Air Fryer Fried Pickles

You MUST try these with dinner tonight to make your kids smile!! Maybe you want a fried pickles recipe Texas Roadhouse style because you know how incredible they are. Well this is a great low carb version of that, just one of our favorite air fryer recipes you can make with Panko or pork rinds!

I was a bit skeptical myself and didn’t try these until I took a trip to Florida for my cousin’s wedding. Having dinner with my relatives, we saw this air fryer appetizer on the menu and thought we’d order some to share.

You can use them as a fun appetizer or side dish with other finger foods like air fryer chicken wings for dinner. I’ve used Italian as well as Panko breadcrumbs to make the breading that will make them crunch crunch crunch.

Just start with a small bowl, paper towels, and an electric air fryer too of course. Any brand will do. You don’t need a huge jug of oil though this time. If you deep fried them you would which means a lot of added money for that ingredient and fat content too.

Ingredient Notes

Actually Pork rinds are best, Panko or Italian breadcrumbs could be used instead but these are crispier, low carb and have a ton of delicious flavor to them so you don’t need other seasonings added in there really. You can use a number of things crushed into small pieces for your crunch. Really any chips or even crackers work.

Coconut flour or other flour substitute works to kinda’ dry off the outsides and soak up the remaining moisture to get it as crunchy as possible with the hot air.

I use Eggs to get the coating to stick nicely. If you cannot have this I have a few breading without eggs alternatives

Pickles, we used spears, this is how to make pickles at home. Refrigerated Claussen are better than those stored and sold on a shelf, they’re crispier

I would have some olive oil spray handy. If you want them a deeper golden brown at the end you will want to spray the tops lightly to get that done.

You could use ranch dressing or this is how to make fry sauce as a dipping sauce too. OR just enjoy them as is, I mean they have a ton of flavor without anything, especially if you amp up the dredging.

How do you keep breading from falling off pickles?

In order to keep the flour and pork rinds or Panko bread crumbs from sticking you do want to dry your star ingredient at the very beginning, that is key!! To do this just set them on paper towels and gently roll them up so the moisture is absorbed. Any moisture will make anything else slide right off. Same is true with deep fried pickles in oil, always pat the pickle dry dry dry!

Tips

• #1 The biggest tip you need to really pat dry the dill pickle slices or dials with paper towels. Removing the moisture is vital to getting the egg mixture and breading flour mixture to stick well.
• #2 Buy whole pickles and slice them yourself for a crisper outcome. If you use already sliced pickle spears just note there is a difference. The latter will save time though.
• #3 Make this with dill pickles vs. sweet, that’s our preference. The thicker the spears the better. Timing may vary a bit if you use slices instead since they are smaller.
• #4 Buy jars that are sold cold in the store, near the deli meats. I prefer this because the pickles will be a bit firmer to start with. They are just a bit more expensive but SO worth it in the end.
• #5 Set pieces in a single layer, do not overlap or the texture won’t get super crispy.

Ninja Foodi Option

We’ve created a lot of Ninja Foodi air fryer recipes but these get an “OH MY” from everyone who tries them. For this machine just use the lid that is attached, that is the only difference. Think of it like air fryer fried green beans where you would enjoy them as a sort of side dish with dinner or snack.

Other air fryer snacks you’ll love

I kid you not, you won’t know these weren’t fried. They come out just as crunchy and crispy as if they were. BUT you won’t get that oily aftertaste or extra fat content. other things we like to serve with these are our easy air fryer wings recipe has a dry rub and needs NO sauce they’re so good.

We have lots of other Ninja Foodi air fryer recipes we have those too. Frozen tater tots in air fryer are fun and super crunchy too. If you’re new to using an air fryer you will surely get addicted like I have! I love it because I don’t have to turn on the oven when it is HOT during the summertime.

It also gets foods much crispier than the “traditional” method of throwing it on a sheet pan. Food gets super crispy in no time at all and it’s a lot healthier than frying for sure. After this try our air fryer dinner recipes!