7 Greatest Meals to Cook dinner in Your Air Fryer


Air fryers are the proper option to cook dinner snacks like juicy rooster wings, crisp French fries and different tailgating meals. They’ll even do it with just about no cleanup. However whereas there are particular go-to air fryer favorites will prove nice each time, there are a number of meals you’ll be able to toss in that’ll come out completely succulent and attractive. You would possibly even be stunned to study what they’re: from complete roasted rooster to fillets of salmon, and even burgers and sizzling canine. In the case of serving up these meals, I am sticking to the air fryer solely any more. 

In the case of speedy cooking with high quality outcomes, nothing beats the air fryer. The microwave has its perks, however meals typically comes out rubbery or erratically heated, and toaster ovens do not impart fairly the identical stage of warmth for crispy pores and skin and edges the best way an air fryer can.

Listed below are seven issues I will solely cook dinner within the air fryer any more.

Salmon

salmon cut into revealing medium rare center salmon cut into revealing medium rare center

Simply 8 minutes within the air fryer and you’ve got completely medium uncommon salmon.

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Broiled salmon is a straightforward, wholesome weeknight dinner staple. It isn’t tough to make within the oven, however should you’re solely cooking for one or two individuals, the preheating time is a ache and you may waste quite a lot of power for a small quantity of meals. Pan-seared salmon is nice and fast, however there’s nearly no solution to cook dinner salmon on the range with out creating an oily and odorous mess. 

I attempted cooking roasted salmon within the air fryer, and it got here out completely in about 10 minutes, together with preheat time. The closed cooking chamber captures all the grease and even hides a number of the fishy odor from taking on the area. 

OK, so that you would possibly catch me throwing the occasional filet of salmon on the grill throughout hotter months, however gone are the times of me wiping fish grease from the backsplash behind my kitchen range. 

Here is learn how to make excellent air fryer salmon.

Roasted rooster

air fryer chicken on cutting board air fryer chicken on cutting board

Air-fryer roasted rooster is a revelation.

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This one stunned me essentially the most since I make a roast rooster most Sundays and had turn out to be content material with my methodology utilizing the oven. I realized quick that the air fryer does an excellent higher job because it’s in a position to crisp the pores and skin shortly with out overcooking the meat. Air-fryer roasted rooster takes about 45 minutes — about 15% faster than the oven — and it is almost inconceivable to screw up.

Here is learn how to make a fast roasted rooster within the air fryer.

Bacon cheeseburgers 

a burger cooked to medium cut in half a burger cooked to medium cut in half

You may cook dinner a burger to excellent medium or medium uncommon with an air fryer.

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Air fryer cheeseburgers have turn out to be a staple round my house. The exception is throughout summer time when the grill is in full swing, however throughout cooler months, I flip to the air fryer for this American basic. It isn’t solely cleaner than pan frying, however the burger would not cook dinner in its personal grease, so that you get a lighter, more healthy meal (should you’re into that kind of factor). You can even stick the bun and a few slices of bacon in with the burger and you’ve got the total meal with nearly no cleanup to handle.

Here is learn how to make a cheeseburger from high to backside within the air fryer.

Rooster cutlets 

Chicken cutlet cooked in Instant Pot Chicken cutlet cooked in Instant Pot

Air fryers prove picture-perfect rooster cutlets.

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Earlier than the air fryer, I used to pan-fry breaded rooster cutlets for rooster Parmesan and different recipes, however the air fryer does the identical job with much less mess and produces much less oily fried rooster, too. 

Watch this: Greatest Air Fryers: Low-cost vs. Costly

I like to recommend utilizing boneless rooster thighs, which have sufficient fats content material to face up to all that convection warmth with out drying out. Merely coat the rooster in overwhelmed egg wash adopted by bread crumbs combined with salt, pepper and different spices. Cook dinner at 375 levels for about quarter-hour.

You may spray the cutlets evenly with a little bit of oil earlier than cooking to get an additional crispy crust, nevertheless it’s not vital. I’ve tried the identical methodology with rooster breasts; it really works nicely, however there’s extra danger of drying out the meat.

Cauliflower steak

cauliflower steak cauliflower steak

Cauliflower steak made within the air fryer has turn out to be a staple facet dish in my kitchen. 

David Watsky/CNET

Considered one of my favourite issues to cook dinner within the air fryer is cauliflower. A slab of cauliflower makes a wonderful hearty facet dish or principal course should you’re going plant-based. Merely toss a thick slice or two of cauliflower with olive oil and salt and pepper, or some seasoning of your selection, and air fry for 10 or 12 minutes on excessive. The air fryer offers it a ravishing caramelized crust, and it cooks the dense veggie quick sufficient in order that the within of the cauliflower would not turn out to be mushy.

Leftover pizza

slice of pizza on cutting board slice of pizza on cutting board

This leftover pizza acquired an entire new life because of a brief journey to the air fryer.

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Whereas not each sort of meals is greatest reheated within the air fryer, quite a lot of them are. Air fryers are the proper solution to revive leftover pizza, fried rooster, grilled meats and greens. A microwave heats meals erratically and tends to impart a rubbery texture. Air fryers give meals a second life by way of convection warmth for a crispy crust and even heating. 

Here is the greatest solution to reheat each sort of leftover.

Scorching canine

hot dogs in air fryer basket hot dogs in air fryer basket

You may cook dinner a whole package deal of sizzling canine in only a few minutes.

David Watsky/CNET

It is exhausting to screw up a sizzling canine, however if you would like a superbly charred wiener in below 5 minutes with basically no cleanup to handle, look to the air fryer. Air fryer sizzling canine are so simple as easy will get, and the superconvection oven offers them an ideal browning in two or three minutes. 

Here is learn how to make sizzling canine within the air fryer all summer time.



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