The main idea behind an air fryer is making fried foods without all the oil that comes with deep frying. You can make your favorite crispy, flakey, crunchy chicken tenders, french fries, fried pickles, or popcorn shrimp at home.
But an air fryer can do much more and become a powerhouse in your kitchen for everything from roasted sweet potatoes to beef jerky. Here are five things you can make in an air fryer that aren’t breaded.
1. Rotisserie Chicken or Pork Loin
OK, for our No. 1 pick: It’s technically two recipes, but using the rotisserie setting gives you lots of options for delicious dinners. Try this Peruvian Chicken in the air fryer, and you’ll never want what’s sitting under a warming lamp at the grocery store again. And a juicy pork loin in the air fryer is simple and delicious. You don’t have to do anything other than brush it with a little oil and season it the way you like it.
2. Roasted Vegetables
The beauty of the roast setting on an air fryer is that you can use it like an oven without waiting for it to preheat. Toss vegetables with 1 tbsp of oil and season them how you like. Use the two cooking trays and the Roast setting to make roasted green beans, bell peppers, thin asparagus stalks, carrots, zucchini, sweet potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, and more.
3. Seafood
You might think Coconut Shrimp is your only seafood option in an air fryer. But roasted shrimp with a little oil and seasoning is perfect in just four minutes using the air fryer roast setting. You can also roast salmon, cod, or tilapia.
4. Dehydrated Fruits
Create your own dried fruit snacks for a fraction of the cost using the dehydrate setting on the air fryer and one of your favorite fruits. Apple chips, banana chips, and pineapple chips are just the beginning of what’s possible.
5. Jerky
Skip the nitrates and filler and make jerky at home with your own choice of meat. Try beef jerky from a sirloin or flank steak for starters, then experiment with game meats and poultry. For chewier jerky, slice your meat against the grain.
We still love our tater tots and chicken tenders, and we love them even more in the air fryer. But it’s also a wonderful kitchen tool for everyday dinners, loads of healthy vegetables, and for making specialty foods at home like dried fruits and beef jerky. What non-fried foods do you make in your air fryer? Share them in the comments below or at #howipamperedchef.
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