Wondering what to cook in an air fryer? Check out our favorite tasty appetizers, easy main dishes, and quick sides!

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Easy Air Fryer Recipes

Air fryers are one of the best kitchen appliances that make cooking your favorite dishes a breeze! They don’t take up a ton of room, work quickly, and can cook up all sorts of main dishes, side dishes, and even appetizers and snacks. They also leave out all of the necessary oil, making meals relatively healthy, too.

Not sure what to make? From mains like chicken breast and pork chops to sides like sweet potatoes and broccoli we’ve got some of our favorite air fryer recipes for you to try below!

Quick Air Fryer Appetizers

The air fryer is perfect for everyone’s favorite small bites! Check out a few of our favorites!

1. Air Fryer Popcorn Chicken

This air fryer popcorn chicken is addicting in the best way possible. The air fryer crisps up the breading on the chicken without drying out the chicken on the inside. Each bite is juicier than the next.

air fryer popcorn chicken on a cutting board
Air Fryer Popcorn Chicken
Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, this easyย Air Fryer Popcorn Chickenย will quickly become a family favorite!
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2. Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower

If you are new to buffalo cauliflower, get ready to fall in love. It’s basically like a healthy version of classic buffalo wings. The air fryer does all the work to get that signature crisp on the outside of the veggies without being heavy and soggy.

Air fryer buffalo cauliflower.
Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower
Air fryer buffalo cauliflower is a fun, flavorful appetizer or side thatโ€™s actually healthy too! Cauliflower is tossed with spicy buffalo sauce and seasonings and air fried to crispy perfection.
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3. Air Fryer Gnocchi

I bet you’ve never had gnocchi like this! The air fryer creates a crisp gnocchi that is truly addicting. It’s crispy and perfectly pillowy on the inside. It takes the traditional pasta dish and turns it on its head in a tasty way.

Air Fryer Gnocchi
Air Fryer Gnocchi
The crispiest air fryer gnocchi recipe that takes less than 15 minutes to make. They are crispy on the outside, and fluffy on the inside, and you can use frozen, shelf-stable, or refrigerated gnocchi.
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4. Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets

Both kids and parents will love these air fryer chicken nuggets. Kids will love them because they are tender, juicy, and crispy. Parents will love them because they are super easy to make and are much healthier than most chicken nuggets.

Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
Homemade air fryer chicken nuggets are crispy on the outside and tender in the middle. This will be your new go-to easy dinner!
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Easy Air Fryer Side Dishes

The air fryer makes side dishes quick, easy, and mess-free! Check out all of our air-fried side dish recipes below!

5. Air Fryer Crescent Rolls

Fresh rolls on the table instantly make any meal ten times better. But pulling out all the ingredients to bake the rolls isn’t always in the cards. Luckily, these air fryer crescent rolls take only 10 minutes to bake in the air fryer. It’s an excellent alternative for a fresh roll to go with your main course.

Air Fryer Crescent Rolls
Air fryer crescent rolls are an incredible quick snack that you wonโ€™t be able to resist. Just a few simple ingredients and you will have perfect, buttery rolls in under 10 minutes!
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6. Air Fryer Bacon

Bacon can be a pain to cook. There is all that grease, and getting it to crisp up isn’t always easy. That’s where the air fryer comes into play. This kitchen device takes away all of the guesswork and gives you crispy strips of bacon every single time.

Air Fryer Bacon
Air Fryer Bacon
This easy method for making Air Fryer Bacon is ready in around 10 minutes, and youโ€™ll get perfectly cooked bacon each and every time.
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7. Air Fryer Sweet Potato Chips

Ditch the bag of potato chips and learn to make your own version with this air fryer sweet potato chip recipe. The homemade chips are great for snacking on during the day or a side to a hearty protein. No matter how you choose to eat them, they will be crisp and sweet every time.

Air fryer sweet potato chips with a side of barbecue sauce.
Air Fryer Sweet Potato Chips
Air fryer sweet potato chips are deliciously crispy, easy to customize, and healthier than the ones you buy at the grocery store!
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8. Air Fryer Salmon Bites

Move over, chicken nuggets! These salmon bites are here to take your place. The mini salmon bites are great for little ones or for adding to salads. The tiny pieces of fish are marinated in a lemon garlic butter sauce for a pop of flavor in each bite.

Air Fryer Salmon Bites
These air fryer salmon bites coated in a delicious lemon garlic butter sauce are the best easy dinner idea and air fryer recipe!
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9. Air Fryer Broccoli

Air fryer broccoli will quickly elevate your dinner side dish. It turns boring steamed broccoli into tender, charred broccoli that isn’t mushy and soft. It’s the kind of side dish you can make, no matter the main course.

Air Fryer Broccoli
Air Fryer Broccoli
This air fryer broccoli recipe is a quick and easy side dish! Perfectly tender and crisp around the edges, itโ€™s healthy and delicious.
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10. Air Fryer French Fries

French fries are about to be a staple in your house, thanks to easy air fryer french recipe. The recipe takes potatoes and coats them in salt and olive oil and lets the air fryer do the rest of the work. After one bite, it will make you question why you didn’t buy an air fryer sooner.

air fryer french fries with ketchup
Easy Air Fryer French Fries
These easy air fryer French fries are the best way to put your air fryer to use! You only need potatoes, olive oil, and salt for amazing fries at home!
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Easy Air Fryer Main Courses

The air fryer is perfect for making most main courses in a flash! Here’s a few of our favorite main course recipes!

11. Air Fryer Pizza

Thanks to this air-fryer pizza recipe, you can have a fresh slice of pizza whenever you’d like. The air fryer makes the crust extra crisp and turns the cheese into a perfectly gooey texture.

Air Fryer Pizza
Air fryer pizza might just be the best way to use an air fryer! If you like crispy crust pizza, you're going to love this easy recipe.
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12. Air Fryer Eggs

I bet you didn’t know you could make eggs in the air fryer. Well, it turns out you can actually make eggs in multiple different ways in the nifty device. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be using the air fryer to make eggs for breakfast every single day of the week.

Plates of soft, hard, and fried eggs made in the air fryer.
Air Fryer Eggs: 3 Ways
Air fryer eggs?! Yep, you can make eggs in the air fryer! Hereโ€™s how to use your air fryer to make hard-boiled, soft-boiled, and fried eggs with ease.
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13. Air Fryer Salmon

Cooking fish doesn’t have to be tricky when the air fryer is involved. This air fryer salmon recipe will be great to keep in your back pocket, especially during the week. It’s a healthy recipe that is super filling and fast to put together.

A piece of air fryer salmon next to asparagus.
Air Fryer Salmon
Find the ultimate guide for how to cook salmon in the air fryer! Easy and fast, air fryer salmon is a healthy weeknight dinner your family will love.
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14. Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Breast

Sometimes, you need dinner on the plate fast. That’s where this air fryer frozen chicken recipe comes into play. The air fryer does all the work of cooking the frozen chicken breast, all without thawing it first.

chicken cooked in the air fryer.
Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Breast
Learn how to cook frozen chicken breast in an air fryer. It turns out tender and juicy, and you don't even need to thaw it first!ย 
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15. Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp

This air fryer bang-bang shrimp recipe is better than anything you’d get from takeout. The air fryer crisps up the shrimp before it is tossed in the signature sauce. It makes any night in your home kitchen feel like a restaurant-quality meal.

Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp
Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp
Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp is a delicious and easy twist on the restaurant favorite made popular by Bonefish Grill. The shrimp is breaded and air-fried to crispy perfection before being tossed in a sweet
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16. Air Fryer Meatballs

Have some picky eaters to feed? This air fryer meatball recipe will be your savior. The meatballs are cooked to perfection in the air fryer without any sauce, letting your picky eater choose what they want on their meatballs without making multiple dishes.

A plate of air fryer meatballs next to a bowl of dipping sauce.
Air Fryer Meatballs
These easy air fryer meatballs are perfectly seasoned, with a delectable crispy exterior and juicy center, making them the best addition to your next bowl of spaghetti!
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17. Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks

Get juicy and tender drumsticks with this air fryer chicken drumstick recipe. The drumsticks are marinated in a mix of spices and lemon juice before they come up fast in the air fryer. You might as well double this recipe, as you’ll want to go back for more.

Air Fryer Lemon Garlic Chicken Drumsticks
Serve up juicy and tender pieces of chicken with this air fryer chicken drumstick recipe. The air fryer perfectly cooks the chicken.
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18. Air Fryer Turkey Breast

Turkey isn’t just for Thanksgiving, especially when you have an air fryer at your disposal. The air fryer makes it simple to cook a piece of turkey breast any night of the week. The kitchen device attacks it on all fronts to make a juicy, tender breast with golden-brown skin.

Air fryer turkey breast on a wooden cutting board.
Air Fryer Turkey Breast
This air fryer turkey breast recipe just might be the easiest turkey youโ€™ll ever make! Itโ€™s incredibly juicy and full of flavor, with golden-brown skin and the perfect blend of seasonings.ย 
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19. Air Fryer Bone-In Pork Chops

Need a hearty dinner on your plate fast? This air fryer bone-in pork chop will do just that. It takes about five minutes of prep work and 12 minutes to cook up in the air fryer. It’s one of those dinners that taste like it took all day in the oven to complete.

Air fryer bone-in pork chops on a plate with potatoes and asparagus.
Air Fryer Bone-In Pork Chops
These air fryer bone-in pork chops are insanely flavorful and they only take 5 minutes to put together. The juicy, perfectly seasoned chops go well with just about everything!
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20. Air Fryer Tofu

Tofu is one of those proteins that doubles as a great snack or a meal. The air fryer makes it super simple to whip up a batch, no matter how you plan to eat it. The kitchen device gives it that perfect crisp without all that extra greasy oil.

Air Fryer Tofu
Air Fryer Tofu
Air Fryer Tofu has all of the crisp of deep fried tofu but none of the excess oil! Itโ€™s ready to enjoy after a quick 15 minute cook time and can be used on grain bowls, salads, stir fry, and more.
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21. Air Fryer Grilled Cheese

You’ll never want to use a stove again to make grilled cheese once you cook it in your air fryer. The air fryer does all the work of toasting, melting, and crisping up the sandwich all at the same time.

Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
Air Fryer Grilled Cheese is a quick, simple, delicious meal that everyone always loves. No need to turn on the stove for this under 10 minute meal.
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22. Air Fryer Tilapia

This air fryer tilapia is great to have in your dinner rotation. This fish is seasoned with garlic powder, salt, pepper, and Italian breadcrumbs. The light breading doesn’t weigh down the fish, creating a healthy meal any night of the week.

A plate of air fryer tilapia.
Air Fryer Tilapia
This easy air fryer tilapia recipe makes delicious, perfectly cooked fish that happens to be healthy too! The air fryer results in tilapia that is crisp on the outside yet tender and flaky in the center.
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23. Air Fryer Parmesan Crusted Chicken

Each bite of this air fryer parmesan crust chicken is better than the next. The air fryer gives the chicken the taste of a juicy piece of fried chicken but leaves out all of the unnecessary oil, making it a pretty healthy dinner to put on the plate.

Air Fryer Parmesan Crusted Chicken
Crispy, tender โ€œfriedโ€ chicken that is healthy? Air Fryer Parmesan Crusted Chicken is the exact dinner recipe youโ€™ve been looking for!
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24. Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp

Bookmark this recipe for the next you need some dinner inspiration. This air fryer coconut shrimp recipe pairs with a sweet chili sauce that is top-tier when it comes to dipping sauces. It will quickly become a family favorite dinner.

A plate of air fryer coconut shrimp with a side of chili sauce.
Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp
Crispy air fryer coconut shrimp are absolutely irresistible, especially with homemade sweet chili sauce for dipping! This easy, healthy air fryer recipe is sure to become a fast favorite.
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Did you find these air fryer recipes helpful? Be sure to share with us and leave a rating and a comment below!

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About Kasey Schwartz

For over 15 years, Kasey Schwartz, the mastermind behind All Things Mamma, has been the ultimate go-to for mouthwatering family recipes. Her work has been featured on Today.com, Buzz Feed, Better Homes and Gardens, and more, making her your go-to mom next door for all things delicious and family-friendly.

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