School Lunch Box Dad shares his crispy air fryer chicken recipe – and the easy lunch with the leftovers

Viral food creator George Georgievski is proving one dinner can go a long way, sharing his crispy George’s Air Fried Chicken and a simple next-day lunch made from the leftovers.

Appearing on The Morning Show, the School Lunch Box Dad revealed his herb and spice blend for the crunchy air fryer chicken before showing how the remaining pieces can be transformed into a hearty homemade chicken Caesar salad.

The recipes feature in his new cookbook, Tonight’s Dinner, Tomorrow’s Lunchbox, which is out now.

Designed to save families time, money and food waste, Georgievski’s latest recipes encourage home cooks to make one satisfying dinner and give leftovers a second life in the lunchbox the next day.

GEORGE’S AIR-FRIED CHICKEN

DINNER

SERVES 4

Keeps for 3-4 days in the fridge.

Ingredients

• 8 pieces of chicken (choose your preferred pieces)
• 600ml buttermilk
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp celery salt
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tsp garlic powder (not garlic salt)
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp mustard powder
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 cup plain (all-purpose) flour
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Method

1. Pop the chicken in a metal mixing bowl and pour the buttermilk all over it. Using tongs, turn the chicken pieces over to ensure even coverage.
2. Cover with cling wrap or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate overnight, or at least for a few hours.
3. When you’re ready to cook your chicken, combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly so all the herbs and spices are blended evenly. Drop the chicken in and ensure each piece is evenly coated in the spice mix. Using tongs for this will not only keep your fingers clean but will also ensure better surface coverage – less handling equals more powdered goodness.
4. Lay the chicken in your air-fryer tray and drizzle or spray the vegetable oil over the top. Cook for 25 minutes on 180C

GAFC CAESAR SALAD

LUNCH

Ingredients

• 2 pieces left-over GAFC (George’s air-fried chicken)
• 2 heads of cos (romaine) lettuce (or any lettuce will do, don’t stress)
• 1 cup croutons (or make your own with left-over bread crusts)
• ½ cup shaved parmesan cheese

For the Dressing

• 2 anchovy fillets (trust me on this — don’t chicken out, okay? It makes all the difference)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp dijon mustard (please use the good stuff)
• 80 ml extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper, to taste

Ingredients

1. Peel the chicken off the bone.
2. Leave the pieces as big or as small as you’d like, but please try to avoid eating them all.
3. To make the dressing, pop the anchovies and garlic in a mixing bowl and mash them together with a fork. Add the egg yolks and start whisking, then add the lemon juice and mustard, still whisking — don’t stop till it’s creamy and combined. Slowly but surely, drizzle in the olive oil while whisking till it’s creamy and delicious. Season with as little or as much salt and pepper as you like.
4. Break up your washed lettuce or leaf as is (get it, lol) and pop it in the bowl, followed by the croutons. Mix it thoroughly, then top with the chicken. Finally, scatter the shaved parmesan from a good height to give yourself proper chef vibes.