Air Fryer Tips and Recipes

New kitchen gadgets are typically exciting for foodies, but the excitement caused by the air fryer is unmatched. Many are in awe of its ability to cook, crisp, and fry without any additional oil or fat.

An air fryer is a small, countertop kitchen appliance that serves as a convection oven and uses high-speed, hot air to “fry” foods, giving them a unique crispness. With this cutting-edge, impressive appliance, many people are learning new ways to cook their favorite foods. Here, we outline a few of our favorite air fryer recipes and some helpful tips to consider when using it!

Air Fryer Recipes:

Chicken Wings

Ingredients

• Approximately 1 lb chicken wings split into flats and drumettes
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cayenne
• 1 tsp lemon pepper
• 2 tsp your choice of seasoning (could be a smoked rub, blackened seasoning, cajun seasoning, it is up to you!)
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

1. Pat the chicken wings dry and place in a mixing bowl.
2. Add olive oil and seasonings, toss so the wings are evenly coated with oil and seasoning.
3. Place wings in the air fryer and air fry at 390 F for 11 minutes per side, a total of 22 minutes. If you want your wings extra crispy, place wings back in for an additional 5 minutes at 400 F.
4. Once the wings are crispy and golden, enjoy with your favorite sauces and sides!

Crispy Brussel Sprouts

Ingredients

• 16 oz fresh brussel sprouts
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp lemon pepper
• 1 tbsp butter
• Juice from ⅓ a lemon

Instructions

1. Heat your air fryer to 375 F.
2. Trim and halve the brussel sprouts and transfer to a medium bowl.
3. In the bowl, add olive oil, salt, and lemon pepper and toss to combine.
4. Put the seasoned brussel sprouts into the air fryer, ensuring that it is a single layer. Air fry for 15 minutes, rotating/mixing the brussel sprouts half way through.
5. While the brussel sprouts are frying, place the butter and lemon juice in a bowl, and melt/heat it in the microwave.
6. Once the brussel sprouts are ready, transfer them into the bowl with the lemon butter and toss to combine. Serve immediately and enjoy!

French Toast Sticks

Ingredients

• 4 slices slightly stale thick bread (I like to use cinnamon bread!)
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• Powdered sugar (optional)
• Whipped cream (optional)
• Maple syrup (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat air fryer to 360 F.
2. Cut each slice of bread into thirds, making sticks.
3. Mix eggs, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract in a bowl. Dip each strip of bread into the mixture, covering both sides.
4. Place a piece of parchment paper in the air fryer. Put a single layer of the french toast sticks into the air fryer and cook for 10 minutes, flipping the french toast sticks halfway through.
5. Remove the french toast sticks and serve with powdered sugar, whipped cream, or maple syrup. Enjoy!

Tips:

1. If you are new to using an air fryer, start small and try cooking frozen french fries or tater tots. It is as easy as sticking them in the air fryer and turning it on! This way, you can ease into the appliance while witnessing its amazing crisping abilities.
2. When putting large or dense foods in an air fryer (excluding meats), try microwaving briefly before air frying to ensure that the food is cooked/heated all the way through.
3. The air fryer is perfect for reheating foods and leftovers! This appliance does a great job heating up food items and maintaining their original crispy or crunchy texture. Believe it or not, pizza is one of my favorite leftovers to revive in an air fryer!
4. Do not forget about the healthy foods! It is easy to think of fries and wings, but air fryers do an amazing job roasting and crisping up vegetables. It can give your vegetables a nice, caramelized flavor in just a few minutes!
5. There are accessories you can purchase that fit your air fryer. Accessories range from small pans and grates, to air fryer-specific muffin tins! These accessories are well worth the cost and can allow for flexibility on what recipes you can try.