Chives are one of my favorite herbs. They add a bit of mild onion flavor and make a great topping or garnish. My chive plant, however, grows like a weed! How do I keep it all from going to waste? Well, once I show you how to dry chives in the air fryer you’ll know the secret!
In just a few minutes, you’ll be able to quickly and easily dry chives in your air fryer. Once completely dehydrated, they store away in a spice jar for later use. So convenient!
For an alternative method if you don’t own an air fryer, learn about drying chives in the microwave instead!
How to Dry Chives in an Air Fryer: Step by Step
- Start with clean, dry, fresh chives
- Preheat your air fryer to 350 degrees F following manufacturer guidelines
- Spread out your chives in a single layer in the air fryer basket, trimming if need be to fit
- Cover chives with a rack, tray, or trivet to prevent it from blowing around
- Air fry at 350 degrees for 2-3 minutes until leaves are dry and crinkly to the touch
- If additional time is needed, shake basket and cook in 1-minute increments before re-checking
- Remove chives from basket, and cut to desired length using a chef’s knife, kitchen shears, or herb scissors
- Store dried chives in an airtight container or spice jar
As long as it’s not packed too deep, it takes me about 3 minutes on average to dry chives in my air fryer.
If your air fryer happens to have a dehydrate function, you can use that as well. However, you’ll need to cook your chives on this setting for 3-4 hours. To me, the additional time doesn’t seem worth a similar end result.
Whichever method you use, your time can vary slightly based on the total amount of chives used, wattage of your air fryer, and the size of your basket. Always add additional cook time in small increments and you’ll be good to go!
I love how quickly and easily you can dry chives in the air fryer. It takes the guesswork and babysitting out of the mix and makes it easy to preserve your harvest.
For other similarly sized herbs, learn about drying rosemary in the air fryer or dehydrating thyme in the air fryer!
You can also dry fresh basil leaves in the air fryer and then choose whether to keep the leaves full or smash them up.
Can You Dry Chives in an Oven?
Yes, you can dry chives in an oven as well. Wash, dry, and cut your chives into approximately ¼” long segments. Bake at the lowest temperature setting your oven can be set to (under 200F is best) for 1-2 hours.
You’ll need to check on them regularly to ensure they don’t burn. That, coupled with how long it takes and heating up your house, makes the air fryer a much more convenient choice for dehydrating chives.
Not to mention, you can also reheat salmon in the air fryer and then top it off with your newly dried chives for a pop of color and flavor!
Final Thoughts
Now that you know you can dry chives in the air fryer and it takes around 5 minutes including preheating, you’ll always want to dehydrate herbs this way.
It’s a great way to save an overabundance from your herb garden for use year round. I use chives for many dishes, but they make a superb baked potato topping. Just reheat a baked potato in the microwave and top it with chives, cheese, and other delicious choices!
Or treat yourself to a nice brunch and make my mini ham and cheese quiche with crust in the air fryer!
Easy Dried Chives in the Air Fryer
Equipment
- Air fryer rack, trivet, or shelf
Ingredients
- 35-40 leaves Chives
Instructions
- Start with fresh chive leaf clippings, washing and drying it if needed35-40 leaves Chives
- Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees F, following manufacturer guidelines
- If needed, trim the chive leaves so they will fit in your air fryer basket
- Spread your chives in a single layer in the preheated air fryer basket
- Add the rack, trivet, or shelf on top of the chives to keep them from flying around during cooking
- Air fry your chives for 2-3 minutes
- If additional time is needed, shake the basket, and then continue to cook in 1-minute intervals until chives are completely dry and crinkly
- Remove dehydrated chives from air fryer
- Cut your dried chives to desired length using a chef’s knife, kitchen shears, or herb scissors
- Store chopped dry chives in an airtight container or spice jar
Notes
- Only dry the chive leaves – flowers and/or roots should be removed
- Stacking up beyond a single layer won’t heat evenly, so make sure to dry chives in batches if need be. On average it takes me 3 minutes per batch if I don’t overcrowd
- There’s no need to add oil or anything additionally as part of the cooking process
- I’ve just used my normal air fryer rack for this. However, if your air fryer doesn’t have a shelf, you can tie the leaves together using twine, foil, or silicone food bands to keep them from flying around
- Should your chives start to brown or blacken, you have overcooked them
- I normally cut mine to about ¼” long using kitchen shears before storing, however, you can choose whatever length you like. They will curl up when air frying, so use whatever chopping method is easiest for you
- Do not cut the chives before drying, as they’ll fly all over your air fryer (even with a rack on them)
- Dried chives keep well for 2-3 years in an airtight container, before starting to lose flavor and potency
Nutrition
I enjoy trying new recipes, creating my own, and dabbling with new techniques all the time. My husband loves to protest when I make him my guinea pig, but it’s all for the love of food!
My cooking philosophy is that great tasting food doesn't have to be complicated or time consuming to make. I'm a home cook with over 20 years of experience feeding myself and others. I've learned from a variety of different people, things I've learned online, and some trial and error as well.
I enjoy cooking a variety of foods, from convenience to comfort foods, as well as international cuisine. You can rest assured that all of my recipes have been actually made, thoroughly tested, and most importantly: tasted! I want you to enjoy my food as much as I do!
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