Air Fryer Chicken Breast with Bell Pepper and Garlic
A quick and healthy dish, perfect for a light dinner.
Steps
- 1
Preheat the air fryer to 180°C (350°F).
- 2
Slice the bell pepper into strips and mince the garlic.
- 3
Season the chicken breast with salt, black pepper, and paprika.
- 4
Drizzle with olive oil and massage the seasonings into the meat.
- 5
Place the chicken breast in the air fryer basket.
- 6
Add the bell pepper strips and minced garlic around the meat.
- 7
Cook for 15 minutes, turning the breast halfway through.
- 8
Check that the chicken is fully cooked (internal temperature of 75°C/165°F).
- 9
Let it rest for 2 minutes before serving.
Shopping list
Chicken breast, Bell pepper, Garlic, Olive oil, Salt, Black pepper, Paprika
Recipe story
This recipe combines influences from Mediterranean cuisine, where chicken is often cooked with peppers and garlic. Similar dishes are found in Greece and Turkey, where grilling and simple seasonings are key. In Spain, chicken with peppers is a traditional dish in coastal regions. Over time, this combination has been adapted for the air fryer, preserving the authentic flavor.
Ingredient Secrets
Black pepper
Known as 'black gold' in antiquity, pepper was so valuable that it served as currency and tribute. In the Middle Ages, Venetian merchants controlled the pepper trade, and individual peppercorns were often counted. Legend has it that when Alaric, king of the Visigoths, demanded tribute from Rome, he included 3,000 pounds of pepper.
Sea salt
Sea salt, extracted from ocean waters by evaporation, was one of the most precious goods of antiquity, used both as food and as currency. In ancient Rome, soldiers were paid with salt, which is the origin of the word 'salary'. Salt roads connected entire civilizations, and in the Middle Ages, salt was so valuable it was called 'white gold'.
Paprika
Paprika, a emblematic spice brought to Europe by Christopher Columbus from the New World. Although associated with Hungarian cuisine, its origins are in Central America, where it was used by the Aztecs.
Garlic
Native to Central Asia, garlic was already known in ancient Egypt, where it was given to slaves to boost their strength. In ancient Greece, athletes consumed it before competitions, and in Rome, legionaries considered it essential for courage. During the Middle Ages, it was used to ward off vampires and the plague.
Olive oil
Originating in the Mediterranean basin, olive oil was already produced in ancient Crete 5,000 years ago. In ancient Greece, it was considered a gift from Athena and used in lamps, cosmetics, and religious ceremonies. The Romans spread it throughout the empire, and in the Middle Ages, monasteries preserved the tradition of its production.
Cloves
Cloves, the dried buds of the exotic Syzygium aromaticum tree, were one of the most prized spices of the ancient world, often called 'aromatic gold'. In the Middle Ages, Venetian merchants controlled the clove trade, bringing them from the Maluku Islands, the only place they grew, and selling them at exorbitant prices in Europe.
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