Over the past few years, air fryers have been one of the hottest small kitchen appliances on the market. And the more I use our air fryer, the more I understand what all the hype is about!
Not only are they easy to use, but they also do one thing better than almost any other cooker: they make food really crispy. In today’s post, we’ll be exploring some of the best ways to put the talents of this small appliance to good use. So without further ado, here are 8 of the best ways to use your air fryer!
Useful Air Fryer Resources
Whether you’re a complete newbie to air fryers or you use one several times a week, you can benefit from downloading my free Air Fryer Cooking Times Cheat Sheet. It has recommendations for cooking time and temperature for all your favorite foods (including many of the foods listed below). Print it out and hang it up in your kitchen so it’s there when you need it.
And if you could use a quick refresher on what an air fryer actually is or how it works, check out my introduction to the air fryer to bone up on all the important details.
8 Of The Best Ways To Use Your Air Fryer
1. Frozen Snacks
Nearly every type of frozen snack food cooks up wonderfully in an air fryer! From chicken nuggets to tater tots, and jalapeño poppers to taquitos, they’ll all turn out perfectly crispy every time (and in a hurry, too!)
2. Meat
But the air fryer isn’t just for snack time—it can come in handy for dinner too! We’ve used ours to cook up all sorts of proteins, including chicken tenderloins, salmon filets, and thinly-sliced pork chops.
The nice thing about using it to cook meat is that you don’t really need a lot of information to do it. Since you’ll be opening up the basket to flip or shake the food anyway, there are plenty of opportunities to see how it’s coming along.
3. “Hard-Boiled” Eggs
It’s easy to make delicious hard-boiled eggs in your air fryer. Just place your eggs in the basket and cook them at 275°F for about 15 minutes. Transfer the eggs to an ice bath to cool, then peel and enjoy!
4. Chicken Wings
Wing lovers rejoice, because people rave about how much they love air fryer chicken wings. Prepare your wings how you like them (breaded or not, seasoned to your liking), then cook them at 400°F for about 20 minutes.
Add about 5 minutes of cook time if your wings are frozen, and make sure the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Once cooked, toss the wings in your sauce of choice and return to the basket for 1-2 more minutes. Yum!
5. Vegetables
Roasted vegetables have such a great flavor and texture, especially when cooked in an air fryer. Toss green beans, broccoli, or even corn on the cob in a bit of oil, then cook at 400°F, checking every 5-12 minutes, until they’re cooked to your liking.
6. Warm Cookies
Who doesn’t love a warm, gooey, freshly baked cookie? With an air fryer, you can enjoy that warm, gooey goodness anytime you like!
Pop a homemade cookie or two into the basket, then cook for just a minute or two until warm and melty. Mmmmm…
7. Hot Dogs
Some of the best hot dogs I’ve ever eaten were cooked around a campfire! Roasting or grilling hot dogs gives them a deeper, more satisfying flavor that boiling or steaming just can’t beat.
You can replicate that delicious, fire-roasted flavor in your air fryer. Just heat to 385°F, add a few hot dogs to the basket, and cook them for 5 minutes for a quick and delicious hot dog experience!
8. Reheating Leftovers
When it comes to heating up leftovers, the air fryer is the undisputed champion of the kitchen. It is capable of working miracles on sad and soggy leftovers, and yes, that even includes leftover French fries! They crisp up beautifully, which means you can genuinely enjoy those leftover fries you brought home yesterday.
It’s also good for heating up leftover pizza. A single slice takes just a few minutes to reheat at 400°F, and the crust is deliciously crispy every time (even if it was a bit soggy after being refrigerated!)
Bonus Tips For Air Fryer Success
- Pre-heat your air fryer at least 5 minutes before putting your food in to cook.
- Don’t overcrowd the basket. Overcrowding restricts airflow inside the basket, which can result in uneven cooking and less crispy results.
- Shake and/or flip your food over a few times during cooking for best results.
- Add a bit of oil or cooking spray to your meat and veggies to ensure they develop a nice, crispy exterior.
Do you own an air fryer? If so, what’s your favorite way to use it?
