you can go with whole cooked lobster or cooked lobster tails or even cook your own whole lobster or tails if you’re comfortable with that!
Oyster Sauce
Oyster sauce can be found in the Asian aisle of any grocery store or online. If you see the Lee Kum Kee bottle with the two people in boats, go for that one. It’s the premium oyster sauce which lists oysters as its first ingredient. It doesn’t taste super seafood-y but it definitely adds an extra oomph to this sauce that you won’t be able to put your finger on.Where can you buy lobster?
Mike got these PEI lobsters from a local vendor who cooked them after he picked them out of the case. Most places that sell live seafood can and will cook your lobster for you - if you’re ever on the East coast, all the grocery stores do it for a small fee. If you’re somewhere like Whole Foods they often sell already cooked lobster tails just waiting in the case for you to purchase. If they have fresh lobster tails, it’s just a quick poach in simmering water for 6-8 minutes. The tails will turn bright red and curl up when they’re cooked.How to easily remove lobster meat
The easiest way to remove lobster tail meat is to think of it like a large shrimp or prawn. Use a pair of scissors to cut through the the bottom then pull the shell off and release the tail meat. If you happened to get a whole lobster, you can remove the meat from the claws and the knuckles as well. Youtube is your friend - there are so many videos on how to break down a whole lobster. Pro tip: don’t throw away the shells. Keep them and make a lobster stock and use it as the base stock for any soup you want to add a deep seafood flavor too. Just cover the shells with water and simmer, covered, on low for 2 hours or place in a crock pot, cover with water and a lid and turn the pot onto high.What to serve with lobster pasta
- start with a charcuterie board for 2
- serve kale salad alongside
- and finish with a creamy, gooey Basque cheesecake for the ultimate date night!
Garlic Lobster Pasta
The best aglio e olio base lobster pasta loaded with pieces of lobster and finished with crunchy bread crumbs and a secret ingredient.
- 4 tbsp olive oil (divided)
- 1/4 cup bread crumbs (coarse, see note)
- 2 tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley (chopped)
- 6 ounces spaghetti
- 1 head garlic (sliced)
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1.5 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 lobster (cooked, shelled and roughly chopped, about 1-1.5lbs)
Add 1 tbsp olive oil to a pan and toast the breadcrumbs until golden and crunchy. Remove from the heat and stir in a pinch of parsley. Set aside.
In a pot of salted water, cook the spaghetti one minute shy of al dente.
While the pasta is cooking, heat up the remaining oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant and slightly soft, but not brown, 20 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in the red pepper flakes, flat leaf parsley, and oyster sauce. Add 1/3 cup pasta water to the pan and bring to a simmer to emulsify into a sauce, stirring occasionally.
When the pasta is ready, use a pair of tongs to move the cooked pasta over to the pan with the sauce. Leave the heat on medium, add the lobster and toss to combine, until the sauce is glossy and clings to the noodles. Add extra pasta water if the pasta gets too dry.
Finish with toasted bread crumbs and enjoy!
Note: I like to blitz up old sourdough bread in the food processor for fresh, coarse crumbs.
I Am... Miso Tuna Salad
Tuna salad is a vibe. Those who love it love it and those who hate it just haven’t tasted the right tuna salad. I love it and I pretty much always have. Give me a tuna melt and I’m in HEAVEN. This miso tuna salad has been my go to forever because: miso! Miso makes everything better, it adds depth, umami and healthy probiotics.
The best tuna salad
This tuna salad is a simple mix because it’s one of my go-tos when I’m hungry but don’t have any groceries. It’s a little umami bomb and absolutely the perfect moreish no-carb snack. To a can of drained tuna, I stirred in a little bit of kewpie mayo, white miso instead of salt, celery for crunch, and green onions for bite. Crisp seaweed snacks are the best for scooping it up! It’s also amazing on super soft Japanese fluffy bread, toasted sourdough, or sourdough crackers.How to make miso tuna salad
- Super simple: mix together the miso and Kewpie until smooth and then add tuna, diced celery, and sliced green onions. Season with freshly cracked black pepper and enjoy!
Miso tuna salad ingredients
- miso - a traditional Japanese seasoning that is pretty much found everywhere now, miso adds depth and salty umami to this tuna salad. It adds a rich savoriness and as a bonus you don’t need to season with salt.
- kewpie mayo - this is a no brainer, kewpie mayo is so delicious, more on that below!
- tuna - you can use any tuna you like, we’re going to drain it so it doesn’t matter too much. I usually go with a chunk tuna as opposed to flaked. I like tuna packed in water, usually light tuna because it’s supposed to have less mercury. If you want your tuna a bit more rich, you can always add more kewpie but you can’t control the flavor of oil packed tuna.
- celery - tuna salad isn’t tuna salad without celery to add crunch.
- green onions - sliced them up and add them for freshness and a bit of oniony bite
- pepper - freshly cracked of course!
White or red miso
For tuna salad I like to reach for a white miso, which is mellow and sweet. It’s called shiro miso or sweet miso and you can find it near the tofu at places like Whole Foods or at Asian grocery stores.Which mayo to use
Kewpie mayo, forever and always! If you’re not a mayo fan, you have to try Kewpie mayo: the ubiquitous clear, red-topped squeeze bottle of mayo found in practically every Japanese household. It’s tangy from rice vinegar, slightly sweet, and extra creamy. It is absolutely delicious and will take this salad to the next level! Read more about kewpie here.What else can I make with kewpie mayo?
You can use kewpie mayo anywhere you would use regular, but here are some recipes to get you started:- Mayo ramen – for an extra rich luxe restaurant style ramen
- Ebi chili mayo – Deep fried tempura prawns with sweet and spicy Kewpie
- Japanese Egg Sando (or this one) – Japanese egg salads aren’t Japanese unless you use Kewpie. This is gonna be the best egg salad you’ll ever taste
- Japanese potato salad – It just hits different. It’s the Kewpie!
- Takoyaki – the classic takoyaki topped with Kewpie
- Deviled eggs – eggs get an upgrade with Kewpie mayonnaise
- Sushi bake – because it’s the creamiest, warmest, most satisfying casserole
Miso Tuna Salad
Miso makes everything better, it adds depth, umami and healthy probiotics.
- 1 tbsp white miso
- 2 tbsp kewpie mayo
- 1 can tuna (drained)
- 2 tbsp celery (diced)
- 2 tbsp green onions (sliced)
- freshly ground pepper (to taste)
Mix together the miso and kewpie until smooth. Add the drained tuna, celery and green onions.
Mix throughly and season to taste. Enjoy on its own or on top of crackers, toast, or seaweed.
Adjust the miso content to taste, miso pastes vary greatly in terms of saltiness. Also, feel free to add more kewpie mayo if needed.
I Am... Pumpkin Butter
There’s nothing quite like a fresh cup of coffee and a thick slice of toast slathered with pumpkin butter on a crispy, sunny, fall day. It’s pumpkin season! The coziest, most snuggly -dare I say- tastiest time of the year? It makes me smile just thinking about sinking my teeth into a plush piece of crisp and soft toast with pumpkin-spiced butter melting into all the little nooks and crannies.
What is pumpkin butter?
Pumpkin butter is a spread made with pumpkin, pumpkin spices, sugar, and of course, butter. It’s sweet, rich, and absolutely delicious. Think how life would be if you could take pumpkin pie and just spread it on toast. It’s kind of like that but a bit lighter, less dense, and more spreadable.Is there butter in pumpkin butter?
Yes! There is butter in this version of pumpkin butter because without butter is it even technically pumpkin butter? That being said, there are versions out there that don’t have butter in them (I’m looking at you Trader Joe’s, more on that below). I suspect that they didn’t put butter in theirs so they could have a shelf-stable, more jam-like product. Without butter, it’s more of a fruit spread. Both are delicious, but pumpkin butter with actual butter in it is amazing on warm baked goods or toast. The butter melts down into all the nooks and crannies and infuses spiced pumpkin flavor into whatever you spread it on.Pumpkin butter ingredients
All you need is pumpkin, pumpkin spice, vanilla, and butter:- puréed pumpkin - get the small 15-ounce can of pure pumpkin. I love Libby’s, which is straight-up pure pumpkin - Dickinson squash pumpkin to be exact.
- pumpkin spice - if you have pumpkin spice in your pantry, perfect! If you don’t, it’s super easy to whip some up. Pumpkin spice is going to add warmth and spiciness to our butter.
- vanilla - just a touch of vanilla is going to bring out the warmth of all the spices and add that baked goods feel.
- butter - it just isn’t pumpkin butter without butter! Use a high-quality butter that you love the taste of. It’s up to you if you use salted or unsalted, but I feel like salted helps emphasize the other flavors. Make sure your butter is at room temp so it’s easy to mix and incorporate with the brown sugar.
- brown sugar - brown sugar is going to give us a caramel sweetness that you don’t get with granulated sugar. But, if you only have granulated sugar at home, that will work too!
How to make pumpkin butter
- Reduce - add pumpkin, pumpkin spice, and a bit of vanilla to a pot or pan. Turn the heat up to medium and stir and cook the pumpkin until it reduces into a thick, and smooth paste. The key is to cook all of the water content out of the pumpkin so you’re left with pure pumpkin flavor. I like to use non-stick and I prefer using a pan because the increased surface area makes it easier to reduce the pumpkin. But using a larger pan means more splattering as the pumpkin is cooking down. The pumpkin will bubble and splatter, so keep that in mind!
- Cool - once the pumpkin is smooth and thick, spread the spiced pumpkin on a plate to help it cool down.
- Whip - Once the pumpkin is completely cool, whip together the brown sugar and butter. You don’t need to make sure it’s creamed, if you see granules of brown sugar in the butter, that’s perfect! Once the butter and sugar are one, mix in the cooled, spiced pumpkin and mix thoroughly.
- Enjoy - Once it’s ready, you can spread it on anything and everything! If you don’t use all of it right away, just spoon it into an airtight jar or container and keep it in the fridge for up to two weeks. Before you use it, you can whip it up to make it super smooth, or you can use it cold from the fridge. For me, there’s something about cold butter on hot toast or hot pancakes. I live for that contrast!
How to use
Spread a thick layer on fresh bread, toast, bagels, french toast, waffles, pancakes, slices of loaf cakes, buns, basically anything you would use butter on. For extra deliciousness, finish with a shower of cinnamon spice.Homemade pumpkin spice mix
It’s super simple to make homemade pumpkin spice mix and if you do it yourself, you won’t have a whole bottle sitting in your pantry just waiting for fall. For 1 tablespoon of pumpkin spice, mix up: 2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground cloves, and 1/4 tsp allspice.Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Butter
Trader Joe’s is dairy-free and doesn’t have butter in it at all. Instead, it’s kind of a pumpkin spread that’s a tiny bit thick, seasoned with pumpkin spice and sweetened with sugar and honey. Think of it like pumpkin jam. If you’re dairy-free, you can make the butter recipe below by adding the sugar to the pumpkin when you’re cooking it and skipping out on mixing in the butter. Personally, I prefer it when it actually has butter in it because it adds that decadence and luxuriousness that is absolutely necessary for a spread.If you love pumpkin and pumpkin spice, please check out these other recipes
- homemade pumpkin cream cold foam
- the plushiest, softest, pumpkin loaf
- irresistible pumpkin cheesecake bars
- mini, fluffy pumpkin chocolate chip pancakes
- super moist and delicious pumpkin cupcakes with brown butter frosting
Pumpkin Butter
Sink into a plush piece of toast with pumpkin-spiced butter melting into all the little nooks and crannies.
- 15 oz puréed pumpkin (~1 can)
- 1 tbsp pumpkin spice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup butter (room temperature (2 sticks))
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (light preferred)
Add the pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice and vanilla to a non-stick pan and cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat for 15-20 minutes, or until smooth, thick, and reduced. The pumpkin will spatter and bubble as the water cooks out, so be sure to stir and keep an eye on it.
When reduced, remove from the heat, and spread the pumpkin out onto a plate to cool.
When the pumpkin is completely cool, cream together the butter and brown sugar in a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer until combined. Add the cooled pumpkin puree and mix until completely incorporated.
Enjoy immediately or spoon into a jar or air-tight container and keep in the fridge to use on anything and everything. The pumpkin butter will keep well in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
I Am... Mummy Dogs
Mummy dogs are not only cute and spoopy, they’re also super delicious. I’m obsessed with Halloween food. Give me all the themed parties with foods dressed up as other things. Halloween is one of the best – if not the BEST – holidays for dressing up food. Think: chewy chocolate cookies with googly eyeballs, sushi that looks like Totoro, and of course, mummy dogs! Imagine juicy hot dogs wrapped up with strips of buttery pastry and baked to golden brown perfection. Serve them up with mustard or sweet-n-spicy ketchup for the perfect handheld snack on your Halloween table.
What are mummy dogs?
A classic favorite for Halloween parties, mummy dogs are a take on pigs-in-a-blanket, but with a fun twist. Instead of making a blanket of pastry dough it’s cut it into strips. The strips wrap around hot dogs and bake up to look like a bandaged wrapped mummy. When you add on eyes, they’re unbearably cute.How to make mummy dogs
- Cut pastry into strips. You want about 1/4 inch strips of either puff pastry or crescent dough. If you’re feeling especially industrious, you can even make your own pie crust or rough puff pastry.
- Wrap the strips of pastry around the hot dogs, leaving a space for eyeballs about 1 inch down from the top of your mummy.
- Place the wrapped hot dogs on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake in a 375°F oven until golden brown.
- Remove, put on some eyeballs, and enjoy!
Mummy dog ingredients
This is the best part: you only need 2 ingredients: pastry and hot dogs. If you’re going to use candy eyes, you’ll need those as well.What kind of hot dogs?
Your favorite hot dog brand will work best. Classic all beef, pork, chicken, or turkey dogs work. You can even go with mini smokies for mini mummies.What kind of pastry for mummy dogs?
- Crescent dough - the classic mummy dog. You can either buy crescent rolls or crescent roll sheets. If you can find crescent dough sheets, they work well because you don’t have to roll out the dough or pinch together the triangle seams.
- Puff pastry - puff pastry is delicious and will give you a slightly puffier mummy with a flaky shattering bite.
- Pizza dough - pizza dough tends to bake up thick and is more filling. You can use your favorite pizza dough recipe or buy store bought dough.
- Pie crust - strips of pie crust are perfect for mummy dog pies.
How to make the eyes
I like using candy eyeballs because they’re so cute. Plus they’re so small that they don’t really effect the taste. You can also pick them off if you’re adverse to eating them. If you don’t want to buy candy eyes, you can also just dot on mustard. Or, use a small cookie cutter to cut out eyeball whites out of a slice of mozzarella cheese and use seaweed for irises.How to serve
These little guys taste great warm out of the oven or at room temp. Place them on a platter with small dipping bowls of ketchup and mustard. Mummy dogs are also perfect on Halloween platters.Variations
Cheesy mummy dogs Cut slices of cheese the same size as your hot dogs. Place the cheese under the hotdog and wrap with the crescent dough. Bake as per the recipe. Everything bagel spice mummy dogs Make the recipe as per below adding a sprinkle of everything bagel spice.Make ahead
You can bake these ahead of time and serve them at room temp. You can also wrap them, freeze them, then bake from frozen.How to reheat mummy dogs
If you’re going to reheat the mummy dogs, make sure you don’t attach the eyes until after reheating. To reheat, bake for 3-8 minutes in a 375°F oven or until heated through. Happy mummying! xoxo stephMummy Dogs
Mummy dogs are not only cute and spooky, they’re also super delicious.
- 8 oz crescent rolls (1 can)
- 8 hot dogs
- 16 candy eyes
Heat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Open the crescent roll dough and use a rolling pin to lightly roll it together so it forms one sheet. Pinch together the perforated parts, if needed.
Cut the dough into 1/4 inch strips.
Wrap the strips around the hot dogs irregularly, leaving gaps so they look more like bandages. Leave some space an inch from the top of the hot dog for the eyeballs.
Place the wrapped mummy dogs on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove from the oven and use a dot of mustard or ketchup to adhere the eyeballs. Enjoy dipped in mustard or ketchup.
If you can find crescent dough sheets, you can use those too, they’re easy to cut into strips.
PS - If you love Totoro and cute food, please check out all our Totoro themed foods! Throw an October Totoro movie night complete with snacks :)
I Am... Best Kitchen Buys for Prime Day
Prime Day is coming! It’s time to finally buy all the things you’ve been saving in your cart. Prime day is the best time to stock up on basic kitchen deals and treat yourself to kitchen steals. Why not do a little early holiday shopping and treat yourself! Here are some of the best things to get for your kitchen on Prime Day. If you, like me, thought there was only one Amazon Prime Day, you’ll be happy to know that there’s an October even called Prime Big Deal Days! Everyone just calls it Prime day though. It’s a two-day event and this year it’s October 8th and 9th. There will be both early kitchen deals and lightning sales, so get your keyboards and fingers ready. Prime Day deals sometimes sell out, so if you have your heart set on something, don’t hesitate. Pro tip, do a little (or a lot) of shopping before Prime Day comes along. If you really want something, put it in your cart and when the 8th hits, buy it right away without waiting. There are a couple of Prime Day deals happening right now, that you can buy, here are some deeply discounted, highly rated items.
Best Prime Day deals for home and kitchen stuff
KitchenAid Stand Mixer
The classic, classy 4.5 quart KitchenAid stand mixer is on a massive sale right now. It’s the #1 best selling in stand mixers on Amazon for a reason: it’s incredibly strong, versatile, and long lasting. It’s 18% off for its early Prime Day deal and who knows, maybe it’ll be even more on sale in October? One can hope. If you’ve had your eye on a stand mixer, definitely take advantage!Vitamix Blenders
The gold standard in blenders is Vitamix. We love and use ours every 2 days or so and we’re not even smoothie drinkers. There are so many things blenders can do in the kitchen to make your life easier, from blending sauces to making soups. Vitamix currently has some featured early Prime Day deals, and if I were to choose a new Vitamix, the 64 oz low-profile A2500 would be on my wishlist. It’s 30% right now and like all Vitamix blenders, is highly rated and built to last. Check here for other Vitamix featured deals.Instant Read Thermometer
Every home cook and kitchen NEEDS and instant read thermometer and this ThermaPro is 40% off. We’ve used this exact model recently while at a friend’s house and were impressed buy the speed and accuracy. We did a side by side with a Thermapen because we’re nerdy like that. At under $15 we’re definitely grabbing one to add to our camp/travel kitchen.Staub Cast Iron Braiser
I LOVE braisers. If you’re going to have only one cast-iron pan/pot/casserole in your kitchen, it should be this one. The high sides are perfect for searing, it’s deep enough to deep-fry in, you can use it on the stove top and in the oven, and it’s beautiful enough to bring right to the table. The glass lid is just the chef’s kiss on top, allowing you to peek at what you’re cooking without opening the lid. We have this exact braiser and I reach for it all the time. I prefer the insides of Staubs compared to Le Creuset because the insides are a smooth black enamel that doesn’t stain and is easy to clean. It’s 33% off right now, run, don’t walk. Bonus: grab this multifunctional spatula spoon that’s on sale too. It’s a high heat BPA-free matte silicone, has a large scoop and flat scraping side, and an acacia wood handle.COSORI Air Fryer
We love our air fryer so much that sometimes we joke about getting a fleet of air fryers that we’d keep out the countertop so we could air fry all the things at the same time. We updated to a COSORI air fryer recently and are seriously impressed with how air fryer technology has improved. Our current guy is this one which we are in love with, but it’s not on a Prime Deal right now. So, if you’re looking for a deal and want to try COSORI, this one is 33% off and looks like the perfect size for a couple. If you need bigger air fryer, this COSORI is bigger and is an early Prime Day sale.Nespresso
Addicted to iced coffee? Hot coffee? Any coffee!? Yup, me too. The Nespresso Vertuo POP is 23% off right now and it makes iced coffees and espressos so you can unleash your inner barista. The POP is cute and compact and will add a splash of color to your kitchen and caffeine to your life.CAROTE Non-Stick Pots and Pans Set
Full disclosure, I haven’t tried these pans, but I’m always looking at the covetously because I love how sleek and aesthetic they are. This set is 50% as an early Prime Day deal so maybe now is the time I convince Mike to get a set? They’re highly rated, non-stick, stackable, and have removable handles for ease of storage. They look like a great starter set for the kitchen or amazing for anyone who’s looking to update their non-stick cookware.KitchenAid Oven Mitts
I find one of the many things people overlook in their kitchen are oven mitts. We’re guilty of it too - our oven mitts are old. These soft silicone mitts are 47% off, wipe clean, and are rated up to 500 degrees F. Plus they come with both mittens. Did you know that sometimes you only get one?! Treat yourself to some new oven mitts. You and your hands deserve it.Knives and Knife Blocks
Knives are very personal so I hesitate to suggest Prime Day deals for them, but the beautiful thing about Amazon is that they do offer returns. I feel like knifes are the kind of purchase that needs to be done in person to feel the heft and handling, but if based on looks and reviews alone, these two knives look interesting to me: this 8 inch Damascus Kitori chef’s knife: 40% off and this 7 inch Damascus nakiri: 50% off. As for knife stands, we have a double-sided magnetic wooden block, much like this one that is 27% and we love it.The best prime day buy: Cutting Boards
Most people don’t change their cutting boards nearly enough, especially if they’re using plastic ones. Take advantage of Prime Day and grab one (or more). Truly, it’s one of the kitchen’s small luxuries to have multiple cutting boards without having to constantly be washing them. BPA free, highly rated, dishwasher safe and cute to boost, this set of three is 17% off for Prime Members. The best buy though if you’re looking for a commercial grade style cutting board, are these awesome guys. They’re up to 59% off, textured, BPA free, come in multiple large sizes, and are color coded, just like in professional kitchens (and ours too).Peelers
Have you ever used a vegetable peeler that just isn’t sharp anymore? Is it the vegetable peeler that’s in your kitchen drawer right now? The joy of peeling through vegetable skins with ease is 37% off for Prime Day. They come with carbon steel blades and are the superior Y-shape of peelers.Kitchen Towels
If there’s one thing I absolutely loathe, it’s a lack of fresh, clean kitchen towels. They’re the workhorse of the kitchen and having a huge, clean stack is a life saver. Really, any 100% cotton dish towels will do, but this set of 6 is 36% off and is highly rated, so they will do nicely. Truly the best savings are on items that you would regularly purchase anyway, but now as a bonus, they’re on sale! That’s it for now! I’ll be updating this page as I discover more deals, so hop on back before prime day! xoxo steph we may earn a smol commission from these links Read More →
I Am... Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
Tasty, quick, juicy air fryer chicken thighs are here to save you from hunger. These air fryer chicken thighs are juicy, quick, and best of all, delicious. When you want food and you want it fast, air fryer chicken thighs are just the thing. These guys are seasoned with one of the best chicken flavors out there - lemon pepper chicken. It makes a great base chicken for any sauces or side pairings you might like, and it's so good all on its own too.
Why is the air fryer better for chicken thighs?
- If you like super juicy baked or roasted chicken, air fryer chicken tastes just as juicy and tender, maybe even more so
- Air frying chicken thighs is faster than roasting/baking
- It’s also more energy efficient because you don’t need to preheat or turn on your oven
How long to cook chicken thighs in the air fryer?
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs: Air fry at 360°F for 12-15 mins, flipping halfway.
- Bone in skin on chicken thighs: Air fry at 360°F for 18 mins, flipping halfway, then add an extra 5 minutes at 400°F to crisp up the skin.
- Frozen chicken thighs: Air fry from frozen at 360°F for 25 mins, flipping halfway, then add an extra 5 minutes at 400°F to crisp up the skin.
Bone in skin on vs. boneless skinless
You can go with either: extra juicy or extra easy, the choice is yours! This recipe defaults to boneless skinless chicken thighs because they are my go-to: they cook quickly and are never dry because the cooking time is so short. Plus, when I’m eating, I can just shove them in my mouth without thinking or use them shredded in tacos or on salads. Bone in skin on chicken thighs are delicious as well though – I use them in a huge amount of recipes and you can easily use them here too. The skin crisps up beautifully and also self-bastes the meat underneath, which makes it tastier. They're not a second class citizen at all. [caption id="attachment_34498" align="alignnone" width="1450"] left: boneless, right: skin on[/caption]How to air fry chicken thighs
I switch between making bone-in skin on chicken thighs and boneless skinless thighs in the air fryer. I like both, so which chicken thigh you choose is up to you.- Pat dry. Use a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to dry the skin of your chicken. You want a dry surface so that it can crisp up - this is especially important if you’re making bone in, skin on chicken thighs. Moisture is the enemy of crispiness.
- Season. Place the thighs in a bowl and season with a lemon juice, spices and a touch of oil. The oil helps conduct heat which makes the skin crispy and the lemon juice and seasoning adds flavor.
- Air fry. Place the chicken in the air fryer in a single layer and air fry, flipping halfway through, until the internal temp reaches 165°F. (See below for times)
The secret to juicy air fryer chicken thighs
The secret to juicy air fryer chicken thighs is…there is no secret! It always comes out juicy!Do I need to preheat the air fryer for chicken thighs?
Unlike using a regular oven, you don’t need to preheat the air fryer, which means dinner gets on the table faster. If you wanted to get that last little bit of speed or juiciness, or if your air fryer takes a little longer than you’d like to come to temp, you can preheat the air fryer before starting any of the other steps, and it’ll be hot enough by the time you have the chicken ready to go.Do you need to flip the chicken in the air fryer?
Technically you don’t need to because the air in an air fryer circulates around, but for even crispiness and presentation, especially for bone-in skin-in, I recommend it. Start cooking the chicken skin side down then flip it to finish skin side up so the skin looks pretty and crisp.What can I serve with air fried chicken thighs?
Since you have the air fryer out, why not pair the chicken thighs with:- Air fryer asparagus
- Air fryer brussels sprouts
- Air fryer roasted broccoli
- Air fryer parmesan wedge fries
How do I reheat chicken thighs in the air fryer?
To reheat already cooked chicken thighs in the air fryer, let the thighs heat up at 350°F for 2-3 minutes.What’s the best air fryer?
Our air fryer is discontinued ? but we love it so much. The Philips XL (ok actually the XXL) is what we’d get if ours ever broke though.Can I make these in the oven?
Yes!- Boneless skinless chicken thighs: Bake at 425°F for 18-20 minutes.
- Bone in skin on chicken thighs: Bake at 425°F for 25-30 minutes if properly tempered.
- Bone in skin on chicken thighs: Bake at 425°F for 35-40 minutes if they’re coming right out of the fridge.
Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
Tasty, quick, juicy air fryer chicken thighs are here to save you from hunger!
- air fryer
- 1/2 lemon
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika (smoked paprika preferred)
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper (or 1/2 tsp as desired)
- 1.5 lbs bone in skin on chicken thighs (or 1lb boneless skinless, see notes)
Optional paprika oil for extra shine
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp paprika (smoked paprika preferred)
Slice half of the lemon and set aside, then juice the other half. Mix in 1 tbsp olive oil into the lemon juice and stir in the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and pepper.
Lightly pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper. Toss the chicken in the lemon-pepper sauce.
Cook at 360°F for 12-15 mins or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the juices run clear. Halfway through, flip the chicken and add lemon slices. Remove from the air fryer immediately when done.
See notes for bone-in skin-on or frozen cooking times.
Optional: make some paprika oil to drizzle/brush on after the thighs are done: heat up 1 tsp paprika with 2 tbsp oil in a small pan over low heat, until it starts to bubble. Remove from the heat and brush onto the cooked thighs.
For bone-in skin-on: Cook at 360°F for 18 mins, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the juices run clear. Halfway through, flip the chicken and add lemon slices. Remove from the air fryer immediately when done. Optionally, add an extra 5 minutes at 400°F for crisp skin (for a total cooking time of 23 mins).
For frozen chicken thighs, cook at 360°F for 25 mins, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the juices run clear. Halfway through, flip the chicken and add lemon slices. Remove from the air fryer immediately when done. Optionally, add an extra 5 minutes at 400°F for crisp skin (for a total cooking time of 30 mins).
I Am... Bulgogi: Super Savory Korean Grilled Meat
Bulgogi is the easiest, most flavorful dinner main you'll make this week, and you won't believe how quick it comes together. It's tender sliced meat marinated in a subtle sweet and spicy sauce, chargrilled to perfection. Bulgogi is one of the greatest things ever and a perfect introduction to Korean food. Bulgogi is one of the easiest Korean dishes to make at home. Whether or not you have an authentic Korean BBQ grill or just a non-stick skillet on your stove, it’s an addictive savory melt in your mouth weeknight-compatible dinner.
What is bulgogi?
Bulgogi is a classic Korean BBQ meat item. It’s typically a thinly sliced cut of beef that’s been marinated in a pear-soy-onion mix. The meat is then quickly charred on a Korean BBQ plate over an open flame. At home, people crisp it up in a pan on the stove. It’s served up with rice, lettuce, and little kimchi-forward appetizers and pickles.Spicy bulgogi
To make spicy bulgogi, just stir in a bit of gochujang (Korean red pepper paste). I would start with 1 heaping teaspoon, taste, and go from there based on your spice tolerance. Do this before adding the marinade to the meat, of course.The best cuts for bulgogi beef
The best cuts of beef for bulgogi are sirloin, rib eye or brisket. It’s the thin slicing that’s the real secret to great Bulgogi. You can find perfect presliced meat at H-Mart or most other asian grocery stores. If your supermarket has a good meat department, you can usually ask them for thin slices. As a last resort, you can buy a hunk of beef, quickly chill it to almost frozen, and slice as thin as you can.Do you need a grill?
Bulgogi tastes best flame grilled over butane gas or charcoal (bulgogi means fire-meat in Korean) - although most people don't do charcoal at home since it will be very smoky and possibly dangerous if you have poor ventilation. The best bet is a nonstick or cast iron skillet over high heat.How to make bulgogi
- Roughly chop an onion, core and chop an Asian pear (you want about 1 cup of rough dice), and peel your garlic.
- Blend all the marinade ingredients until smooth.
- Marinate your meatfor 2 hours or up to overnight.
- Grill or fry your meat.
- Eat with lettuce, rice, and lots of banchan!
Bulgogi sauce ingredients
Asian pear
Asian pears, sometimes called apple pears, are light golden yellow, round, and firm with a crisp crunch (crispier than ordinary pears), lots of juice and more sweetness. If you can’t find an Asian pear, you can sub a regular pear (like Bosc) or sweet apple (like Fuji).Soy sauce
Believe it or not, soy sauces are different for each Asian country. Go for a Korean soy sauce such as Sempio if you can. If you can’t, a Japanese soy sauce is next best, such as Kikkoman.Toasted sesame oil
Toasted sesame oil is dark, nutty, and can’t be used for frying unlike it's clear sibling. You can find it in the Asian aisles, at an Asian grocery store, or online. Our favorite brand is Kadoya.Rice vinegar
Rice vinegar is a little nuttier and a lot sweeter than most other vinegars. Many rice vinegars you find will be seasoned sushi rice vinegar, with sugar, salt, and possibly other items in its ingredients list. This isn’t exactly what you want but can still be used. Actual rice vinegar only has one ingredient. Any other vinegar you love will work too.Ginger
If you hate mincing ginger, we use a Japanese ginger grater. They are very effective and pretty cheap – if you live near a Daiso, you can even get them for $1.Bulgogi Recipe
Super Savory Korean Grilled Meat
- blender
- 1/2 medium onion (roughly chopped, about 1 cup)
- 1/2 pear (cored and quartered, Asian pear preferred, about 1/2 cup)
- 4 cloves garlic (peeled)
- 1 tsp ginger (minced)
- 2 tbsp water
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 lbs ribeye (thinly sliced, or other meats, see notes)
- 1 tbsp gochujang (or to taste, optional)
Blend the onion, pear, garlic, ginger, and water.
Mix the onion-pear mix with soy sauce, brown sugar, toasted sesame oil, vinegar, and black pepper. Add gochujang, if using.
Mix the marinade throughly with the meat and marinate for 2 hours to overnight.
Cook the meat on a hot plate/grill, cast iron pan, or nonstick skillet, flipping as needed.
Other good choices for meats are brisket, sirloin, or any other thinly sliced meats you can find at an Asian grocery store. You can also use thinly sliced pork belly, collar, jowl, or thickly sliced chicken breast, or cubed chicken thighs.
You can julienne the rest of the pear as a garnish.
I Am... Better Than Takeout Sesame Noodles
Sesame noodles are a thing. Sesame noodles are many people’s ride or die. What’s your go to order when you’re getting Chinese take out? Mine is beef chow fun (OMG I love the heck out of that stuff) and Mike goes between black bean beef chow mein and yang chow fried rice. What we never ever order is sesame noodles. Don’t get me wrong, I love sesame noodles. But I just never order them because, why? They’re incredibly easy to make at home - it’s literally faster than ordering takeout.
The easiest noodles to make at home
Once you make your first bowl of homemade sesame noodles, I guarantee you won’t be ordering them anymore. Slurpable strands of chewy noodles tossed in a creamy, nutty, savory, sweet sauce. SO GOOD. Plus, these are pretty much pantry noodles so you can make them any time, any where.Sesame noodles: not so spicy
These aren’t the spicy kind of noodles by the way. If you’re looking for those, you’re probably wanting to make cheater’s dan dan noodles. These are a sweet and savory nutty noodle that everyone will love. There’s creamy richness from the sesame paste, umami from the soy sauce, tang from the rice vinegar, a bit of bite from the raw garlic, and sweetness thanks to a bit of sugar.What noodles are these?
You can use any noodle you like or have on hand, but if you would like the ones in the picture, they are called Chinese knife sliced or knife cut noodles and you can get them at your local asian supermarket or online.Happiness is a bowl of (sesame) noodles
These couldn’t be simpler to make. I like mixing up the sauce right in the bowl I’m going to eat it in, that way I have only one bowl to wash. Make it a big one so you have lots of room to toss your noodles, then slurp away. Happiness is a bowl full of noodles, am I right?Better Than Takeout Sesame Noodles
Creamy sesame noodles, made faster than it takes to order in!
- 2 tbsp Chinese sesame paste
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- 4 ounces dried noodles of choice
- toasted sesame seeds (to finish)
- chili flakes (to finish)
In a large bowl, mix together the sesame paste, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, and garlic.
Cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Save 1/4 cup of the cooking water, then drain well.
Toss the noodles with the sauce, loosening with hot noodle water if too thick.
Enjoy topped with toasted sesame seeds and chili flakes if desired.
I Am... Zha Jiang Mian Recipe
If I had to choose a noodle that I could name as my number one top comfort food and eat forever and ever it would be zha jiang mian aka "fried sauce noodles." It’s an absolute breeze to make the sauce and it keeps well in the fridge which means bowls of salty, sweet, and savory noodles are ready in a flash.
What is zha jiang mian?
Translated, zha jiang mian means “fried sauce noodles” in Mandarin and essentially that’s what it is: a bunch of sauces fried up together and served tossed with noodles. It’s originally from Beijing and made with two types of fermented bean paste: ganhuang jiang (fermented yellow soy bean paste) and tianmian jiang (sweet fermented flour and bean paste). These two pastes combine together into an AMAZING salty, sweet, punchy, complex sauce. The meat sauce is kind of reminiscent of a Chinese Bolognese except it only takes 15 minutes to make. For this version we’re going for quick and easy. This zha jiang mian is crazy delicious even when it’s simplified by using easy to find Chinese ingredients – the kind you can find at Target. Make a double batch and keep it in the fridge: you can add as much or as little sauce as you like to your noodles. If you love noodles and meaty sauce, you’ll love this. It’s full of umami, sweet and salty flavors, and it tastes like comfort in a bowl. The deep punch of flavors is offset but crunchy, juicy cucumbers and the contrast between the freshness of the cucumbers, the savoriness of the sauce, and the chewiness of the noodles will make you want to eat more and more.Zha jiang mian ingredients
- shallots and garlic - shallots and garlic together are the ultimate aromatics. Shallots are sweeter and more pungent yet mellow compared to onions and garlic, well, everyone knows how amazing garlic is. Simmered in hot oil until soft, the aromas of shallots and garlic let you know something good is on the way.
- ground pork - ground pork is my favorite meat for zha jiang mian because of it’s sweet porky flavor and fat content. It’s more tender than using ground beef and has more flavor than ground chicken or turkey. You can use any minced meat you like, but pork is the classic.
- hoisin sauce - hoisin sauce is a Classic Chinese sauce that adds so much flavor. Hoisin is pretty much sold everywhere now, from Target to your basic grocery store, and of course, online. It’s a thick, sweet brown sauce that’s used in marinades and as a dipping sauce. It’s super flavorful: sweet, savory, and slightly tangy.
- oyster sauce - this is the secret ingredient that adds a huge amount of umami and seafood flavor to the sauce. more on this below
- dark soy sauce - not just your regular soy sauce, more on this below
- sugar - a little bit of sugar adds some sweetness making this dish one that both kids and adults love
- noodles - you’ll find zha jiang mian served with wheat noodles in Beijing, but you can serve them with any noodle you like. If you want to go the traditional noodle, look for a white wheat noodle in the fridge section at your local asian grocery store.
- cucumbers - julienned cucumbers add crunch and freshness that contrasts with the meaty sauce, highlighting the sauces savoriness.
Oyster sauce
Oyster sauce is sweet and thick and full of complexity. It can be found in the Asian aisle of any grocery store or online. If you see the Lee Kum Kee bottle with the two people in boats, go for that one. It’s the premium oyster sauce which lists oysters as its first ingredient. Oyster sauce doesn’t taste super seafood-y but it definitely adds an extra oomph to this sauce that you won’t be able to put your finger on.Dark soy sauce
This is a thicker, darker soy sauce that’s not as salty as light soy sauce and it’s used mostly to add a beautiful color to your noodles, but it also has a caramel note too it. It’s readily available online and at well stocked grocery stores. You can sub regular soy sauce if you don’t have dark, but it’s what gives these noodles their gloss.How to make zha jiang mian
- Fry the aromatics. Fry some shallots and garlic in oil until soft and fragrant.
- Cook the pork. Add the ground pork and cook it, breaking up, until browned.
- Fry the sauces. Add hoisin, oyster, dark soy sauce, sugar, and a bit of water and simmer until the sauce thickens and all the flavors meld.
- Mix. While the sauce is doing it’s thin, cook your noodles and drain well. When the sauce is ready, mix a generous portion with the noodles.
- Enjoy. Slurp and enjoy topped with cucumbers and green onions or cilantro!
What kind of noodles?
I love this meat sauce with all sorts of noodles. Traditionally zha jian mein comes with thick wheat flour based noodles (look in the fridge section of your local Asian grocery store), but the sauce tastes fantastic with spaghetti and I’ve been known to mix it up with rice noodles as well. Go wild, it’s a tasty savory meat sauce that pairs well with virtually any noodle. Try it with:- Chinese wheat noodles
- udon
- rice noodles
- vermicelli
- egg noodles
- lo mein noodles
- pasta
Vegetables
Usually you’ll see zha jiang mian served with fresh vegetables, a rarity in Chinese food, but the freshness of cucumbers goes so amazing with the super umami meaty flavors - the contrast is just insane. Some other vegetables you can try:- shredded carrots
- shelled edamame
- sliced radishes
- bean sprouts
- thinly sliced celery
- shredded cabbage
- green onions
- cilantro
- shredded zucchini
Zha jiang mian vs jajangmyeon
If you’re a fan of Korean food, you’ve most likely had jajangmyeon, those super flavorful noodles covered in black bean sauce. Jajangmyeon is a Korean take on zha jiang mian using the ingredients they had back when globalization wasn’t quite was it is today. Jajangmyeon is noodles covered in a thick sauce made with diced pork chunjang (black bean paste) served with vegetables.Vegetarian zha jiang mian
If you’re vegetarian, you can absolutely make this zha jiang mian with tofu. I find that extra firm tofu, crumbled, is the best in terms of texture and flavor. Crumbled tofu really mimics ground meat and the ground tofu soaks up all the sauce ingredients perfectly.Zha Jiang Mian Recipe
Bouncy noodles in an AMAZING salty, sweet, punchy, complex sauce.
- 2 tsp neutral oil
- 2 shallots (diced)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/2 lb ground pork
- 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- freshly ground pepper (to taste)
- 2 portions noodles (of choice)
- cucumbers (to finish)
- fresh cilantro (roughly chopped, to finish)
In a pot, heat up the oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft and fragrant. Add the pork and cook, breaking up, until no longer pink. Stir in the hoisin, oyster, dark soy, sugar, and 2 tablespoons of water. Let simmer over low heat for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Season with pepper.
While the sauce is cooking, prep the cucumbers and cilantro. I smashed the cucumbers and broke them into small pieces, but traditionally the cucumbers are julienned.
Cook the noodles according to package instructions and drain well. Toss with the sauce and serve with cucumbers and cilantro on top. Enjoy immediately.
Estimated nutrition doesn't include your noodles of choice.
I Am... Air Fryer Chicken Breasts
If you want juicy, air fryer chicken breasts are the way to go. No more dry meat, just juicy, moist, perfectly cooked chicken breasts every time. Air fryer chicken breasts are juicy, quick, and never dry. I usually meal prep a bunch of chicken breasts at the beginning of the week (especially if I have a really busy week) and I find that the air fryer is the best, most consistent way to make them. I then use the cooked chicken breasts in salads, wraps, burritos, tacos, sandwiches, noodle bowls, pasta, or even on their own as a no-carb snack.
How to make air fryer chicken breast
How to air fry ALL the chicken breasts: boneless skinless chicken breasts, boneless skin on chicken breast, bone in skinless chicken breast, and bone in skin on chicken breast.- Season. Place the breasts in a bowl and season with a drizzle of oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. The oil helps conduct heat and seasoning adds flavor. Feel free to use your favorite chicken seasoning, like these !
- Air fry. Place the chicken in the air fryer in a single layer and air fry, flipping halfway through, until the internal temp reaches 165°F. (See below for times)
How long to cook chicken breast in the air fryer?
- Boneless chicken breasts: Air fry at 400°F for 12-15 mins, depending on size, flipping halfway.
- Bone in chicken breasts: Air fry at 400°F for 25-28 mins, depending on size, flipping halfway.
- Frozen boneless chicken breasts: Air fry from frozen at 360°F for 25-30 mins, depending on size, flipping halfway.
Why make air fryer chicken breast?
- If you like super juicy baked or roasted chicken, air fryer chicken tastes just as juicy and tender, maybe even more so
- Air frying chicken breasts is faster than roasting/baking
- It’s also more energy efficient because you don’t need to preheat or turn on your oven
- Super easy cleanup
Bone-in skin-on vs. boneless skinless
Both work: if you care about presentation and want really pretty chicken breasts, use skin on, bone in chicken breasts because the skin crisps up beautifully and also self-bastes the meat underneath. The bone in helps it keep it’s shape. Boneless skinless chicken breasts are delicious as well though – I use them in a huge amount of recipes and they are my go to.The secret to juicy air fryer chicken breast
The secret to juicy air fryer chicken breasts is…there is no secret! Well, there is a secret, actually, it’s to not over cook them. Definitely invest in an instant read thermometer, it will ensure that your chicken is cooked to the right temp every time. If you over cook your chicken breast you’ll end up with dry chicken. Sometimes I even pull breasts out when they reach 155-160°F because the carry over heat while the breasts are resting will bring them up to 165°F. The best kind of thermometer is a thermocouple style, but you don't have to spring for the fancy expensive ones: this one is nice and inexpensive and still super fast. The other tip I have is, letting the breasts rest a bit before slicing or shredding. Letting them rest for 2 minutes will let the juices settle, keeping the breasts juicy, instead of spilling everything out on to the plate. Also, I like putting the rounded side of the breast down first (the side that would have had the skin on it) so that when it’s flipped over, the presentation side gets a bit more time to brown.Do I need to preheat the air fryer for chicken breasts?
Unlike using a regular oven, you don’t need to preheat the air fryer, which means dinner gets on the table faster.Do you need to flip the chicken in the air fryer?
Technically you don’t need to because the air in an air fryer circulates around, but for even crispiness and presentation, I recommend it. Start cooking the chicken rounded side down then flip it to finish rounded side up so it looks pretty and golden.How do I reheat chicken breasts in the air fryer?
To reheat already cooked chicken breasts in the air fryer, let the breasts heat up at 350°F for 2-3 minutes.What can I serve with air fried chicken breasts?
Since you have the air fryer out, why not try:- Air fryer asparagus
- Air fryer brussels sprouts
- The best air fryer roasted broccoli
- If you're tired of frozen fries: Air fryer parmesan wedge fries
- And even dessert: Air fryer donuts
Air Fryer Chicken Breasts
Juicy chicken breasts in air fryer deliciousness.
- air fryer
- 2-3 chicken breasts
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
In a bowl, toss the chicken breasts with oil, garlic powder, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste.
Place the breasts, without overlapping, rounded side down and air fry per the temperatures and times below, flipping halfway, or until the the internal temperature reaches 165°F or until the juices run clear.
- For boneless chicken breasts (skinless or skin on): 12-15 mins @ 400°F
- For bone in chicken breasts (skinless or skin on): 25-28 mins @ 400°F
- For frozen boneless chicken breasts (skinless or skin on): 25-30 mins @ 360°F
(All times dependent on size)
Remove from the air fryer immediately and let rest for 2 minutes before enjoying.
