Healthy Recipes For The Air Fryer

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Crispy Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts

10 HEALTHY Air Fryer Recipes that are EASY AND Yummy!

Piping Pot Curry

This recipe by Piping Pot Curry will convert any Brussels sprouts hater into their biggest fan. When prepared correctly, Brussels sprouts make for a delicious and filling side dish or appetizer.

Seasoned with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and balsamic vinegar, these Brussels sprouts are extremely flavorful. They are crispy on the outside thanks to the air fryer, though the inside stays tender. If you make this dish, do not be surprised when your guests come back for seconds.

Other Helpful Tools For Air Frying Food

Pelcher recommends buying a pair of tongs and a food thermometer when you purchase your air fryer. The food is hot after it cooks, so the tongs will help you transfer the food safely to your plate, she says. Also, having a food thermometer to take the temperature of your meats will prevent you from serving raw proteins.

RELATED: 10 High-Protein Dinner Recipes No Meat Required

Healthy Air Fryer Meal Prep Ideas You Need To Try This Week

10/23/2019 by Richmond

This article may contain links from our affiliate partners. Please read how we make money!

If youre new to air fryer meal prep then youre in for a treat! Air fryers are notorious for being easy and fuss-free, and thats exactly what you want when meal prepping. Were going to show some of our all-time favorite air fryer meal prep ideas!

Air fryers are a versatile piece of kitchen appliance that has grown widely popular in the last decade.

They are a healthy alternative to deep-frying because they use a significantly less amount of cooking oil. This means you can enjoy your favorite fried food for considerably fewer calories.

Air fryers come with a host of other benefits, including a shorter cooking time compared to ovens and a significantly reduced cleanup in comparison to traditional fried cooking. Meal prepping with an air fryer is a game-changer.

Air fryers are versatile too. You wont be making just fried chicken with it. In fact, there are plenty of healthy air fryer meal prep recipes that provide a healthier alternative to all your favorite fried foods.

This list of healthy air fryer meal prep recipes is incredibly diverse, with recipes for chicken, seafood, beef, pork, and vegetarian meals. There are even ways to make desserts and breakfasts!

If youre looking for healthy meal prep recipes that dont require an air fryer, be sure to check out these lists:

Also Check: Air Fryer Frozen Sweet Potato Fries

What You Need To Make Healthy Air Fryer Chicken And Veggies

  • Chicken breasts: Chopping the chicken breast up ahead of time will make it cook evenly and faster. The bigger the pieces they are, the longer it will take.
  • Bell peppers: Chop up your favorite color of bell peppers or a combination of any of them. I love red because they add color and are a little sweeter but go with what you like best.
  • Zucchini: Roasting zucchini in the air fryer tastes impressive! You are going to want to cook it this way a lot after you taste it. Yum!
  • Broccoli: One thing I love about this air fryer recipe is that you can easily use fresh broccoli or frozen. This is wonderful when you dont have fresh ones on hand.
  • Onion: Chop up some onions, and they will add lots of flavor to the chicken and veggies.
  • Garlic: The garlic is optional because we are already using garlic powder but it adds so much flavor and is highly recommended!
  • Olive oil: When it comes to cooking in your air fryer, you dont need a lot of oil. Its a much healthier option than deep fat frying food the way you get in a fast-food chain.
  • Seasonings: I love using a combination of seasonings to add flavor to the chicken and vegetables. Garlic powder, chili powder , salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning are my go-to flavors. However, you could use lemon-pepper, cajun, or anything else you like.

Easy Air Fryer Recipes

Air Fryer Curry Cauliflower

Ready to whip up some healthy and easy Air Fryer Recipes? Then check out these Air Fryer Recipes which include breakfasts, mains, desserts and more.

So if you fancy some crispy chickpeas, or crispy golden chicken breast, some air fryer doughnuts, or a light cauliflower curry or a pork satay, this list of 20 easy air fryer recipes helps you make the most of this amazingly versatile kitchen gadget.

Happy, happy cooking

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Air Fryer Breakfast Potatoes

Grilled Cheese Social

This recipe for breakfast potatoes by Grilled Cheese Social is easy to prep, full of hearty vegetables, and vegan-friendly. It only takes five minutes to prep and 15 minutes to cook, so you can easily squeeze this recipe into your morning routine. You just need red potatoes, olive oil, bell peppers, onions, and various spices for flavor.

Since potatoes are rich in complex carbohydrates and fiber, this breakfast will boost your energy levels and satisfy your appetite. Add these to a wrap with other fillings for a flavorful breakfast burrito that is perfect to enjoy on-the-go.

What Can You Cook In The Air Fryer

Pretty much anything that you would normally fry in oil. Anything from:

  • Meats: Such as chicken, chicken fingers, thighs, nuggets, breasts, drumsticks, steak, burgers, etc
  • Vegetables: Anything from corn to blooming onion.
  • Pizza

Feel free to check out my full Air Fryer recipe list here.

With that said, here are our top 15 favorites and healthiest Air Fryer recipes to date. They are listed in no particular order.

These are super crisp and flavorful. Made with double-crusted parmesan, and seasoning before getting air-fried to crunchy, golden perfection. Dip them into sauces, serve with entrees, or use them as toppers for burgers, hotdogs, and more!

Read Also: How To Make French Toast Sticks In Air Fryer

Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan

Are we even surprised? By now we already know the air fryer is supreme. The fact that crispy golden chicken can be achieved without the use of any oil whatsoever is amazing and that’s not to mention how quickly the air fryer can do it! This chicken parm tastes every bit as good as the traditional version with much less effort to get there. The air fryer will even melt and broil your cheese for a perfect cheesy, crispy bite!

Obsessed too? Tell us about it in the comments below!

shredded mozzarella

Freshly chopped parsley, for garnish

  • Carefully butterfly chicken by cutting in half widthwise to create 4 thin pieces of chicken. Season on both sides with salt and pepper.
  • Prepare dredging station: Place flour in a shallow bowl and season with a large pinch of salt and pepper. Place eggs in a second bowl and beat. In a third bowl, combine bread crumbs, Parmesan, oregano, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes.
  • Working with one piece of a chicken at a time, coat in flour, then dip in eggs, and finally press into panko mixture making sure both sides are coated well.
  • Working in batches as necessary, place chicken in basket of air fryer and cook at 400° for 5 minutes on each side. Top chicken with sauce and mozzarella and cook at 400° for 3 minutes more or until cheese is melty and golden.
  • Garnish with parsley to serve.
  • Crispy Sweet Potato Fries

    Healthy Air Fryer Recipes

    Sweet potatoes are a brilliant option for those on a low-carb diet, as these tasty potatoes are complex carbohydrates.

    Not only are they high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals, but they also taste really great as fries. Whilst the flavor is naturally quite sweet, its easy to make savory sweet potato fries in an air fryer. Complete with a crispy outer layer, you cant go wrong.

    Heres our favorite recipe for air-fried crispy sweet potato fries.

    Also Check: Eric Theiss Power Air Fryer Oven

    Healthy Air Fryer Appetizers

    These healthy air fryer appetizers will satisfy your appetizer needs without the guilt! Pass them around at your next gathering or just make a small batch for your family. Youre sure to love these quick and healthy air fryer recipes.

    Need an appetizer?

    The Air Fryer is the perfect tool for making healthy appetizers quickly. It gives you that fried food crunch and flavor without actually deep frying anything.

    Plus, it cooks quickly so you can whip up most of these recipes in under 30 minutes!

    Easy Air Fryer Chicken Wings The Real Simple Good Life

    From frozen to on the table in 30 minutes! This recipe also includes a 3-ingredient creamy buffalo sauce for dipping or coating the wings. Its finger lickin good.

    Air Fryer Fried Pickles What Great Grandma Ate

    These low carb and keto air fryer fried pickles are breaded with crushed pork rinds, and so crunchy and addicting! They are way easier to make than the deep fried method.

    Crispy Air Fryer Cauliflower Gnocchi Shuangys Kitchen Sink

    The easiest way to make crispy Trader Joes cauliflower gnocchi! Ready in under 15 minutes and the perfect bite-sized appetizer.

    Keto Avocado Fries Kirbies Cravings

    A delicious low-carb appetizer, the outside batter on these Keto avocado fries gets nice and crispy, giving way to a creamy avocado filling once you bite in.

    Air Fryer Zucchini Fries Shuangys Kitchen Sink

    Crispy Air Fryer Pork Chops

    This recipe for Crispy Air Fryer Pork Chops is the perfect quick supper that the entire family will love. Have it on the table in less then 30 minutes from start to finish, plus clean up is a breeze!

    Follow the recipe as directed, or try changing it up with your favorite seasonings to make it your own.

    From: thismomsmenu.com

    Read Also: Power Xl Air Fryer Oven 8 Qt

    Air Fryer Vegetarian Recipes

    Looking for vegetarian air fryer recipes? Here are 13 of them Some are stand-alone main dishes, while others are sides.

    There are many ways to enjoy zucchini, but these fritters have to be one of my favorite! The recipe takes just 15 minutes in the air fryer, and makes for a great snack or appetizer.

    Grated parmesan is great both on top or in the batter of these delicious zucchini fritters.

    Air Fryer Ribeye Steak With Blue Cheese Butter Keto

    15 Healthy Air Fryer Recipes

    A grill with an open flame is, without a doubt, the best way to cook a ribeye steak. When you dont have access to one, or you want to mix things up, its good to have other recipes up your sleeve. The air fryer can cook a 1-inch thick ribeye to medium rare in just nine minutes! Also, the blue cheese butter makes for both a delicious and keto-friendly topping.

    Read Also: Good Things To Make In Air Fryer

    How To Use An Air Fryer

    Meet the air fryer, the miracle kitchen gadget that every healthy cook should have. Essentially a small convection oven, an air fryer works by circulating hot air up to 400 degrees around your food, transforming it into crispy perfection without all the oil or butter you’d normally need.

    So, what can you make in an air fryer? The possibilities are limitlessand you can use an air fryer to make comfort food favorites that are normally deep-fried, sauteed, baked, or grilled. So whether you’ve craving onion rings, French toast, or cheesy loaded potatoes, here are delicious air fryer recipes to show you how to make the most of this amazingly versatile kitchen tool.

    Once you’ve mastered these recipes, check out our collection of air fryer desserts.

    Air Fryer Advantages And Disadvantages

    There are multiple advantages to adding an air fryer to your kitchen gadgets. Air fryers allow you to save time by cooking foods faster. They also allow for faster kitchen clean up time. Most importantly, air fryers allow you to make healthy dishes that actually taste good.

    There are a few disadvantages to cooking with an air fryer that are worth pointing out.

    Overcooking meats in an air fryer can cause them to get a layer of blackened crust. This layer of crust is called acrylamide, a fairly common compound that can potentially cause cancer. When cooking in your air fryer you should remove this layer of the blackened crust before eating your meats.

    Air fryers also present you with a higher risk of burning or drying out your food. These magic gadgets cook food rapidly at high temperatures. It is important that you watch your food and cook for the proper duration.

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    How Do They Work

    Air fryers are square or egg-shaped devices, about the size of a coffeemaker, that sit on your countertop. You put the food you want to fry — chopped potatoes, chicken nuggets, zucchini slices — into a slide-out basket. If you want, you can toss it in a light coating of oil.

    A fan pushes heated air — up to 400 F — around the food. It’s a bit like a convection oven.

    The circulating air cooks the outside of foods first, which creates a crispy brown coating and keeps the inside soft, just like deep-fried foods. As the food cooks, a container below the basket catches any grease that drops.

    Bottom line: Air fryers create the crispy, chewy foods people love without all the oil.

    Indulge Without Guilt: 50 Healthy Air Fryer Recipes To Try

    5 Healthy Chicken Breast Air Fryer Recipes

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    Theres a reason everyone loves fried foods theyre crispy and delicious! However, deep fried foods can result in diabetes, heart disease, weight gain and other adverse health effects. Using an air fryer is a healthy alternative that allows you to get the flavour and texture of deep fried foods without all the risks. Weve rounded up 50 healthy air fryer recipes you can work into your meal plan for healthy fried food thats just as delicious as the real thing!

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    What Can You Cook In An Air Fryer

    An air fryer can cook pretty much anything that you would normally fry in oil, such as:

    • Chicken, including chicken fingers and nuggets
    • Vegetables
    • Pizza
    • Doughnuts

    Some models also have toast and bake settings, making them more like conventional ovens. You can use these to bake brownies or roast a chicken. One downside of many of these devices is their small basket size, which leaves little room to cook an entire family meal.

    Healthy Air Fried Chicken And Broccoli Stir Fry

    Its a fantastic quick and easy chicken dinner for weeknights when you need an easy healthy dinner. Best of all, theres little clean up and all finished in one vessel. The hot circulating air cooks the broccoli crispy and the chicken has a nice crisp sear with very little oil. Once you cook it, you can even add your personal favorite bottled sauces on top for more flavor. This is a great healthy air fryer chicken recipe with so many possibilities for additions and substitutions.

    Recommended Reading: Tai Pei Chicken Egg Rolls Air Fryer

    Crispy Buttermilk Parmesan Chicken Tenders

    It will surprise you how healthy these crispy buttermilk parmesan chicken tenders are. Well, theyre not deep-fried in gallons of oil, so theyre a much less unhealthy version of the tenders you see at fast-food restaurants. This is an ideal meal for those who are missing take-out meals!

    Heres a helpful recipe for this tasty and satisfying meal. Just make sure not to overcrowd the basket of the air fryer – but this depends on the size of your appliance and its capacity!

    Do Air Fryers Help With Weight Loss

    Air Fryer Recipes

    Does cooking normally deep-fried chicken tenders in the air fryer make them healthier? Yes, but that doesnt make eating out of an air fryer does not make the food automatically healthy.

    You can take a look through these lists of Air Fryer Desserts and Air Fryer Dinner Recipes to see that yourself.

    Here are some ways to help lose weight when using an air fryer:

    • Skip the breading
    • Choose light spices and seasonings for flavorful meals
    • Stay away from fatty meats and stick with healthy air fryer chicken recipes for meat in your diet
    • Choose low-calorie foods
    • Replace fatty and unhealthy snacks with healthy air fryer snacks
    • Stay away from frozen foods they tend to be higher in sodium than homemade recipes
    • Make more vegetarian recipes in your air fryer and just vegetables in general!

    This list of healthy air fryer recipes is slimming and designed to help clean eating habits.

    If youre on a keto diet, check out our Air Fryer Keto Recipes list for the best of the best low-carb air fryer meals.

    Also Check: Frigidaire Electric Range Air Fryer

    Tips For Using An Air Fryer

    Get a good quality air fryer! Make sure to check the reviews on Amazon and get yourself a really good air fryer! There are so many different options, make sure to do your research!

    Clean in between use, one huge mistake you can make is to use your air fryer several times without cleaning it well in between usage. Its incredibly important to clean your air fryer well between each usage.

    Place your Air Fryer in a secure place when using, I know this sounds simple but they do get VERY HOT be sure to place your air fryer in a save spot! There needs to a decent amount of airflow around your air fryer so that it can operate effectively. If youre able to have 5 inches of space around the edges at all times, thats ideal. If not, it should have a minimum of 3 inches.

    Does Air Frying Destroy Nutrients

    Cooking foods using any cooking method can cause it to lose up to 40% of its nutrients. Due to its cooking methods, air fryers allow you to keep more key nutrients than many other cooking methods. Air Fryers cook food by circulating hot air. Air frying your food allows you to cook food quickly and healthy.

    Recommended Reading: Ninja Air Fryer 2 Basket

    Best Foods To Cook In An Air Fryer

    1. ChickenThere are plenty of ways to use an air fryer to cook chicken. Whether youre in the mood for chicken wings, chicken nuggets, or chicken breast with vegetables, an air fryer is the perfect way to get your chicken nice and crisp!

    2. PotatoesFrom breakfast potatoes to homemade potato chips to French fries, potatoes are one of the most popular foods to make in an air fryer. It will give your potatoes the nice crisp youre looking for, adding a delicious side to your meal! Side note: You can also make other types of chips like kale chips in an air fryer!

    3. Vegetables Youd Roast or GrillThink about vegetables youd typically roast or grill such as asparagus, squash, cauliflower, broccoli and Brussels sprouts. Imagine how good these would taste with an extra crunchy layer! Pop them into the air fryer for a delicious, healthy treat!

    4. Hard Boiled EggsDid you know you can make hard boiled eggs in an air fryer? You dont even need water to make them- you just put them in the air fryer, peel them and theyre ready to eat. Its ideal for busy mornings!

    5. ChickpeasCrispy chickpeas are delicious and there may be no better way to make them than with an air fryer. You can eat crispy chickpeas as a snack, put them in a salad, or top your Buddha bowls with them.

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