Slightly crispy on the outside and succulent, tender on the inside, these air fried chicken shami kebabs are a total delight.
They’re the perfect breakfast or side dish to make and enjoy with the entire family, and you can customize the taste to your liking too.
Team the kebabs up with any of your favorite chutneys and you’ve got yourself a total hit!
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Ingredients For the Recipe
You’ll need two sets of ingredients to make the air fried chicken shami kebabs.
For the chana dal
- Chana dal (soaked): ¼ cup
- Dry red chilies: 4-5
- Coriander powder: 1 tbsp
- Red chili powder: ½ tsp
- Garam masala powder: ½ tsp
- Salt: 1 tsp
- Black pepper powder: ½ tsp
- Ginger garlic paste: ½ tbsp
- Cumin seeds: ½ tsp
- Water: 1 cup
For the kebabs
- Chicken (boiled and shredded): 1 cup
- Prepared dal mixture
- Onions (finely chopped): ¼ cup
- Green chilies (finely chopped): 1 tbsp
- Coriander leaves (finely chopped): 2 tbsp
- Oil: For brushing
How to Make the Air Fried Chicken Shami Kebabs
Got everything ready? Here’s what you’ll need to do next to make the air fried chicken shami kebabs.
In a pressure cooker, add the soaked dal, dry red chilies, coriander powder, red chili powder, garam masala powder, salt, black pepper powder, ginger garlic paste, cumin seeds, and water. Pressure cook for 6-8 whistles.
Once the dal mixture is cooked, let it cool down to room temperature.
Transfer the dal mixture to a blender and make a smooth paste.
Next, add the boiled and shredded chicken to the blender and blend it into a paste.
Transfer the contents into a mixing bowl. Add the onions, green chilies, and coriander leaves.
Mix well.
Pre-heat the air fryer at 200℃ for 5 minutes.
Make small disc shaped kebabs and brush them with oil.
Transfer the kebabs into the air fryer. Cook them at 180℃ for 8-10 minutes or until they turn golden brown.
Serve hot with green chutney and onion salad.
Frequently Asked Questions
While chicken and chana dal are the hero ingredients in the kebab, you can also add in some other ingredients if you want to.
Tomatoes, bell peppers and carrots are all good choices.
Your leftover air fried chicken shami kebabs can be refrigerated for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
You can then reheat the kebabs in a pan over medium heat or in the microwave.
These kebabs can be batch made ahead of time too. You can shape them and freeze them for up to 2 months.
Then, when you want to air fry them, you can get them out of the freezer for a few hours, allow them to defrost and then enjoy them. 
Tips & Tricks to Make the Air Fried Chicken Shami Kebabs
Making these air fried chicken shami kebabs may be super easy, but you may want to take note of these tips and tricks.
- If you don’t have dried red chilies that you need for this recipe, you can skip adding them and use green chilies instead or add some extra garam masala powder.
- Based on your personal preference, you can choose to process the kebab mixture into a smooth paste, or leave it a bit chunky if you prefer that coarse texture.
- I simply brushed the kebabs with a bit of oil before air frying them, but if you want, you can dip them in a mixture of whisked eggs too. If you’re doing this, you’ll need to place a parchment paper inside the Air Fryer basket before you add the kebabs in.
- Remember to grease the Air Fryer basket or the parchment paper before you add in the kebabs.
- Also make sure you leave a bit of space between each kebab, and flip them midway through the cooking process. This will ensure that the kebabs are nice and crispy on all the sides.
Serving Ideas & Suggestions
These soft and delicious air fried chicken shami kebabs can be enjoyed with rotis, naans or even parathas. To take them up a notch, you can pair them with some green chutney or any other spicy chutney or dip of your choice.
They can make for a great lunch or side dish option.
Loved this easy Air Fryer recipe? Inspired to try some more air fried kebabs? Here are a few good options to choose from.
- Air Fried Chapli Kebab with Green Chutney and Salad
- Air Fried Spicy Chicken Kebabs
- Easy Kalmi Kebab Recipe
📖 Recipe
Air Fried Chicken Shami Kebabs
Ingredients
For the chana dal
- ¼ cup Chana dal, soaked
- 4-5 Dry red chilies
- 1 tablespoon Coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon Red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon Garam masala powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper powder
- ½ tablespoon Ginger garlic paste
- ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 1 cup Water
For the kebabs
- 1 cup Chicken, boiled and shredded
- Prepared dal mixture
- ¼ cup Onions, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Green chilies, finely chopped
- 2 tbsps Coriander leaves, finely chopped
- Oil, For brushing
Instructions
- In a pressure cooker, add the soaked dal, dry red chilies, coriander powder, red chili powder, garam masala powder, salt, black pepper powder, ginger garlic paste, cumin seeds, and water. Pressure cook for 6-8 whistles.
- Once the dal mixture is cooked, let it cool down to room temperature.
- Transfer the dal mixture to a blender and make a smooth paste.
- Next, add the boiled and shredded chicken to the blender and blend it into a paste.
- Transfer the contents into a mixing bowl. Add the onions, green chilies, and coriander leaves. Mix well.
- Pre-heat the air fryer at 200℃ for 5 minutes.
- Make small disc shaped kebabs and brush them with oil.
- Transfer the kebabs into the air fryer. Cook them at 180℃ for 8-10 minutes or until they turn golden brown.
- Serve hot with green chutney and onion salad.
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