With an air fryer, you can enjoy all of the yumminess of some of your favorite fried food without the added oil from frying.

The advent of the air fryer re-invigorated how we cook foods that are traditionally fried. Thanks to the air fryer, we can now enjoy crispy French fries that don’t get soft from the microwave. Even better, foods cooked in the air fryer from scratch are much healthier than deep-fried food.

These air fryer dinner recipes make weeknights a breeze. There’s no need to work up a sweat in the kitchen when you have easy air fryer recipes.

Air fryer dinner recipes have gained popularity in recent years due to their ability to deliver delicious and healthy meals with minimal oil. This modern kitchen appliance uses hot air circulation technology that cooks ingredients evenly while retaining their taste and texture. Consequently, it offers a healthier alternative to traditional frying methods that require excessive amounts of oil.

The versatility of air fryers enables home cooks to prepare a wide range of dishes for dinner, from crispy vegetables to perfectly cooked proteins. Not only do these recipes save time and energy, but they also provide a convenient way to enjoy flavorful meals without the added fats and calories. By incorporating an air fryer into one’s cooking routine, achieving balance in one’s diet becomes attainable and enjoyable.

In addition to the health benefits, air fryer dinner recipes cater to various dietary preferences, such as vegetarian, low-carb, or gluten-free. This makes the appliance a great tool for simplifying weeknight dinners while maintaining a health-conscious approach to meal planning.

When venturing into the world of air fryer dinner recipes, the first step is to choose the right air fryer for your needs. Consider factors like the size, features, and wattage of the appliance. Smaller air fryers are suitable for singles or couples, while a family would benefit from a larger capacity. Look for features such as digital controls, timer settings, and temperature range to assist in cooking different recipes. Wattage may vary between 800 and 2100 watts – higher wattage ensures quicker cooking times, but may also consume more electricity.

Using an air fryer for dinner recipes offers several benefits:

Exploring air fryer dinner recipes can open up a world of delicious and healthier meals for beginners and experienced cooks alike. With the right appliance and a collection of enticing recipes, it’s easy to make the most of this versatile cooking method.

Cooking with an air fryer is an exciting and convenient way to make delicious meals that are healthier than deep–fried food. An air fryer uses a combination of hot air, convection, and a small amount of oil to fry, bake, and roast foods. The hot air circulates around the food, cooking it quickly and evenly, while the small amount of oil ensures that the food is crispy and flavorful.

The result is food that tastes as good as deep–fried, but with a fraction of the fat and calories. Air fryers are versatile and easy to use, and can be used to make everything from french fries to fish and vegetables. They also require minimal clean up, making them ideal for busy households. With an air fryer, you can create delicious, healthier meals in no time.

This list has some great air fryer recipes for beginners, from elegant entrees to savory sides. As a special treat, we even have a delicious dessert idea.

Let’s dive in and explore these wonderful air fryer meals.

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Simply put. These are some of the best chicken wings you’ll ever have.

Give them a try, you won’t be disappointed. My family loves them.

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When Taco Tuesday rolls around, think outside the traditional taco box and whip up these turkey tacos in your air fryer.

Everyone loves taco night and when you’re serving turkey meat in your tacos, you have a heart-healthy meal that everyone will enjoy. You can also use chicken thighs for this recipe.

Tacos cooked in the air fryer are incredibly crispy and warm. It’s similar to making tacos in the oven, but the air fryer gets them even crispier.

Be sure to have all of the usual taco trimmings on hand, including tomatoes, sour cream, salsa, and guacamole.

Source: Natashaskitchen.com

There are so many ways to make baked potatoes.

You can cook a baked potato in the traditional method in the oven. Alternatively, you can cook baked potatoes in the microwave. Then there’s the new favorite way of using a slow cooker to make baked potatoes.

However, if you make baked potatoes in your air fryer, you get a baked potato that is crispy on the outside but tender and fluffy on the inside.

An added benefit is that your baked potato will be ready in about half the time.

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Wait, don’t we nearly always make pizza in the oven? Yes, but pizza is also one of the best air fryer recipes.

Pizza made in an air fryer is an ideal meal for when you want something light.

This recipe calls for using pita bread for the crust, and we love that because it’s quick and easy to pull together.

You can even use store-bought marinara sauce like Classico Riserva Marinara.

Be sure to customize your pizza with ingredients you love.

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Arancini rice balls are a classic Italian dish. One thing we love about this air fryer recipe is that it uses up leftover risotto or rice.

With a few extra ingredients, you have a gourmet meal, appetizer, or snack.

The great thing about this recipe is that you can customize it and get creative with whatever veggies you happen to have in the fridge.

This recipe uses dry white wine, heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese. Even better? These rice balls are stuffed with mozzarella cheese.

Source: Feelgoodfoodie.net

Whoever thought up the idea for coconut shrimp was a genius.

A restaurant favorite, your air fryer makes it super easy to cook this traditional shrimp recipe at home.

Shrimp is naturally low in fat and calories, and when you make fried shrimp in your air fryer, you can keep this dish nice and healthy.

You can cook this shrimp recipe from frozen or fresh shrimp.

If you want to use almond or coconut flour, you can do that and make this a gluten-free dish.

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Are you trying to encourage your family to eat more cruciferous vegetables? Toss some of these buffalo cauliflower bites their way.

These are guaranteed to please and have all of the delicious classic flavors of buffalo wings.

This dish is an excellent vegan alternative to the ever-popular buffalo wings.

To make this, choose small pieces of cauliflower for a keto-friendly and low-carb snack.

Save the bigger cauliflower pieces for your steamer meals later in the week.

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We’re in love with these colorful air fryer fish tacos.

The sliced avocado, red onion, and radishes make this a colorful dish, and it’s incredibly healthy.

Isn’t it great to find a new way to use radishes in recipes?

You can use store-bought mini flour tortilla bowls or you can make your own.

The same thing goes with the taco seasoning. Feel free to use a storebought version to make this recipe a snap to make.

Serve with fresh salsa, sour cream, and guacamole. Don’t forget the traditional chopped white onion, cilantro, and lime wedges.

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This delicious chicken breast recipe is perfect for both simple air fryer meals and feeding guests.

The seasoning is what makes this chicken breast so crispy and perfect. You can also use this recipe to cook chicken thighs or other crispy chicken pieces.

The recipe calls for some very basic ingredients that you already have in your pantry.

With salt, olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper, you’ve got a meal that is good enough for company.

Just add a couple of healthy side dishes and you’re all set.

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The amazing zucchini is a wondrous vegetable and one of the most versatile for cooking.

You can do so much with zucchini. From making zoodles (zucchini noodles) to soups, appetizers to salads, it seems that there is no end to the meals you can create with the humble zucchini.

One great way to use up a bumper crop of zucchini is to make these addictive little zucchini chips in the air fryer.

These will disappear quickly! We love them sprinkled with parmesan cheese. These are as addictive as potato chips with none of the guilt.

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Who doesn’t love Tex-Mex food?

Because of air fryers, we can enjoy delicious Tex-Mex recipes that are traditionally full of fat because they’re fried.

With an air fryer, you can cook delicious crispy chimichangas made from leftover rotisserie chicken or even leftover fajita meat.

To make these chimichangas even healthier, wrap them in whole wheat or low-carb tortillas.

Be sure to have some amazing sides on hand, including sour cream, pepper Jack cheese, pico de gallo, and guacamole.

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Salmon patties are an American tradition. Tasty enough to have as a snack, salmon patties are also filling enough for a solid meal.

You can also serve these delicious patties as an appetizer.

The best salmon patties are made with onions and an egg, but smoked paprika and cilantro add a nice kick to this traditional dish.

You can prepare these in advance without cooking them. Then, they’re ready to pop into the air fryer for dinner.

Serve them with a tangy yogurt dip or spicy tzatziki sauce to send them over the top.

Source: Simplyhomecooked.com

When you want a nutritious meal on the table in minutes, air fryer meals help you to achieve that.

What’s healthier than fresh salmon? This recipe is ready in about 15 minutes and has a delicate crust of spices and butter.

The inside of this fish will remain juicy thanks to the air frying technique.

Want an excellent side dish? Try some air fryer asparagus and an air fryer baked potato.

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One of the best things about air frying any food is that you get wonderful crispiness that’s hard to achieve with other healthy cooking techniques.

When you cook pork chops in your air fryer, they are incredibly crispy on the outside and juicy as can be on the inside.

This recipe calls for a rub that you can make at home using paprika, brown sugar, onion powder, ground mustard, salt and pepper, and garlic powder.

Be sure to rinse the pork chops and pat them dry first.

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We have tons of air fryer meals and air fryer dinner recipes on this list, but you can also make a colorful side with air fry vegetables.

To make this dish, you can use whatever veggies you have in your fridge. This dish calls for tomatoes, bell pepper, zucchini, and garlic, but you can toss in cauliflower and broccoli if you have some.

Be sure to season with salt and pepper, along with Italian seasoning. When done, sprinkle it with some grated parmesan cheese. To make this a full vegan meal, stir in some tofu.

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Even people who eat a totally healthy diet seem to have difficulty resisting their favorite flavor of fried chicken wings.

Now, you can enjoy this family favorite with a lot less guilt because you can make them in your air fryer.

One of the easiest healthy air fryer recipes for beginners, crispy chicken wings are perfect to serve for appetizers or an entire meal.

The best part is that you can use a variety of different sauces and flavorings so that everyone has their favorite wing.

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Air fryer butternut squash bites can be served as a side dish or over a bed of creamy mashed potatoes.

Either way, this delicacy will melt in your mouth.

You can roast butternut squash bites in the oven, but it’s lots more satisfying when you make them in the air fryer.

When you cook butternut squash cubes in the air fryer, they come out soft inside but have excellent crispiness on the outside.

These bites are seasoned with paprika and garlic powder.

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Have you got a craving for a classic Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich but don’t want to leave the house?

No problem. You can make this popular sandwich right in your own kitchen with your air fryer.

This copycat recipe for the Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich will become a new family favorite before you know it.

For the breading, use garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper for a little kick.

The secret to this sandwich is that the chicken is sauteed in buttermilk and pickle juice.

Source: Simplyrecipes.com

One of the most popular air fryer dinner recipes is fried chicken.

It’s almost like the air fryer was made just so that we can all enjoy guilt-free fried chicken for the first time.

With this easy air fryer meal, you can forget about bringing home a bucket of fried chicken that has been fried in who knows what type of conditions.

This crispy fried chicken is great served with mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and other side dishes traditionally served with fried chicken.

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If you have leftover turkey (or chicken), you can use it to make delicious and satisfying air fryer turkey croquettes.

This dish will remind you of Thanksgiving because it is basically made from turkey and dressing (or stuffing).

When you’ve finished cooking these up, dip them in gravy or cranberry sauce and you will have what feels like a healthy fast-food Thanksgiving snack.

Turkey croquettes can be a meal of their own. Just serve them with a salad and you’re good to go.

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One of the best things about air fryer meals is that you can enjoy fried foods with a lot less guilt.

There’s no need to add gobs of oil to otherwise nutritious potatoes when you can make homemade french fries in your air fryer.

These fries are crunchy, crispy, and absolutely perfect for munching. They will disappear before you know it.

Here’s a tip: Be sure to space your fries out before you air fry them so that you don’t end up steaming them.

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Chicken taquitos are one of the easiest and tastiest air fryer recipes.

This simple dish is something you can whip up on a busy weeknight or serve on the weekend when you want something that’s filling but also light.

Taquitos are a great way to use up a leftover rotisserie chicken. How can you go wrong with Tex-Mex food that’s cheesy and spicy?

This recipe uses cream cheese, Colby jack cheese, salsa, and black beans. You can always substitute cheddar cheese or a taco cheese blend.

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We have the air fryer to thank for all of the wonderfully crispy potatoes we are enjoying these days.

With easy air fryer recipes, the world is enjoying golden fried potatoes with none of the grease (and guilt!).

Patatas bravas is one of the most popular tapas. They’re crunchy on the outside but soft and fluffy on the inside.

The secret to these potatoes is in the simplicity of the ingredients. But also, you need the perfect brava sauce as well.

This dish works great as a side dish or snack.

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One of the best things about preparing rice for a meal is that you can easily make a double batch.

When you make extra, you can use it the next day to make great recipes like fried rice.

The great thing about fried rice is that you can use any number of things to make it a full meal.

This recipe can be made with frozen, fresh, or even canned veggies. If you want a protein such as chicken or shrimp, go for it! Serve with egg rolls to make it even more delicious.

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Roasted potatoes are the perfect side dish to serve with steak, roast, or other hearty meat entrees.

This recipe uses only five ingredients and much less oil than you use with other cooking methods.

The beautiful simplicity of this dish speaks to how delicious it will be when it’s ready to eat.

Ingredients used are potatoes, olive oil, fresh rosemary (or you can use dried rosemary), garlic powder, and salt and pepper.

Perfectly simple and perfectly delicious.

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If you’ve got a roast cooking in the oven or slow cooker, you can use your air fryer to whip up a batch of delicious and nutritious carrots.

This is one of our favorite air fryer recipes for beginners and it takes a classic dish to a whole different level.

If you’ve never thought of using thyme on carrots, you’re in for a special treat! You can also add some garlic powder if your family likes garlicky dishes.

Be sure to have some chopped parsley on hand for garnish.

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You can use an air fryer to recreate most of your beloved classic recipes, but you can also use this handy new kitchen gizmo to create something entirely new and exciting.

Bacon avocado fries take two cult favorites – bacon and avocado – and bring together in a finger food that is sheer joy.

Can you really go wrong when any food is wrapped in bacon? And is there a way to mess up an avocado? Nope and nope!

These fries are one of the best easy air fryer recipes and they’re keto-friendly, too.

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Are there people who don’t love French fries? If so, we don’t know them!

The good news is that you can enjoy a superfood that is just as good as traditional French fries: sweet potato fries.

These fries are positively mouthwatering and they’re delicious when you dip them in chipotle or ranch.

Sweet potato fries can be a healthy side dish, an appetizer, or just an afternoon snack.

Here’s another great idea. Sweet potatoes keep well in the pantry, so you can always have a bag on hand.

Source: Simplyhomecooked.com

Chicken tenders are a go-to easy meal for many families. They’re wonderful for dipping and there is a dipping sauce for everyone.

The good news is that you can enjoy these handy little golden strips of wonder without the added oil from frying them.

These chicken tenders are coated in mayonnaise and dijon mustard. Then, they’re dredged in a breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese mixture

Another thing you can try to get the perfect chicken tenders is to marinate them in creamy buttermilk and then coat the tenders in the breadcrumb mixture.

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While you’re waiting for all of your delicious side dishes to finish cooking, you can whip up a hearty pork roast in your air fryer.

When you cook a pork roast in your air fryer, you get a perfectly juicy roast that has the best crackling on top.

To create the perfect surface to get all of that crackling, you need to rub the roast down with salt and olive oil.

This roast is great with mashed potatoes or sweet potato fries.

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A lot of folks don’t love Brussel sprouts, and in most cases, it’s because they’ve not tasted them when they’re properly prepared.

These tiny cabbages are delicious when prepared in the air fryer. The parmesan makes them just the right amount of crusty.

Brussels sprouts prepared this way are crunchy, cheesy, salty, and crispy.

In other words, they’re all of the good things we want from a vegetable that’s fried.

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Now that you have all of these amazing air fryer dinner recipes, your family is definitely going to want dessert.

Who doesn’t love s’mores? They’re reminiscent of childhoods spent around a campfire.

But what do you do if you want to make s’mores for a house full of people but don’t have a campfire handy? Well, you make them in the air fryer, of course.

One of the easiest air fry recipes for beginners is the beloved s’mores.

To keep them from blowing around, cut a tiny piece of the marshmallow off at the bottom so that it sticks to the graham cracker.