Roast fresh chestnuts in your Ninja air fryer in under 10 minutes! They come out buttery and delicious; perfect for snacking during the holiday season!
Place your chestnuts in a bowl of warm water (just enough to cover the chestnuts) to clean them, and allow them to soak for about 5 minutes. Discard any chestnuts that float
½ Pound fresh chestnuts
Dry each chestnut and then use a knife to cut an ‘X’ shape into the rounded side. Make sure to cut through the skin entirely
Place the scored chestnuts into your air fryer’s basket or rack, allowing some air space between each one
Cook on the air fry setting at 400°F for 7 minutes (I do not preheat, so that accounts for warm up time). Check the chestnuts, and look for the skins to peel back and expose the yellow nut underneath. If they have not peeled back, cook them for additional time in 1-2 minute intervals until they do
Dump the hot chestnuts into a Ziploc bag, paper bag, or wrap them in a clean towel. Allow them to steam for about 2 minutes, just until they are cool enough to handle
Peel the chestnuts while they are still hot, making sure to remove the outer shell, as well as the fuzzy brown layer underneath. You should just have the yellow nut left. Season if desired, and enjoy warm!
Seasoning if desired
Notes
I like to sprinkle a little salt over my cooked chestnuts, but you can use other seasonings like Cajun, barbecue, or whatever you like. About ¼ - ½ tsp is usually sufficient for 1 pound of nuts
You can cook as many chestnuts at a time as fit in a single layer in your air fryer basket. My 8-qt Ninja can handle about 1 pound of American chestnuts at a time, but different varieties will vary
I have tried both serrated and smooth knives for cutting the X into the chestnut, and personally find smooth easier. However, you can use whatever is best for you!
The soaking and steaming method really makes peeling chestnuts easy (for me anyway; I tried a few methods and that is my favorite). That said, once they cool down, they become difficult again, so I try to only make smaller batches (about ½ pound) at a time so I can peel them all within 5 or so minutes
Store leftover roasted chestnuts in a bag or container at room temperature for 2-3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to one week
To reheat cooked chestnuts, air fry at 325°F for 2-3 minutes until warmed, or microwave for 15-20 seconds on high. I only recommend reheating once, as they lose moisture each time and will eventually be too hard to eat
Exact nutritional values will vary based on variety and size of chestnuts, as well as any seasonings added and total quantity consumed, so please consider this a guideline only