Recipes / Mains / Air fryer
◆  Air fryer  ·  serves 4

Air-Fryer Potato Kiev

The chicken kiev technique applied to mashed potato — molten herb- garlic butter sealed inside a potato dumpling, rolled in panko, air-fried until the outside shatters and the butter explodes when cut open. Vegetarian indulgence.

25m
50m
4 servings
Medium

The chicken kiev — pounded chicken breast wrapped around herb butter, breaded and fried, butter erupting when sliced — is a Russian-by-way- of-1970s-dinner-party classic. This version applies the same logic to mashed potato: thick mash wrapped around a frozen disc of herb-garlic butter, rolled into a ball, breaded, air-fried.

The technique requires freezing the butter discs first (they need to stay solid until the inside of the potato heats up). Make herb butter (parsley, chives, garlic, lemon zest), shape into 4 discs, freeze 30 minutes. Wrap each disc in seasoned mashed potato — like arancini construction. Bread, air-fry at 200°C for 12 minutes.

The photo shows three balls on white plates: panko-golden round dumplings, one split open showing molten green-flecked butter pouring out, white potato around the edges. The kind of dish that makes everyone pause when you cut into it.

Method

ii.
  1. 01

    Make the herb butter

    Mash butter with garlic, parsley, chives, lemon zest, salt, and

  2. 02

    Cook and mash

    Boil potatoes in salted water until very tender (15 minutes). Drain

  3. 03

    Shape

    Divide mash into 4 portions. Working with one at a time: flatten the

  4. 04

    Chill

    Refrigerate balls 15 minutes — they need to be firm before breading.

  5. 05

    Bread

    Set up flour, beaten egg, and panko. Coat each ball in flour, egg,

  6. 06

    Air fry

    Heat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C). Spray balls generously with

  7. 07

    Serve

    Plate each on a small plate. Cut into the centre — butter should