Air Fryer Cooking: Quick, Easy, And Healthy Recipes

Air fryers have become a popular kitchen appliance, and with good reason. They can save you time, money and energy. But how do you make the most of this handy gadget?

Hayley Dean, the creator of @hayleys.world, has turned her passion for cooking into an online platform with a large following. Her book, How to Make Anything in an Air Fryer, is a comprehensive cookbook with 100 quick, easy and delicious recipes. It covers everything from breakfast to sweets and snacks, with UK measurements and photography throughout.

With this book, you can learn how to cook your favourite dishes in your air fryer and discover new meals to add to your repertoire.

Air fryer breakfasts and brunches

The air fryer is a versatile appliance that can help you make delicious and healthy breakfasts with minimal grease and mess. Here are some ideas for breakfast and brunch options that you can easily prepare in an air fryer:

Savoury Breakfast Options:

• Eggs: You can cook eggs in a variety of ways in your air fryer. This includes fried eggs, soft-boiled eggs, poached eggs, and even hard-boiled eggs. You can also make egg cups or egg rolls with bacon, cheese, and vegetables for a more substantial meal.
• Bacon: The air fryer is a great way to cook bacon with less grease and mess. It limits the splatter and makes the bacon nice and crispy. You can also use turkey bacon for a healthier alternative.
• Sausage: Cook your breakfast sausages in the air fryer for crispier and less greasy links or patties. You can use pork, turkey, or vegetarian/vegan sausages.
• Hash Browns: Air-fried hash browns are a quick and tasty breakfast side dish. You can make them with shredded potatoes, bell peppers, and onions for added flavour and texture.
• Breakfast Burritos: These are a portable and convenient breakfast option. Fill flour tortillas with scrambled eggs, sausage, cheese, and any other desired fillings. You can also make mini breakfast burritos or egg frittatas for a bite-sized option.
• Crab Cakes: Air fryers are perfect for crab cakes as they can be messy to pan-fry. Assemble your crab cakes with mustard, Old Bay seasoning, chives, and Saltine cracker crumbs, then air fry to perfection.
• Vegetable Hash: Try making a sweet potato hash or a Brussels sprouts and potato hash. You can add smoked paprika, bacon, or Tex-Mex seasoning for extra flavour.
• Breakfast Pockets or Bombs: These are made with scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, and cheese stuffed inside refrigerated crescent roll dough or biscuits. They're a fun and tasty breakfast option.

Sweet Breakfast Options:

• French Toast: Air-fried French toast is a delicious treat. You can make French toast sticks or cups for an easy-to-eat option. Soak the bread in an egg mixture and coat with crushed cornflakes or cereal flakes before air frying.
• Doughnuts: Air-fried doughnuts are a tasty alternative to deep-fried ones. You can use store-bought biscuit dough or make your own dough from scratch. Glaze them with a mixture of powdered sugar and water or milk.
• Cinnamon Rolls: Air fryers are great for making cinnamon rolls without having to wait for the dough to rise. You can use crescent roll dough, brush with butter, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, and air fry for a sweet breakfast treat.
• Fruit Options: You can air fry apples or make apple fritters for a sweet breakfast side dish. You can also try air-fried beignets or apple chips for a unique twist on classic treats.
• Baked Goods: The air fryer is perfect for baking banana bread, blueberry bread, or even a small banana cake. You can also make toaster strudels or Pop-Tarts for a quick and easy breakfast.

Quick lunches

Air fryers are a quick and easy way to make a variety of lunches. Here are some ideas for quick lunches using an air fryer:

Leftovers

Reheat leftover pizza, chicken nuggets, or other frozen convenience foods. You can also reheat leftover desserts in your air fryer, such as pie, brownies, or baked goods.

Meat and Seafood

Cook sausages, bacon, or steak in your air fryer. You can also make garlic-parmesan chicken skewers, chicken parmesan, chicken tenders, chicken sandwiches, or chicken wings. For seafood, try air fryer crab cakes, coconut shrimp, or fish tacos.

Vegetables

Vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, potatoes, zucchini, mushrooms, onions, and cauliflower are all great in the air fryer. You can also make roasted green beans, cumin carrots, garlic-rosemary Brussels sprouts, or asparagus.

Sandwiches

Make a ham, cheese, and egg bagel or a grilled cheese sandwich. You can also make a chicken sandwich with sriracha mayo.

Other Ideas

Try air fryer avocado fries, French toast sticks, mozzarella sticks, or egg rolls. You can also make zucchini fries, sweet potato fries, or potato chips.

Healthy dinners

Air fryers are a great way to cook healthy dinners with minimal oil. Here are some ideas for healthy dinners you can make using an air fryer:

Chicken

• Chicken breasts: Season with Italian spices or everything bagel seasoning and serve with a maple mustard dipping sauce.
• Chicken thighs: Season with pantry spices for a juicy, crispy treat.
• Chicken tenders: Breaded or unbreaded, these are a great option for a low-carb meal.
• Chicken cutlets: A healthier alternative to deep-fried cutlets.
• Chicken wings: Try them with a homemade buffalo sauce or a sweet chilli and garlic sauce.
• Chicken tikka: Seasoned with tikka spice, this Indian classic is ready in 20 minutes.
• Chicken parmesan: Crispy and juicy, this is a kid-friendly option.
• Chicken caesar salad: Blackened chicken with homemade croutons and caesar dressing.
• Chicken fajitas: Spicy and juicy, these are perfect for lunch or dinner.
• BBQ chicken burgers: Sweet and tangy, these are great for a backyard get-together.
• Bacon-wrapped chicken: Chicken tenders wrapped in turkey bacon with pepper jack cheese and avocado.
• Asian chicken meatballs: Try them with a tandoori masala-inspired rub.

Fish and Seafood

• Salmon: Try it with a garlic butter sauce, or honey-glazed. You can also make salmon bites or flatbreads.
• Tuna steaks: Marinated in a ginger soy sauce.
• Shrimp: Try it with lemon and pepper, or garlic butter. You can also make shrimp tacos.
• Cod: Try it with lemon juice and dill, or as fish and chips.
• Crab cakes: Use lump crab meat and Old Bay seasoning.
• Coconut shrimp: A healthier version of a classic, without the extra oil.

Turkey

• Turkey tenderloin: Tender and juicy, ready in 30 minutes.
• Turkey legs: Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, ready in 30 minutes.
• Turkey meatballs: Delicious, healthy, and high in protein.
• Turkey fingers: A healthier alternative to chicken fingers, with a sweet plum sauce.
• Turkey bacon: A delicious and crispy alternative to pork bacon.

Beef and Pork

• Steak: Cooked to perfection in an air fryer.
• Beef joint: Tender meat with a seared finish.
• Pork tenderloin: Tender and juicy with a crisp, caramelised outside.
• Pork chops: A seared finish with minimal effort.
• Meatballs: Try them with a Mediterranean twist.

Vegetarian

• Avocado: Slice and sprinkle with cinnamon for a healthy fall treat.
• Sweet potatoes: Try them as fries, or roasted.
• Potatoes: Make homemade potato chips, or hash browns.
• Carrots: Try them as fries, roasted, or with parmesan.
• Broccoli: Air-fried broccoli has a crispiness you can't get anywhere else.
• Brussels sprouts: Try them with a maple-sriracha glaze.
• Asparagus: Quick and easy, with a crispy and tender texture.
• Mushrooms: Try them with balsamic vinegar.
• Butternut squash: A healthy and delicious alternative to other cooking methods.
• Artichokes: Healthy and keto-friendly.
• Corn on the cob: Try it with parmesan cheese.
• Tofu: Try it with a cornstarch dredge, or as tofu steaks.
• Falafel: Easy to make at home.
• Eggplant: Baked or air-fried.
• Beans: Try air-fried green beans or baked beans.
• Chickpeas: Crispy and smoky, these are a great salad topper or snack.
• Beets: Wrap in tin foil and pop them in the air fryer.
• Peas: Sugar snap peas are ready in under 10 minutes.
• Squash: Try acorn squash with sausage and quinoa, or delicata squash with maple syrup and cinnamon.

Fakeaways

Fakeaway Air Fryer Recipes

Tandoori Chicken Wraps

Serves: 2-4

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Preparation time: 10 minutes plus marinating overnight

Ingredients:

• 2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts each weighing 175g
• 1½ level tbsp tandoori powder
• 1 crushed clove garlic
• 1 ½ tsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp sunflower oil
• 4 level tbsp natural yogurt
• 6-8 mint leaves, chopped
• 2 - 4 Tortilla wraps
• Shredded lettuce, tomato, cucumber
• Mango chutney (optional)

Method:

• Using a sharp knife, make three cuts at an angle on one side of each of the chicken breasts.
• In a bowl, mix together the yogurt, tandoori powder, crushed garlic, lemon juice and salt.
• Rub the mixture all over and into the cuts made on the chicken breasts.
• Place the chicken in a dish in a single layer, cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
• Spoon 1 tsp oil over the chicken breasts, discarding the excess tandoori yogurt mixture.
• Preheat the air fryer to 200ºC for 3 minutes.
• Place the chicken into the frying basket and cook at 200°C for 25- 30 minutes, turning halfway through cooking.
• Meanwhile, make the raita by mixing all the ingredients together in a small serving bowl or ramekin.
• Four minutes before the end of cooking, loosely roll the tortilla wraps together and make a parcel from foil. Place on top of the chicken to warm through for 4 minutes.
• Slice the chicken and serve with the tortillas, shredded lettuce, salad and mint raita.

Air Fryer Fish and Chips

Serves: 2-4

Cooking time: 15-20 minutes

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 lb white fish fillets (such as cod, haddock, or tilapia), cut into pieces
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup breadcrumbs (panko or regular)
• Cooking spray or a small amount of oil
• 2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into thick fries
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• Tartar sauce or your favourite dipping sauce

Method:

• Preheat your air fryer to 375°F (190°C) for about 5 minutes.
• In a bowl, toss the potato fries with olive oil, salt, black pepper, and paprika.
• Place the fries in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook at 375°F (190°C) for 15-20 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until the fries are golden brown and crispy. Remove and keep warm.
• In a bowl, mix the flour, salt, black pepper, and paprika.
• Dip each piece of fish into the beaten eggs, then coat with the flour mixture. Shake off any excess flour.
• Next, dip the floured fish into the beaten eggs again, then coat with breadcrumbs, pressing down to adhere.
• Lightly spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray or brush with a small amount of oil to prevent sticking.
• Place the breaded fish pieces in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Do not overcrowd; you may need to cook in batches.
• Lightly spray the top of the fish with cooking spray or brush with oil.
• Cook at 375°F (190°C) for 10-12 minutes, turning halfway through, until the fish is golden brown and cooked through.
• Serve the fish and chips immediately with lemon wedges and tartar sauce or your favourite dipping sauce.

Air Fryer KFC-Style Chicken

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 10 minutes, plus marinating time

Cooking time: 55 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 skinless chicken breasts
• 125ml peri-peri sauce (e.g. Nando’s Peri-Peri Sauce Medium)
• 650g frozen skin-on chips
• 2 corn-on-the-cobs, cut in half
• 2tsp peri-peri rub (e.g. Nando’s Peri-Peri Rub Medium)
• Non-stick spray oil
• 50g peri-peri mayonnaise (e.g. Nando’s Perinaise Mild), plus extra to serve
• Juice 1 lime
• 200g Savoy cabbage, shredded (or use 100g each of green and red cabbage)
• 3 carrots, grated
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped

Method:

• Place the chicken legs in a large bowl with two-thirds of the peri-peri sauce. Leave them to marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.
• Preheat the air fryer to 200°C. Arrange the chicken in the air fryer and cook at 200°C for 10 minutes, turning halfway through the cooking time and brushing with any leftover marinade.
• Once the chicken is cooked, transfer to a plate, cover with foil to keep warm and set aside.
• Increase the air-fryer temperature to 200°C, add the frozen chips and cook at 200°C for 10 minutes. Give the air-fryer basket a shake and carefully add the corn-on-the-cobs. Spritz the corn with oil and cook for a further 15 minutes, or until the chips are crispy.
• Meanwhile, make the slaw by mixing the peri-peri mayonnaise, lime juice and 2tbsp water in a large bowl. Add the shredded cabbage, grated carrot and chopped spring onion to the bowl with the mayonnaise, season with a pinch each of salt and pepper, then mix to combine.
• Divide the chips and slaw between four serving plates, then top with the corn-on-the-cobs and chicken. Add a final drizzle of the peri-peri sauce and a squirt of peri-peri mayonnaise for chip dipping.

Air Fryer Spicy Chicken Burgers

Ingredients:

• Chicken breasts
• Frylight or spray oil
• 1 tsp dried thyme

Sweet treats and snacks

Air fryers are a great way to make sweet treats and snacks that are both tasty and healthy. Here are some ideas and recipes to get you started:

Air Fryer Caramelised Baked Bananas

A simple yet delicious dessert, this recipe involves air-frying bananas until caramelised, resulting in a sweet and soft treat.

Air Fryer Chicken Skewers with Satay Peanut Sauce

For a savoury snack, try these chicken skewers with a tasty peanut sauce. The air fryer will give the chicken a nice crispy texture without the need for deep-frying.

Air Fryer Yorkshire Pudding Wraps with Roast Beef

Yorkshire pudding wraps are a unique and tasty way to enjoy roast beef. The air fryer ensures the pudding is cooked to perfection, providing a delicious and satisfying snack.

Air Fryer Crispy Honey and Ginger Beef

This mouth-watering dish combines sweet and savoury flavours for a unique taste sensation. The air fryer crisps up the beef for a satisfying bite.

Air Fryer Tuna Crunch Wrap

A healthy and tasty snack, the air fryer gives the tuna a nice sear while keeping the wrap crunchy.

With their versatility and ability to create crispy textures, air fryers are a fantastic way to make sweet treats and snacks that are both indulgent and healthier alternatives to traditional methods. So, get creative and experiment with your air fryer to discover your favourite sweet treats and snacks!

Frequently asked questions