c/air-fryer-recipes

Burned two batches of chicken wings before realizing my air fryer was too full

I was at a friend's barbecue last Saturday and saw them cook wings in a single layer in their air fryer, came out perfect and crispy. All this time I've been shoving a whole pack in there thinking more food equaled more efficiency, but it just steamed everything. Anyone else have a similar moment where you realized less is more with air fryer cooking?

Overheard my neighbor say she cooks chicken in 8 minutes flat

My neighbor was bragging to someone on the phone about her air fryer chicken thighs. She said she puts them in at 400 for 8 minutes and they come out crispy. Tried it tonight with some drumsticks I had. Cooked up fine but the inside was still a little pink near the bone. Anyone else had to add a few extra minutes for bone-in pieces?

Old lady at the farmer's market taught me her chicken trick

I was buying some chicken thighs at the Saturday market in Raleigh last month and this older woman next to me started talking about air fryers. She said she coats her thighs in a mix of baking powder and salt before cooking them at 380 for 18 minutes. Tried it that night and the skin came out super crispy like it was fried. Has anyone else tried something like that with baking powder?

Bought a $40 silicone air fryer liner and it ruined 3 batches of wings

I kept seeing those silicone liners on Amazon with great reviews. Got one, put it in my air fryer basket, and tried to make buffalo wings. The first batch came out soggy on the bottom. Second batch same thing. Third batch I actually checked the temp and realized the liner was blocking all the airflow underneath. The wings were just sitting in their own grease. Threw the liner in the trash and went back to just using the bare basket. Has anyone actually gotten those things to work right?

My sister's air fryer cookies turned into hockey pucks

I was at her place in Austin last weekend and she said she found a recipe for air fryer chocolate chip cookies. She set the temp to 400 and left them in for 12 minutes. We pulled out these dark, crispy discs that barely had any inside. Has anyone else had a similar issue with baking cookies in an air fryer?

Heard someone at work say air fryers are just tiny convection ovens and it got me thinking

I was at lunch last Wednesday and my coworker Mike kept insisting air fryers are just mini convection ovens with a fan. It bothered me for a day but then I realized my air fryer at home cooks chicken wings in 12 minutes flat while my big oven takes 30. So I looked it up and the main difference is the air fryer moves hotter air way faster. Has anyone else tried the same recipe in both and noticed a huge time difference?

My sister told me to preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes before putting anything in

I always skipped preheating because I thought it was a waste of time. Tried it with some frozen chicken tenders from Aldi last night and they came out way crispier than usual. Who else has been skipping this step and missing out?

Tried making cheese crisps in the air fryer and ended up with a melted plastic spatula

So I thought I'd get fancy and make those trendy parmesan crisps everyone raves about. I lined the basket with parchment paper, piled on the shredded cheese, set it to 375 for 4 minutes. Came back to a cloud of smoke and my favorite rubber spatula that I left in the drawer underneath the basket had melted into a twisted blob. The crisps were actually pretty good though. How do you guys keep stuff from dripping or flying around in there without wrecking your tools?

My frozen dumplings exploded in the air fryer today

I was making lunch and threw some frozen potstickers in without checking the temp. Set it to 400 degrees for 12 minutes like always. After about 8 minutes I heard a loud pop and opened it up to find dumpling guts everywhere. The skins were fine but the filling had burst out through the tops. I let them finish cooking and they still tasted okay but looked awful. Has anyone else had this happen with frozen dumplings or does someone know a better temp to use?

Serious question... air fryer bacon vs oven bacon?

I was super skeptical about air fryer bacon for months. Everyone kept saying it's the best way but I thought nah, oven bacon is fine and this is just hype. Then my buddy brought over his air fryer last weekend and made a batch at my place. He laid out like 8 strips at 400 degrees for 8 minutes and it came out perfect crispy but not burnt. No grease splatter all over my stove either. I had to admit it was way easier and cleanup was nothing compared to my usual baking sheet method. Now I'm thinking about getting one just for bacon but I'm not sure if it's worth it if I already have an oven. Has anyone gone back to oven after trying air fryer bacon?

Had to choose between frozen fries or making my own for the air fryer

I was making dinner last night and only had two potatoes left, not enough for my family of four. I had to decide between running to the store for a bag of frozen fries or trying to stretch the potatoes into something else. I decided to slice the potatoes super thin, toss them in a little oil and salt, and air fry them at 380 for about 12 minutes. They came out like crispy potato chips and everyone loved them. It saved me a trip and used up what I had. Has anyone else had to improvise with limited ingredients in the air fryer?

My air fryer basket handle snapped clean off on Tuesday night

I was pulling out a batch of frozen fries for my kids when the plastic just gave way... dumped half of them onto the counter. It's a Cosori model I've had for about two years. Anyone have a good fix for this, or is it just time for a new basket?

My wife insisted on air frying a whole chicken and I thought it was a bad idea

She did it last Thursday, and the thing came out perfectly cooked and crispy in under an hour. I was totally wrong and have been eating leftovers for days. What's something you were sure would fail in the air fryer that actually worked?

Warning: I just threw away $22 on a frozen pizza that turned to mush

I grabbed a frozen pizza from the grocery store yesterday, thinking it would be a quick air fryer dinner. I followed the box time of 12 minutes at 400 degrees. The crust was still soggy in the middle, so I added 3 more minutes. The cheese burned before the base ever got crisp, and the whole thing was a wet mess. Has anyone found a good way to actually get a crispy frozen pizza in the air fryer, or should I just give up?

Question about a camping trip in the Smokies that made me rethink my air fryer

I was camping with some friends in the Smokies about two years ago, and we were trying to make dinner over a tiny propane stove. It was taking forever, and the food was just okay. One of my buddies, who's a total gearhead, pulled out this little portable air fryer he had brought. He plugged it into the power station in his car and made these amazing crispy potatoes and chicken in like 20 minutes. I was honestly shocked it worked so well. That whole trip changed how I see my air fryer at home. I used to just make frozen fries, but now I use it for almost everything, especially when I'm in a hurry. I even tried making a small pizza in it last week, and it turned out great. Has anyone else tried using their air fryer for something you'd normally cook outside or on a stove?

Rant: My sister's holiday party totally changed how I do frozen fries

I was at her place in Denver last month and she threw a bag of store brand fries in her air fryer straight from the freezer, no oil at all. They came out way crispier than when I always spray mine with oil first. Has anyone else tried skipping the oil spray for frozen stuff?

My frozen fries turned into a solid block of ice in my Cosori basket last night, and I just cranked it to 400 for 20 minutes and shook it like crazy halfway through.

Has anyone else salvaged a frozen disaster like that, or should I just accept that some things are a lost cause?

My brother-in-law told me to stop spraying oil on my fries

We were making frozen fries in my air fryer last weekend and he saw me using the spray can. He said, 'That stuff is mostly propellant and gums up the basket.' He told me to just toss the fries in a bowl with a teaspoon of oil instead. I tried it and the fries came out way crispier and my basket is way easier to clean now. Has anyone else switched from spray oil to tossing?

My frozen fries turned into a smoky mess last Tuesday

I was trying to cook a whole bag of frozen fries in my air fryer for my kids after school, and I guess I put too many in at once because smoke just started pouring out after about 5 minutes. I had to unplug it, open all the windows, and let it cool down before I could even see what happened (the fries on the bottom were totally black). Anyone know the best way to figure out the right amount to put in so this doesn't happen again?

My neighbor swore you could cook a whole chicken in 30 minutes

She was totally wrong (it was still raw inside), so now I'm looking for a reliable recipe. What's your go-to time and temp for a 4-pound bird?

Rant: The frozen vegetable thing is driving me nuts

I keep seeing people toss frozen broccoli or green beans straight from the bag into the basket. You get soggy, steamed veggies every time. I tested this last month with a bag of store brand florets. The key is to pat them bone dry with paper towels first, then toss them with just half a tablespoon of oil. That crisp, almost charred edge you want? It only happens with dry surfaces. The other side says it's fine and saves a step, but I think it ruins the texture completely. What's your method for getting frozen veggies to actually crisp up?

Honestly thought air fryer chicken wings were just okay until I saw the difference a 24-hour dry brine made

Just tried two ways to cook frozen fries in my air fryer

I had a bag of frozen crinkle cuts and did one batch with a light spray of oil and one batch completely dry. The batch with just a tiny bit of avocado oil spray came out way crispier and golden after 12 minutes at 400 degrees. The dry ones were kinda pale and soft in the middle. I guess that little bit of fat really helps the heat work better. Anyone have a go-to brand of frozen fries that always turn out good?

I keep seeing people spray oil directly into a hot air fryer basket... and it makes me think about how we used to just pour oil in a pan.

Bought a cheap wire rack for my air fryer and it's a game changer

Spent about $12 on a basic metal rack that fits inside the basket. I was tired of food steaming on the bottom. Now I can do a full batch of wings or fries without flipping. Everything gets crispy all over. Cook time dropped by a few minutes too. Anyone have other simple add-ons that made a big difference?