6 Delicious Air Fryer Recipes For Quick Weeknight Meals
Weekdays are mostly hectic, which leaves no space to experiment with cooking. An air fryer, however, may be the perfect appliance for transforming your culinary routine, as it will assist you in making delicious and healthy meals much faster than you could with traditional methods.
Here we provide six mouth-watering air fryer recipes–like chicken tenders and several veggie dishes–that are perfect for hectic weekdays. These recipes provide both convenience and nutrition, so you can have delicious and nourishing meals, while making you life easier at the same time.
1. Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Ingredients:
- 1 pound chicken tenders
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 eggs, beaten
Instructions:
- Set the temperature of the air fryers to 400°F (200°C) and preheat.
- Mix the seasonings together in a shallow dish, such as breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper.
- Dip the chicken tender into the beaten eggs, and then coat it with the breadcrumb mix.
- Following that, the coated chicken tenders should be placed evenly in the air fryer basket and not touch each other.
- Fry for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway through, till the chicken turns golden brown and cooked through.
- Enjoy warm with your favorite dip.
2. Garlic Parmesan Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients:
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Make sure before preparing the sprouts, set the air fryer temperature at 375°F (190°C) and preheat it.
- In a bowl, add the Brussels sprouts, chopped garlic, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Toss until the sprouts are evenly coated.
- Place the sprouts in the air fryer basket so that they are in a single layer.
- Cook the Brussels sprouts for 12-15 minutes, shaking them halfway through, until they are cooked well and caramelized.
- Serve hot as a savory side dish.
3. Air Fryer Crispy Fish Tacos
Ingredients:
- 1 pound white fish fillets
- 1/2 cup flour
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 8 small corn tortillas
- Shredded cabbage, avocado slices, lime wedges, and your favorite salsa for serving
Instructions:
- Keep the air fryer temperature at 400°F (200°C) and preheat.
- If necessary, cut the fish fillets into smaller portions.
- Set bowls separately with flour, beaten eggs, and breadcrumbs combined with chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Coat each fish piece with the flour mixture, then eggs, and finally, the breadcrumbs mixture, pressing them gently so that they adhere.
- Place the fish in the air fryer basket in the single layer, coated sides up.
- Cook for 8 to 10 minutes until the fish turns golden and crispy.
- Heat up the corn tortillas in the air fryer for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Assemble your tacos with crispy fish, shredded cabbage, avocado slices, lime juice, and salsa. Serve immediately.
4. Air Fryer Garlic Herb Pork Chops
Ingredients:
- 4 boneless pork chops
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Set the air fryer to the temperature of 400°F (200°C) and preheat it.
- Smear both sides of pork chops with olive oil, minced garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper.
- Lay the pork chops on the base of the air fryer basket so that they are all on a single layer.
- Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the pork chops are done through and golden brown outside.
5. Air Fryer Veggie Quesadillas
Ingredients:
- 4 large flour tortillas
- 1 cup shredded cheese (such as cheddar or Monterey Jack)
- 1 cup cooked vegetables (such as bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms)
- 1/4 cup salsa
- 1/4 cup sour cream (optional)
- Fresh cilantro leaves for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
- Set the temperature of the air fryer to 375°F (190°C) and preheat it.
- Place one tortilla on a flat surface and sprinkle some shredded cheese over the tortilla.
- Top with half of the cooked vegetables and drizzle with salsa.
- Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese over the vegetables, then place another tortilla on top to form a quesadilla.
- Carefully transfer the quesadillas to the air fryer basket, making sure they are not overlapping.
- Cook for 4-5 minutes, flipping them halfway, until the quesadillas are golden brown and crispy.
- Slice the quesadillas into wedges and serve hot with sour cream and fresh cilantro.
6. Air Fryer Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions:
- Mix softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar, in a bowl, until they turn light and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until they are combined well.
- In a different bowl, mix flour, salt, and baking soda.
- Slowly and gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Fold in the semisweet chocolate chips.
- Take tablespoon-sized portions of cookie dough and roll them into balls. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, put the cookie dough balls.
- Set the temperature of the air fryer to 350°F (175°C) and preheat it.
- Place a few cookie dough balls in the air fryer basket, making sure they are not touching.
- Cook for 6-8 minutes, until the cookies are golden brown and set.
- Remove the cookies from the air fryer and let them get cool on a wire rack.
- Repeat with the remaining cookie dough.
- Serve the cookies with your favorite hot beverage.
Conclusion
With these delicious air fryer recipes, you can enjoy quick and easy weeknight meals without sacrificing flavor or nutrition.
Whether you’re in the mood for crispy chicken tenders, flavorful vegetable dishes, or indulgent chocolate chip cookies, the air fryer has you covered.
Experiment with various ingredients and flavors to make your own custom recipes, and make weeknight cooking a breeze with the convenience of the air fryer.
Happy cooking!