Microwave the pearl onions for half the time given on the package. This was 2 minutes of microwaving for my onions. *see notes for alternative1/2 bag frozen pearl onions
While they partially cook, add the egg to a medium bowl and beat.1 egg
Add the flour, paprika, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder to another bowl and stir to mix.1 cup flour,2 teaspoons paprika,1 teaspoon salt,1/2 teaspoon black pepper,1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper,1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Drain the partially cooked onions in a colander and pat them dry with a paper towel.
Take 6 onions, dip them into the flour mixture and stir to coat.
Use a fork to lift them out of the flour, shaking off any excess. Place them in the egg mixture and stir to coat.
Use a different fork to take them out of the egg, letting any excess drip off. Put them into the flour mixture a second time and coat them with flour.
Continue until all of the onions are coated.
Place the prepared onions on a tray and refrigerate for 10 minutes. This will help the coating stick.
Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees F for 3 minutes.
Take the coated onions out of the fridge and put them in the air fryer basket. Keep them in a single layer.
Spray them with some oil. Air fry at 380 degrees F for 3 minutes.oil in a spray bottle
Then shake the basket, spray some more oil, and air fry for another 3 minutes.
Notes
You can also thaw the frozen onions in a bowl of cold water for an hour. Then you don’t have to microwave them.
When coating the onions, use a fork to transfer them between bowls and work with only 6-8 at a time.
Don’t skip the 10-minute chilling time! The coating sticks better when you chill them briefly.
Don’t use a commercial cooking spray in the air fryer because it can damage the nonstick finish on the basket. Use an inexpensive spray bottle filled with oil.
To make these in the oven, bake them at 400 degrees F for 15-20 minutes until they are crispy.
