24 Best Air Fryer Recipes [Healthy Dinner Ideas] (2024)

Air fryer recipes for quick and healthy meals, weeknight dinners, and simple breakfasts. From fish fillets to chicken wings, kale chips to baby potatoes, these easy recipes only take minutes to make.

The air fryer has become one of the most popular kitchen appliances in modern homes, and it’s easy to see why. Cooking with circulated air instead of puddles of boiling oil, air fryers are far safer and healthier than traditional frying methods. Best of all? They can recreate any deep-fried dish, and faster.

Whether you want a quick weeknight dinner idea or a healthy version of a breakfast classic, these best air fryer recipes will get you cooking.

Keeping it low-carb? Check out our best keto air fryer recipes for more ideas.

Cajun Catfish

Catfish fillets work fantastically well in the air fryer. Catfish is much less flaky than other types of white fish, with firm flesh that’s perfect for absorbing seasoning and marinades.

Our air fryer catfish recipe cooks the fillets in an incredible buttermilk and cajun seasoning batter, giving it a rich and creamy texture with a hint of spice. Best of all, it only takes 15 minutes to cook, making it an easy healthy dinner for busy weeknights. For the best results, soak it in buttermilk for a couple of hours before cooking to really elevate that creamy texture.

Baby Potatoes

Look no further than baby potatoes for a fast and easy side dish for your dinner table. These air fryer baby potatoes are extra crispy on the outside and deliciously soft on the inside, and only take 20 minutes to rustle up. They’re topped with parsley and crushed pepper for a flavor boost.

Italian Sausage

Air fried sausage is proof of how a switch in cooking methods can give food a healthier finish. This air fryer Italian sausage recipe strips away much of the fat, grease, and scorch marks we associate with pan-fried pork, and instead gives us an evenly cooked and lighter dish.

Pancakes

Why should air fryer recipes be limited to dinner? Do away with the waffle iron and try making breakfast pancakes in the fryer instead. While they can be made in muffin form, we prefer the traditional flat style because of the added surface area it allows for toppings.

This air fryer pancakes recipe doesn’t do anything fancy. Just a simple pancake batter and five minutes in the fryer, finished with fruit toppings or syrup (sugar-free if you prefer). If you like your batter extra fluffy, use a touch of lemon juice and regular milk instead of buttermilk. Easy.

Crispy Brussels Sprouts

This is a super easy way to get your kids, or anyone really, to get their veggies. Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and covered in salt and vinegar, these brussel sprouts are a healthy snack that tastes like a guilty pleasure.

Parmesan Dill Fried Pickle Chips

A healthy way to satisfy to satisfy anyone’s salty craving, these fried pickle chips are coated in breadcrumbs and parmesan, creating crispy, cheesy pickles. All you need to do is take sliced pickles, add the other ingredients, put them in the air fryer for 10 minutes, and enjoy.

Who knew you could make vegetables taste like potato chips without any of the fat?

3-Ingredient Fried Catfish

If you’re craving seafood, this one’s for you. Not leaving any fishy smell because of the air fryer, there’s no excuse not to try this recipe.

These fried catfish fillets are coated in fish fry coating and parsley, making them a fresh, low-calorie meal.

Bang Bang Panko Breaded Fried Shrimp

This breaded shrimp is perfect for anyone who wants to cut both the fat and carbs, since they can be made with no breading. One serving provides 40 grams of protein with only 1 gram of fat.

By coating the shrimp in eggs and flour, these shrimp get crispy fast and are a perfect go-to meal when you’re craving something crispy, but healthy. Plus, they’re paired with the perfect bang bang sauce.

Jalapeno Poppers

For any of the gluten-free people out there, this recipe is for you. These jalapeno poppers are spicy, mouth-watering, and packed with flavor.

This recipe can be made vegan with dairy-free cream cheese, and easily made into large batches to save for later.

Extra Crispy Chicken Wings

It’s hard to meet anyone who doesn’t love crispy chicken wings. This recipe takes the beloved American classic, and makes it low-fat.

Coated in salt, a little oil, and lemon pepper, these crispy wings are packed with flavor rather than fat.

Kale Chips

Wanting a healthier version of store-bought kale chips? This one’s for you. Not only do these kale chips have virtually no fat, by making them at home you can customize them with all your favorite spices and sauces.

Avocado Fries with Lime Dipping Sauce

This recipe is perfect if you’re looking for another excuse to eat avocado. The sauce is made from yogurt, lime juice, and mayonnaise, while the avocado fries are coated with breadcrumbs and need only a few spays of olive oil.

Crispy Roasted Broccoli

Looking for an easy, delicious way to get your veggies in? These crispy broccoli florets can be made quickly and only with a few ingredients.

Coated with a chickpea masala marinade, these florets are crispy and filled with Indian-inspired flavor.

Sriracha-Honey Chicken Wings

These sriracha and honey-flavored wings are made to fill both your sweet and spicy cravings. All you need is honey, soy sauce, butter, a few spices, and you can fool anyone into thinking these wings were deep-fried.

Keto & Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Wings

Another vegan favorite, these cauliflower wings provide a delicious buffalo sauce flavor without any oil or meat.

By adding flour, oil, salt, and buffalo sauce, you can make these cauliflower florets crisp up just like fried chicken.

Chicken Tenders

Preparing chicken tenders in the air fryer helps you get all of the crispy delicious flavor that makes chicken tenders such a crowd pleaser with less of the fat and unhealthy ingredients that comes from traditional frying methods. Air fryer chicken tenders are perfectly crispy and pair well with your favorite dipping sauce.

You can get pre-cut, breaded chicken tenders at the grocery store. Or, make your own chicken tenders by cutting chicken breasts into strips. Dip the tenders in eggs, then in a coating mixture made of bread crumbs mixed with seasonings. Cook in the air fryer at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for seven to eight minutes. Work in batches so the tenders are in a single layer to keep them crispy.

Roast Chicken

An air fryer is so versatile that you can even roast a chicken using this machine. Roasting a chicken in an air fryer is easier and sometimes faster than roasting it in the oven. The cleanup is also less of a hassle. Enjoy rotisserie chicken without breaking out your oven or needing to go to the grocery store.

You can roast a whole bird in the air fryer. Season the chicken generously with paprika, salt, and garlic powder. Place it in the air fryer basket breast-side down and cook at 360 degrees Fahrenheit for 50 minutes, then flip and cook for another 10 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to make sure that the chicken is cooked through before serving (it should be at 165 degrees Fahrenheit). Get the recipe here.

Fried Chicken

Fried chicken in the air fryer is healthier than deep-frying. The air fryer helps crisp up chicken skin without drying out the meat and taking away any of its flavor. Plus, this method is much easier than using a deep fryer.

For this healthier take on fried chicken, prep each piece by soaking it in buttermilk then dipping in flour. Try not to make the coating too thick as that makes it hard for the air fryer to cook the chicken. Then, place a single layer of chicken in the air fryer and cook at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 to 14 minutes on each side.

Chicken Thighs

Rounding out the list of excellent chicken recipes to make in the air fryer is this recipe for chicken thighs. The air fryer cooks the meat quickly, making it perfect for dinner in a pinch, and there is minimal cleanup afterward.

Before frying, marinate the chicken thighs in a dry rub made up of salt, paprika, garlic powder, oregano, and onion powder. Heat the air fryer to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and coat with a non-stick cooking spray. Place the chicken thighs in the basket, forming a single layer, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes on each side.

Veggie Fajitas

The air fryer is also good for making vegetable-based dishes. Cooking vegetables in the air fryer helps them retain their flavor and get very crispy without soaking them full of fat or oil. You can use these perfectly crisp veggies for many recipes, including these veggie fajitas.

The first step is to slice your veggies of choice into strips (you can use mushrooms, onions, and bell peppers as a suggestion). Marinate the vegetables in store-bought fajita sauce, or make your own by combining sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, cumin, coriander, and paprika. Then, cook at 390 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes and serve on tortillas.Get the recipe here.

Turkey Croquettes

These croquettes are a great way to reuse Thanksgiving leftovers, or any time that you have plenty of turkey meat on your hands. The flavor is juicy, and the exterior of the croquettes gets perfectly crispy without requiring too much grease.

To make turkey croquettes, combine mashed potatoes and finely chopped, cooked turkey breast with shredded cheese, herbs such as rosemary and sage, and shallots. Shape the mixture into balls, dip in an egg wash, then finish in bread crumbs. Cook at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for four to five minutes on each side.

Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed peppers are a delicious comfort food, but many traditional recipes are time-consuming and require long baking times. This air fryer version comes together quickly and is ready for the table in minutes.

The most common filling for stuffed peppers is ground beef, but you can substitute any filling that you want. Start by cooking the ground meat and other filling ingredients in a skillet. Slice the tops off of bell peppers and hollow them out. Stuff the peppers with the filling and cook for 10 minutes at 360 degrees Fahrenheit.

Sweet Potato Fries

Sweet potato fries are topped with all the salty goodness that regular fries have but are healthier and have a more complex flavor thanks to the sweetness of the potatoes. Making them in the air fryer makes this an even healthier snack.

Start by slicing the sweet potatoes into matchsticks and seasoning with olive oil, flaky salt, paprika, garlic powder, and pepper. Heat an air fryer to 380 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for 12 minutes, until the fries are crispy. Work in batches to prevent overcrowding, which makes the fries soggy. Get the full recipe here.

Salmon

An air fryer is so versatile that you can even use it to make crispy fish such as salmon. Salmon in the air fryer browns wonderfully without losing any of its flavor and tenderness.

Season the salmon fillets with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and paprika. Cook in an air fryer heated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about seven minutes. Thicker fillets will need to cook longer.