17 air fryer recipes that had your aunt asking for a second plate

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Crisp edges and quick cooking can turn an ordinary air fryer meal into a plate worth revisiting. These 17 air fryer recipes cover chicken, shrimp, beef, turkey, pork, wings, bacon, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, empanadas, and loaded potato rounds. Several finish in under 20 minutes, while turkey breast, barbecue drumsticks, and sauce-coated wings handle larger dinner portions. The mix gives the table enough mains, sides, snacks, and shareable bites to make a second helping an easy decision.

Air Fryer chicken cordon bleu on a plate.
Air Fryer Chicken Cordon Bleu. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

Air Fryer Chicken Fries

Air fried chicken fries with dipping sauce on a wooden cutting board.
Air Fryer Chicken Fries. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

Frozen breaded strips make Air Fryer Chicken Fries a fast plate that leaves room for several dipping sauces. One pound of chicken fries makes four servings in 9 minutes. The pieces cook at 400°F for five minutes, then flip and air-fry for another two minutes until hot and crisp. Serve them immediately with barbecue sauce, honey mustard, ranch, garlic aioli, cut vegetables, or a simple side salad.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Chicken Fries

Air Fryer Seasoned Shrimp

A close-up of a seasoned, cooked shrimp on a fork, held in front of a bowl of dipping sauce.
Air Fryer Seasoned Shrimp. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

Paprika and garlic give Air Fryer Seasoned Shrimp a lightly crisp exterior while the seafood stays juicy inside. One pound of peeled shrimp makes four servings in 16 minutes with oil, salt, and black pepper. Pat the shrimp dry, let the seasoning rest for about 10 minutes, and cook the pieces in a single layer at 350°F. Finish with lemon and parsley, or add them to tacos, rice, pasta, salads, or grain bowls.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Seasoned Shrimp

Air Fryer Beef Empanadas

Four pieces of Air Fryer Beef Empanadas on a black rectangular slate.
Air Fryer Beef Empanadas. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

Flaky pie dough wraps Air Fryer Beef Empanadas around chopped beef, cheese, shredded potatoes, refried beans, onion, and chipotle. The batch makes about 30 small empanadas and eight servings in 36 minutes. Brush the sealed half-moons with egg, cook them at 375°F for eight minutes, then flip for another two to three minutes. Serve them as an appetizer with salsa, sour cream, guacamole, or a crisp vegetable side.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Beef Empanadas

Air Fryer Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

Three pieces of Air Fryer Honey Garlic Chicken garnished with sesame seeds and chopped green onions on a white rectangular plate.
Air Fryer Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

Sticky sauce coats Air Fryer Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs with soy sauce, honey, garlic, rice vinegar, sriracha, and sesame oil. One and a half pounds of chicken makes four servings in 20 minutes. Cook the thighs skin-side down at 375°F for 12 minutes, then flip, add more sauce, and continue for three to four minutes. Pair them with rice, steamed vegetables, noodles, or a cucumber salad that balances the sweet heat.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs

Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs in a bowl.
Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

Lean ground meat keeps Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs light while breadcrumbs, egg, parsley, garlic powder, and onion powder hold each piece together. One pound of turkey forms about 16 meatballs and makes four servings in 18 minutes. The meatballs cook at 375°F for seven to eight minutes until they reach 165°F. Add them to pasta, tuck them into rolls, serve them with vegetables, or set out a sauce for dipping.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs

Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Yellow Beans

Lemon pepper yellow beans on a black plate with lemon wedges.
Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Yellow Beans. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

Lemon pepper brightens Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Yellow Beans with garlic powder, onion powder, and a light coating of olive oil. Three-quarters of a pound of beans makes four servings in 8 minutes. The trimmed beans cook at 375°F for five minutes, get tossed, and return for about two more minutes until tender-crisp. Place them beside chicken, pork, fish, burgers, or another air-fried main that needs a quick vegetable.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Yellow Beans

Air Fryer BBQ Chicken

Close-up of a cooked chicken wing with a bite taken, showing juicy and tender meat covered in dark barbecue sauce.
Air Fryer BBQ Chicken. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

Smoky seasoning gives Air Fryer BBQ Chicken crisp drumsticks before barbecue sauce caramelizes during the final few minutes. Ten to 12 drumsticks make six servings in 35 minutes. Cook the chicken at 375°F for 22 to 25 minutes, flipping halfway, then coat it with sauce and return it at 400°F for two to three minutes. Serve with corn, beans, slaw, potato salad, or roasted sweet potatoes.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer BBQ Chicken

Air Fryer Corn on The Cob

Air Fryer Corn on the Cob with slices of butter on top.
Air Fryer Corn on The Cob. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

Roasted kernels make Air Fryer Corn on The Cob a simple side with olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Four shucked ears make four servings in 20 minutes. Rub each cob with oil, arrange them in the basket, and cook at 400°F for about 10 minutes while flipping halfway through. Add butter, herbs, Parmesan, lime, or chili seasoning, then serve the corn beside chicken, steak, burgers, or pork chops.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Corn on The Cob

Air Fryer Wings with Alabama White Wing Sauce

A pile of air-fried chicken wings on a black slate platter with a bowl of creamy dipping sauce in the background.
Air Fryer Wings with Alabama White Wing Sauce. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

Tangy mayonnaise sauce sets Air Fryer Wings with Alabama White Wing Sauce apart with chives, cider vinegar, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and cayenne. Two pounds of wings make four servings in 38 minutes. Cook them at 380°F for 15 to 18 minutes, then raise the heat to 400°F for another two to three minutes. Toss the hot wings lightly in sauce or keep it on the side with celery, carrots, and pickles.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Wings with Alabama White Wing Sauce

Sweet Potatoes in Air Fryer

A sweet potato on a plate with a fork.
Sweet Potatoes in Air Fryer. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

Whole vegetables make Sweet Potatoes in Air Fryer an uncomplicated side that needs no seasoning before cooking. Two sweet potatoes make four servings with 2 minutes of prep and up to 40 minutes of cooking. Pierce each potato several times, cook at 375°F for 20 minutes, then check every five minutes until the centers soften. Split and fluff them before adding butter, herbs, cinnamon, chopped nuts, or a savory meat topping.
Get the Recipe: Sweet Potatoes in Air Fryer

Air Fryer Turkey Breast

Sliced turkey breast on a white plate with sprigs of thyme.
Air Fryer Turkey Breast. Photo credit: Keto Cooking Wins.

Herb butter covers Air Fryer Turkey Breast with thyme, marjoram, parsley, oregano, tarragon, salt, and black pepper. One bone-in, skin-on breast makes four servings in 55 minutes. Cook it at 375°F for about 40 minutes, brushing on the remaining butter mixture halfway through, until the center reaches 165°F. Rest the turkey under foil for 10 minutes before slicing it with vegetables, cauliflower, potatoes, or a green salad.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Turkey Breast

Air Fryer Sweet Potato Cubes

A white bowl filled with seasoned roasted sweet potato cubes, garnished with chopped herbs, with a metal serving spoon on the side and a printed napkin partially visible.
Air Fryer Sweet Potato Cubes. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

Cumin and smoked paprika give Air Fryer Sweet Potato Cubes savory edges with garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and oil. One pound of sweet potatoes makes four servings in 18 minutes. Cut the pieces into one-inch cubes, cook them at 400°F for five minutes, stir, and continue for six to eight minutes. Serve them with eggs, turkey, pork chops, chicken, grain bowls, or a dipping sauce with a cooling creamy base.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Sweet Potato Cubes

Air Fryer Steak Bites

A plate of cooked steak bites garnished with herbs, served with pieces of yellow bell pepper.
Air Fryer Steak Bites. Photo credit: Dinner by Six.

Ribeye cubes turn Air Fryer Steak Bites into a fast steakhouse-style plate with garlic, Worcestershire sauce, melted butter, and parsley. One pound of steak makes four servings in 18 minutes. The seasoned pieces cook at 400°F for three to four minutes, with a flip halfway through, before resting briefly and being tossed with butter. Serve them with potatoes, beans, corn, mushrooms, salad, or toothpicks for a shareable appetizer.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Steak Bites

Air Fryer Twisted Bacon

Crispy twisted strips of cooked bacon garnished with chopped parsley, displayed on a white surface.
Air Fryer Twisted Bacon. Photo credit: The Bite Stuff.

Spiral shaping helps Air Fryer Twisted Bacon develop crisp ridges while keeping some chew through the center. Nine bacon slices make three servings in 10 minutes. Twist each strip tightly, arrange the pieces without overlapping, and cook at 400°F for about five minutes. Drain the bacon briefly, then serve it with eggs, pancakes, sandwiches, burgers, salads, baked potatoes, or as a crunchy topping for another dish.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Twisted Bacon

Air Fryer Irish Nachos

A platter of Air Fryer Irish Nachos topped with melted cheese, sour cream, bacon bits, and chopped green onions.
Air Fryer Irish Nachos. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

Potato rounds replace tortilla chips in Air Fryer Irish Nachos with cheddar, bacon, green onions, sour cream, smoked paprika, and garlic salt. One pound of yellow potatoes makes four servings in 22 minutes. Cook the slices at 400°F until browned, then add cheese and bacon for another one to two minutes. Finish with the remaining toppings and serve immediately as a snack, appetizer, or casual dinner plate.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Irish Nachos

Air Fryer Pork Chops

A close-up of a seasoned pork chop slice garnished with herbs, held by a fork, with asparagus spears in the background.
Air Fryer Pork Chops. Photo credit: The Bite Stuff.

Sage marinade gives Air Fryer Pork Chops a sweet-savory crust with brown sugar, garlic powder, pepper, salt, and oil. Two bone-in chops make two servings in 15 minutes. Let the seasoning rest on the meat for 10 minutes, then cook at 380°F for eight to 10 minutes while flipping halfway. Rest the chops for three to five minutes before serving them with beans, corn, sweet potatoes, salad, or roasted vegetables.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Pork Chops

Air Fryer Chicken Cordon Bleu

Air Fryer chicken cordon bleu on a plate.
Air Fryer Chicken Cordon Bleu. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

Breaded patties make Air Fryer Chicken Cordon Bleu a shortcut version layered with deli ham and melted Swiss cheese. Four frozen chicken patties make four servings with only 2 minutes of preparation. Cook them at 380°F for seven minutes, flip for another three to four minutes, then add ham and cheese for one final minute. Serve the stacked chicken with rice, creamed corn, vegetables, potatoes, or a tomato salad.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Chicken Cordon Bleu

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