Our 20 Best Air Fryer Recipes Give You Permission to Eat "Fried" Food All Day Long

crispy eggplant parm with melty mozzarella, tomato sauce, and torn basil
Photo: AllRecipes

The air fryer has become a must-have appliance in many homes. For many cooks — whether they bought it for putting a lighter spin on their favorite fried food, for the ease of air fryer cooking, or they just want to reheat soggy French fries — the air fryer has been life-changing. Scroll through this collection of our most popular air fryer recipes to see how you can use your air fryer for every meal of the day. From an air-fried breakfast frittata to air fryer zucchini chips and air fryer eggplant Parmesan, these recipes are the perfect excuse to eat delicious air-fried food all day long.

01 of 21

Crumbed Chicken Tenderloins (Air Fried)

Air Fried Chicken Tenders sit on craft colored parchment along side mustard dipping sauce
Allrecipes Magazine

These four-ingredient chicken tenders are so easy to make in the air fryer. This recipe mixes bread crumbs with olive oil to create the chicken coating, but you could use butter instead — and you can add more spices to the mixture if you like. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

02 of 21

Air-Fried Crumbed Fish

air-fried fish fillets on a plate
Launa

If you like breaded and fried fish, you'll want to try this air fryer version. This recipe calls for flounder fillets, but reviewers have also used halibut and cod. Reviewers also suggest seasoning the breading mixture with garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper to add an extra layer of flavor.

03 of 21

Air Fryer Potato Wedges

Air Fryer Potato Wedges
Yoly

Making potato wedges just got easier. Season the wedges with paprika, parsley flakes, chili powder, salt, and pepper, and air-fry for 15 minutes. This recipe cooks the potato wedges in batches, but, if you have a larger air fryer, you don't have to. "These were easy and yummy. The recipe worked perfectly exactly as written," says home cook Nancy.

04 of 21

Breaded Air Fryer Pork Chops

Breaded Air Fryer Pork Chops
France C

"Perfectly tender and juicy pork chops are what you'll get in just 10 minutes using your air fryer and basic pantry ingredients. Play around with different crouton flavors for variety," says Allrecipes Allstar France C. Make sure to adjust your cook time depending on how thick the chops are.

05 of 21

Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

Dinner plate with 1 chicken thigh, mashed potatoes, and green beans.
Pictured: Air Fryer Chicken Thighs. Allrecipes

The air fryer gives these chicken thighs a crispy skin with tender, juicy meat on the inside, and all in just 30 minutes! "This recipe is absolutely delicious and so easy to make! I'm new to the air fryer and made this recipe exactly as written. The flavors were so good and the chicken was so moist with a nice crisp on the outside," says reviewer SZYQ1.

06 of 21

Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Shrimp

basket of air-fried shrimp with lemon
bd.weld

These lemon pepper shrimp are great as an appetizer or main dish served on top of rice or pasta. For extra flavor, reviewers say you can marinate the shrimp in the lemon pepper coating. "I am not a fan of lemon pepper flavored things, but this was amazing! My whole family loved this, including my super picky 11-year-old," says reviewer Sonia.

07 of 21

Air-Fried Sweet Potato Fries

Air-Fried Sweet Potato Fries
Deb C

These sweet potato fries make the best side dish for any meal. Reviewers like to use smoked paprika instead of sweet paprika and extra virgin olive oil instead of canola oil. "Such an easy and satisfying recipe! The one modification I did was to cut the sweet potato, then soak the fries in water for at least 10 minutes, to make them more crispy," says home cook Rich Suchoski.

08 of 21

Air Fryer Zucchini Chips

air-fried zucchini chips in a white bowl
Kim's Cooking Now

Need an appetizer for your next get-together? Try these cheesy air-fried zucchini chips. The Parmesan in the breading is the star of the show, but if you want a little zing, you can add cayenne pepper. Reviewers like to serve them with marinara sauce or this Sun-Dried Tomato Dip.

09 of 21

Air Fryer Breakfast Frittata

a forkful of frittata in the foreground, with a frittata with a wedge cut out on a plate in the background
Buckwheat Queen

Yup, you can even make breakfast in the air fryer. All you need is a small cake pan that will fit in your air fryer basket. This frittata contains sausage, Cheddar-Monterey Jack cheese, red bell pepper, green onion, and cayenne pepper, but you can use any other ingredients you like. Reviewers like to add jalapeños, bacon, and mushrooms.

10 of 21

Air Fryer Baked Potatoes

Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
Photo by Soup Loving Nicole.

Once you try making baked potatoes in your air fryer, you might never go back to oven-baked potatoes again. These potatoes are crunchy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside. Serve topped with your favorite baked potato toppings, like butter, chives, sour cream, and cheese. "Perfect as written! The shell gets so crispy but the inside is nice and fluffy. My husband said it was the best baked potato he has ever had. He even ate the entire peel which is unlike him," says Allrecipes Allstar Soup Loving Nicole.

11 of 21

Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos

Air Fryer Chicken Taquitos
Yoly

"These taquitos are air fried, which makes them healthier than deep fried ones. Using shredded rotisserie chicken provides a quick prep but you can always use home-cooked chicken. Serve with sides of sour cream, Mexican tomato sauce, and guacamole, or your choice of sides," says Allrecipes Allstar Yoly. The kids will love these, and you can dress them up with jalapeños or other ingredients to make them a fun meal for adults too.

12 of 21

Air Fryer Eggplant Parmesan

crispy eggplant parm with melty mozzarella, tomato sauce, and torn basil
AllRecipes

This oil-free eggplant Parmesan is delicious topped with mozzarella cheese and marinara sauce. "These tasted better than eggplant Parmesan that was baked in the oven. The crisp eggplant was very satisfying and overall the entire meal was fresh and delicious," says home cook Chris.

13 of 21

Cajun Air Fryer Salmon

Cajun salmon with carrots and rice
France C

Do you like crispy salmon? Try this three-ingredient air-fried Cajun salmon recipe. This method results in a crispy topping while not drying out the salmon. "Full of flavor with a hint of sweetness, this moist and delicious salmon is ready in under 10 minutes! You may want to add salt before serving if you are using an unsalted Cajun seasoning. For best results, use center-cut fillets that are about an inch thick," says recipe contributor France C.

14 of 21

Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp

air-fried coconut shrimp with dipping sauce on a white plate
Yoly

Pretend you're on a beach somewhere with this coconut shrimp recipe. The recipe provides instructions for a spicy honey-lime dip to serve alongside the shrimp, but you can serve them with any sauces you like. "Quick, easy, and tasty. Did not make any changes and none are needed. The only thing I did differently was to make my own dipping sauce which is a Piña Colada sauce," says reviewer Yoly.

15 of 21

Air Fryer Blackened Chicken Breast

Air Fryer Blackened Chicken Breast
Photo by Soup Loving Nicole.

By cooking your chicken 20 minutes in the air fryer, you'll get the perfect blackened crust every time — without a cast-iron skillet. Serve with your favorite sides, like an air-fried baked potato or a salad. "This was the best chicken I've ever made. Usually chicken breasts get dried out and tough, but this was definitely not. The spice rub is flavorful and, yes, spicy. But the chicken! It was juicy and tender and perfectly done. Wonderful," says home cook peloni.

16 of 21

Basic Air Fryer Hot Dogs

Basic Air Fryer Hot Dogs
Pictured: Basic Air Fryer Hot Dogs. Buckwheat Queen

This might just be your new favorite way to prepare hot dogs. "Perfectly crisp hot dogs and toasted buns made in minutes with the help of your air fryer. Top with ketchup, mustard, relish, chili, or condiments of choice," says recipe creator Soup Loving Nicole.

17 of 21

Air Fryer Scotch Eggs

Air Fryer Scotch Eggs
Photo by France C. France C

Love Scotch eggs, but not the added fat and time it takes to make them? Make this air-fried version instead. "They make the perfect breakfast or snack, especially when served with the chutney dipping sauce. Cook the eggs to your liking; either hard-boiled or slightly soft, you can't go wrong," says recipe contributor France C.

18 of 21

Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts with bacon in a turquoise dish
fabeverday

Brussel sprouts just got a time-saving upgrade. Try this side dish in the air fryer and it'll be ready in just 15 minutes. "Sweet and tart balsamic vinegar pairs well with the bitterness of Brussels sprouts; the bacon adds a smokey flavor. After 10 minutes, there's still some bite to the sprouts; add a few more minutes for a softer texture, if desired," says Allrecipes Allstar Bren.

19 of 21

Air Fryer Ranch Pork Chops

pork chops on a white dish
France C

A two-ingredient pork chop dinner? You've got to try it! Season the chops with your favorite ranch mix to switch up the flavors. "Delicious! Juicy and flavorful — a hit with the whole family," says reviewer MissRhythm.

20 of 21

Air Fryer French Fries

a plate of Air Fryer French Fries with a cup of dipping sauce
Chef John

Chef John's technique gives you the best-tasting French fries in the air fryer. Soak your potatoes in water for five minutes and wait until after the fries are cooked before adding salt. Serve with honey mustard, spicy ketchup, or garlic aioli — Chef John likes to mix the three together to create the perfect dipping sauce.

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