Chef shares recipe for a 'mouthwatering' roast dinner cooked exclusively in an air fryer

Sundays aren't the only day of the week that's made for roast dinners, particularly when the dedicated national day for the British meal falls on a Saturday.

When the time comes to cooking one, Britons can swap their oven for an energy-efficient air fryer instead, according to one chef.

Renowned for their low running costs and speed for cooking food, Casey Bumpsteed, an experienced chef and food stylist at Ceramic Cookware Review suggested utilising the air fryer for a cheap Sunday lunch shortcut.

Speaking previously to Express.co.uk, she said: "I love the versatility of air fryers, and over the years, I've become quite adept at leveraging this nifty device to create mouthwatering meals with ease and efficiency.

“Preparing an entire roast dinner in an air fryer may sound a bit challenging, but it's indeed quite manageable with the right approach."

While the cooking itself is an important part of the process, so is the preparation. And according to Casey, the meat should be a priority.

She claimed: “The secret to a perfect air-fried roast dinner lies in its heart - the chicken. I recommend a simple rub of fresh herbs, salt, and pepper before popping the bird into the preheated air fryer.”

This should then be cooked for around one hour with 15-minute intervals throughout to turn the chicken. Once cooked, the juices should run clear.

When it comes to the vegetables, these should be heavily seasoned and prepared while the meat cooks.

Casey recommended a simple blend of olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic to caramelise the greens as they cook. Fry them in the appliance at 180C for just 15 minutes and finish with a drizzle of honey or syrup, as suggested by the chef.

Roast potatoes, the star of the show for many, are equally as reliant on good preparation for impressive results.

The chef said: “What's a roast dinner without those crispy, golden-brown roast potatoes? The air fryer excels in delivering this favourite. I use a light dusting of flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder on drained tinned potatoes. A quick mix ensures they are well-coated before they go into the fryer."

Just 20 minutes is enough to cook the spuds at 195C, and they’ll “rival any traditional oven-baked version", according to Casey.

To finish the meal, make a simple Yorkshire pudding batter from plain flour, eggs and milk, then cook them in the preheated air fryer.

Casey said: "Preheating the oil in the air fryer is a must before you add the batter.

“They puff up beautifully in about 15 minutes at 200C, ready to complement your juicy chicken.”

For gravy-lovers, the Cookware expert recommended saving all of the juices from the bottom of the fryer to pour into a mixture of gravy granules and boiling water, or to add to a completely homemade sauce.