Whether you just purchased an air fryer or you’ve been using one for a while, you’ll love these 15 Easy Air Fryer Recipes! You’ll find recipes for air fried chicken breast, salmon, baked potatoes, broccoli and more, and you won’t believe how easy they are to make. If you’re wondering if air fryers are worth it, this post also covers pros and cons and frequently asked questions to help you learn more about this amazing appliance!

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The air fryer is one of the best purchases I’ve ever made. It’s made cooking even easier for me, and I’m always excited to find new ways to put it to use.

Whether you’re new to air frying or you’re a seasoned veteran, these 15 Easy Air Fryer Recipes that are so delicious and simple to prepare that you’ll make them time and time again.

If you’re thinking about purchasing an air fryer or want to learn more about how it works, you’ll find that information below as well!

Air fryer pros and cons

If you haven’t purchased one and you’re wondering if air fryers are worth it, the list below will show you that the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.

Pros

  1. It cooks evenly. The air fryer is essentially a convection oven. The food sits in a wire basket or on a tray, and the air circulates around it, ensuring that it’s cooked evenly.
  2. It’s fast. An oven must be preheated, but there’s no need to preheat the air fryer which saves a significant amount of time.
  3. Clean-up is a breeze. The air fryer is extremely easy to clean and most have non-stick baskets or trays that are dishwasher safe. It’s also enclosed, so there are no messy splatters to clean in the kitchen.
  4. Less fat is needed. You can fry foods the healthy way! Just a bit of oil will produce perfectly fried french fries, chicken, fish and more.
  5. It’s multi-faceted. This appliance does it all. It can fry, bake, roast, dehydrate and it cooks frozen foods perfectly.
  6. No oven is necessary. The air fryer provides a convenient way to cook without turning on an oven or grill, which is perfect for hot days!
  7. It’s great for 2 people. The air fryer is great when you’re cooking small batches of food for 2 people or a small family.
  8. It’s ideal for college students. This is the perfect appliance for college students as it takes up minimal space, it’s easy to use and it cooks frozen foods perfectly.
  9. It’s an extension of the oven. If you’re hosting a dinner party or holiday and you’re cooking several dishes, the air fryer can tackle a side dish, appetizer or even dessert for you.
  10. It’s cost effective. Air fryer cost will vary, but my Ninja air fryer is very reasonable at about $99, then they go up from there depending on what you’re looking for.

Cons

  1. Size. The smaller size limits the amount of food that you can cook at once, so cooking in batches may be necessary. You can purchase the larger size toaster oven style air fryer to tackle larger batches, but this model requires more clean-up in my experience.
  2. Space requirements. If your kitchen is small, it may be challenging to find a spot on the counter or storage space for your air fryer.

Air fryer FAQs

What is an air fryer?

It’s essentially a convection oven as the air circulates around the food. This ensures that food cooks more evenly.

Air fryer vs. convection oven

A convection oven is much larger in size and it requires preheating. Air fryers range in size from the smaller pod-style models to counter top ovens, and they require no preheating.

What can you cook in an air fryer?

You can cook just about anything in your air fryer! You can roast chicken, bake cheesecake, fry french fries, dehydrate fruits and veggies, and it cooks frozen foods perfectly as well.

What is the best air fryer?

There are so many options on the market, so the best air fryer depends on your needs, how much money you want to spend, and how much space you have.

A pod style air fryer requires minimal counter space and it’s reasonably priced. If you’d like the ability to cook two dishes at once or larger batches of food, the dual basket or counter top oven models are additional options.

15 Air Fryer Recipes for Beginners

Whether you’re learning how to use an air fryer or you’re a seasoned veteran, you’ll turn to these quick and easy air fryer recipes time and time again.

Air fryer bbq chicken breast on a cutting board

Air Fryer BBQ Chicken

Air Fryer BBQ Chicken is juicy, flavorful and there's no need to fire up the grill! It takes just 5 minutes of prep time and it cooks up in about 20 minutes!
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Air fryer bacon on a white plate

Air Fryer Bacon

Air Fryer Bacon is the best way to make bacon! It's perfectly crispy in minutes with no messy splatter — clean up is a breeze!
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Air fryer baked potatoes with pats of butter and parsley

Air Fryer Baked Potatoes

Air Fryer Baked Potatoes are tender and fluffy with addictive golden brown, crispy potato skins! They're an easy gluten-free side dish that comes out perfect every time!
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Serving spoon buried in a bowl of air fryer broccoli

Air Fryer Broccoli

Air Fryer Broccoli is tender and addictive with crispy edges and the bright flavor of lemon. It's a healthy side dish that's ready in 10 minutes!
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Air fryer brussels sprouts in a bowl with parmesan cheese

Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts

Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts are golden brown and addictively crispy with the flavors of lemon and parmesan. They're a healthy side dish or appetizer that's ready in about 20 minutes!
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Air fryer chicken breast sliced on a plate

Air Fryer Chicken Breast

Air Fryer Chicken Breast is juicy, flavorful and perfect every time! It's an easy chicken dinner that's on the table in about 15 minutes!
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Air fryer chicken drumsticks on a plate with parsley

Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks

Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks are crisp, juicy and seasoned with a flavorful bbq chicken rub! They make an easy, affordable dinner or game day snack!
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Air fryer chicken wings piled on a plate

Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings

Air Fryer Chicken Wings are tender, juicy and so addictively crispy that you'll never need another chicken wing recipe! They're so easy to make and are ready in about 20 minutes!
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Air fryer corn on the cob piled on a white plate

Air Fryer Corn on the Cob

Air Fryer Corn on the Cob is crisp, tender and the easiest way to make corn on the cob! It takes just one ingredient and it's ready in about 8 minutes!
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Air Fryer Hamburgers on a cutting board

Air Fryer Hamburgers

Air Fryer Hamburgers are crisp, juicy and ready in about 10 minutes! They're perfect served with your favorite condiments and buns, or serve in lettuce wraps for a low carb dinner!
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Air fryer jalapeño poppers wrapped in bacon

Air Fryer Jalapeno Poppers

Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers are filled with a cream cheese filling and wrapped in crisp bacon for the ultimate game day snack! They're so easy to make and cook up in 10 minutes!
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Air fryer meatballs on a plate with parsley

Easy Air Fryer Meatballs

Air Fryer Meatballs are juicy, flavorful and cook up perfectly brown and crispy! They take 10 minutes of prep and they're ready in 30 minutes!
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Air fryer pork chops on a platter

Air Fryer Pork Chops

Air Fryer Pork Chops are crisp, juicy and packed with flavor! There's no breading so they're naturally gluten-free, and they're ready in about 15 minutes!
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Air fryer potato skins on a platter

Air Fryer Potato Skins

Air Fryer Potato Skins are ultra crispy and loaded with cheddar cheese, bacon, green onions and sour cream. They're a great gluten-free side dish or game day appetizer!
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Air fryer potatoes in a bowl with rosemary

Crispy Air Fryer Potatoes

Air Fryer Potatoes are crispy, tender and absolutely addictive! They're an easy, gluten-free side dish that the entire family will love!
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Air fryer salmon on a plate with lemon and parsley

Easy Air Fryer Salmon

Once you try salmon in the air fryer, you'll never want to make it any other way! Air Fryer Salmon is crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and it cooks up in under 10 minutes!
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Air fryer shrimp on a platter

Easy Air Fryer Shrimp

Air Fryer Shrimp is juicy, flavorful and includes just 4 ingredients! It's an easy dinner or appetizer that's ready in 10 minutes!
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Air fryer sweet potato fries on parchment with ketchup

Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries

These Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries are healthy way to enjoy your next batch of fries! They're tender and crispy and ready in about 15 minutes!
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