Pickle lovers will be thrilled to learn that their beloved crispy, tart cucumbers belong on a list of unexpected foods you should be air frying. Green pickle chips are the star ingredient in Ree Drummond’s four-ingredient appetizer, and once you make them, you may not want to share with your family and friends because they are that good. The Pioneer Woman creates a bundle of flavor and fusion by stacking pickles with jalapeño slices, wrapping each in a strip of bacon, securing them with a toothpick, brushing with barbecue sauce, and air-frying them to perfection for 6 minutes per side. The experience is a masterpiece of hot, sweet, smoky, and tangy flavors that takes only about half an hour in total to create.
Each component of this simple appetizer brings its own swagger and distinct personality, yet at the same time, this is a one-bite snack that leaves a lot of room to make it your own. Dill pickles are going to give you a little more of a pucker, but if you prefer a sweet pickle bite, bread and butter pickle chips can fill that void. Choose from either fresh or pickled jalapeño peppers. Either will bring a kick, but only you know the level of spice your mouth can withstand. If you want to stay clear of any fiery ingredients, you could also opt for slices of banana pepper, which offer a softer tingle for the tongue than a jalapeño, or try poblanos.
Put your own spin on these pickle bites
The bacon is the unifying ingredient in this finger food. While the pickle turns warm, maintaining its crunch, and the jalapeño becomes tender, the bacon forms a crispy, crackly exterior that is packed with savory, sweet goodness sans the grease, thanks to the air fryer. The addition of barbecue sauce serves as a sweet glaze that caramelizes this favored breakfast meat, transforming it into an almost candy-like coating. If you are salivating at the thought, you aren’t alone. Of course, if you don’t have an air fryer, you can bake pickle bites in the oven. You will need a crisper basket and a convection oven to achieve the same results. The cooking time will also be at the higher end.
Dip these beauties in a little ranch to mimic how Ree Drummond serves hers, but a blue cheese dip would make for a decadent addition. Or, make a copycat version of Shake Shack’s signature Shack sauce to enhance the sour taste of the pickles. If you really want to change up these pickle bites, you could also add a smear of cream cheese to the pickle and pepper before wrapping them up in the bacon for more of an air fryer pickle pepper popper vibe. You can also add a little smoked Gouda or cheddar for a nutty, gooey, salty, and creamy texture. The possibilities are endless.
