The Crispy Chicken Tenders That Started It All
Every love affair begins with a spark, and for this culinary professional, that spark came from kid-friendly chicken fingers that are a healthier alternative to the ones you order from your local pizzeria – and guaranteed to please young and old alike. After years of working in professional kitchens, he discovered that the air fryer could deliver restaurant-quality results in a fraction of the time. What truly blew his mind wasn’t just the speed – it was how preparing salmon in the air fryer is, hands down, one of the easiest ways to cook it, and air-fryer salmon stays succulent, but still gets lightly browned on the outside.
The coating stayed impossibly crispy while the meat remained juicy inside. He realized this wasn’t just about convenience anymore – this was about revolutionizing how home cooks could achieve professional results. Air fryers are generally faster than conventional ovens and use significantly less oil than deep frying, and you don’t have to lift a finger to create food that’s crispy on the outside and tender within.
Perfect Air-Fried Salmon in Ten Minutes Flat
For the fastest seafood dinner ever, turn to your air fryer, as this salmon cooks in just 10 minutes and comes out perfectly tender and flaky on the inside with an amazing top crust. The sweet mustard topping takes this over the top. This chef’s salmon technique involves a simple drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of seasonings, and then letting the air fryer work its magic.
The beauty lies in its simplicity – no flipping required, no oil splattering across the stovetop. If you’re new to cooking fish or intimidated to try it in general, using an air fryer is a pretty straightforward way to go about it, as for this easy salmon recipe, all you have to do is drizzle the fish with olive oil, sprinkle with seasonings and air-fry. The results speak for themselves: restaurant-quality fish that’s foolproof enough for weeknight dinners yet elegant enough for company.
Brussels Sprouts That Actually Taste Amazing
Decent Brussels sprouts can come out of a hot oven, but anyone who has eaten crispy Brussels sprouts at a restaurant knows that greater edible experience exists, and your favorite restaurant relies on the deep fryer for that texture. The chef’s secret? They’re crispy and caramelized, and thanks to the super-hot circulating air of the air fryer, their insides become tender while the outsides crisp to perfection. The buttery glaze takes it over the top.
Even Brussels sprouts haters become converts when they try his version. The key is cutting larger sprouts in half to maximize the surface area and ensure even cooking. What once required standing over a hot stove, constantly stirring and monitoring, now happens hands-free while he prepares the rest of the meal.
Bacon That’s Actually Better Than Stovetop
Air-fryer bacon cooks more quickly than it does in the oven or on the stovetop, and it’s so much crispier. It goes perfectly with eggs and pancakes or alone as a poppable salty snack. Yes, you can make bacon in your air fryer! It’s easy and keeps your stovetop free for making other breakfast foods.
The genius lies in how the bacon’s own fat renders out, collecting in the bottom tray while the meat cooks suspended above. No more paper towels needed to absorb grease, no more splattering mess to clean up afterward. The result is evenly cooked, perfectly crispy bacon that’s ready in minutes. He often batch-cooks bacon on Sunday mornings, storing it in the fridge for quick breakfast additions throughout the week.
The Fluffiest French Toast You’ve Ever Had
She recommends soaking the bread in a mixture of eggs, milk, and vanilla extract for at least five to 10 minutes. Then, I slice the bread into fingers to fit more in my air fryer basket and cook them at 375 degrees for four to six minutes on each side. If your toast seems to be drying out, try spraying the basket with some oil before cooking. Serve with a sprinkling of powdered sugar for an extra decadent breakfast.
Air frying French toast guarantees a crispy exterior and an irresistible, evenly cooked interior. The circulating hot air creates a golden crust that rivals any diner, while the inside stays custardy and soft. He’s experimented with different bread types – brioche gives the richest results, while challah offers the perfect balance of texture and flavor. The best part? No standing over a hot griddle, flipping each piece individually.
Cheesecake Bites That Rival Any Bakery
One of my all-time favorite air fryer desserts is the cheesecake recipe I found on Eating Well. It’s super quick and easy, and you end up with cute bite-size treats. Start by crumbling up some graham crackers (gingersnaps and shortbread also work great) and combining them with sugar and butter. Then, mix the cream cheese, yogurt, vanilla extract, egg, sugar, and lemon zest and divide it into muffin cups on top of the crumbly crust.
These individual cheesecakes cook in a fraction of the time a full-sized version would need in the oven. The air fryer’s consistent heat distribution ensures no cracks on top, and the compact size means perfectly set centers every time. He’s become the go-to dessert contributor at dinner parties, often making variations with different toppings like fresh berries or caramel drizzle.
Caramelized Bananas That Transform Any Dessert
One of the simplest things I’ve made in an air fryer might also be my favorite: caramelized bananas. It’s really as simple as slicing a banana in half, brushing both sides with oil, ghee, or butter, dusting both sides with brown sugar and cinnamon, and popping them in the air fryer at 370 degrees for three to five minutes per side. If you’re short on time, slightly ripe bananas tend to cook faster and caramelize splendidly. I also like adding ground cardamom and a dash of nutmeg to my cinnamon-sugar mixture and serving with ice cream.
These caramelized bananas have become his secret weapon for impressing guests with minimal effort. They transform vanilla ice cream into a gourmet dessert, elevate pancakes to restaurant status, and even work beautifully over Greek yogurt for a healthy breakfast. The natural sugars concentrate and develop complex flavors that you simply can’t achieve through stovetop cooking.
Twice-Baked Potatoes with a Perfect Crispy Shell
The cooking time for baked potatoes can really depend on the type of air fryer you have. It takes a little experimenting – for example, when I used a larger air fryer, I had to cook them at a higher temperature for longer. In my 5-quart basket, I air-fry my potatoes at 400 degrees for 45 minutes before scooping out the insides, mashing them up with toppings, and refilling the spuds. Then, they go back in for about five minutes. The second baking brings out extra crispiness to the potato skin and extra creaminess to its insides.
The beauty of this technique lies in the contrast of textures – crispy, almost glass-like skin surrounding impossibly creamy centers. The blog Cooking with Coit has a great basic recipe for the flavorings, and I serve those spuds with classic toppings such as bacon, more cheese, or coleslaw. He’s also experimented with international flavors, adding Korean-inspired toppings or Mediterranean herbs that transform this humble vegetable into a show-stopping side dish.
