2. Combine the olive oil and salt in a small bowl. Rub half of this mixture on the inside of the chicken, under the skin, and on the chicken skin. Place the garlic cloves and lemon slice inside the chicken. Sprinkle the chicken with the thyme and marjoram.
3. Put the chicken in the air fryer basket. Surround with the potatoes and drizzle the potatoes with the remaining olive oil mixture.
4. Roast for 25 minutes, then test the temperature of the chicken. It should be 160°F. Test at the thickest part of the breast, making sure the probe doesn’t touch bone. If the chicken isn’t done yet, return it to the air fryer and roast it for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the temperature is 160°F.
5. When the chicken is done, transfer it and the potatoes to a serving platter and cover with foil. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Ingredient tip: Creamer potatoes are small, round, white potatoes with thin and tender skins. They are usually not peeled before cooking. You can sometimes find them in boxes intended for microwave cooking in the produce department of the grocery store.
Per serving: Calories: 491; Total Fat: 14g; Saturated Fat: 3g; Cholesterol: 175mg; Sodium: 151mg; Carbohydrates: 20g; Fiber: 3g; Protein: 68g
Chicken Cordon Bleu
PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES / COOK TIME: 13 TO 15 MINUTES / SERVES 4
380°F FRY
FAMILY FAVORITE
Cordon bleu is French for “blue ribbon,” and is the name of the famous cooking school in Paris. Chicken Cordon Bleu is chicken stuffed with ham and Swiss or Gruyère cheese. It’s a fancy recipe that’s a cinch to make with the air fryer.
4 chicken breast filets
¼ cup chopped ham
⅓ cup grated Swiss or Gruyère cheese
¼ cup flour
Pinch salt
Freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon dried marjoram
1 egg
1 cup panko bread crumbs
Olive oil for misting
1. Put the chicken breast filets on a work surface and gently press them with the palm of your hand to make them a bit thinner. Don’t tear the meat.
2. In a small bowl, combine the ham and cheese. Divide this mixture among the chicken filets. Wrap the chicken around the filling to enclose it, using toothpicks to hold the chicken together.
3. In a shallow bowl, mix the flour, salt, pepper, and marjoram. In another bowl, beat the egg. Spread the bread crumbs out on a plate.
4. Dip the chicken into the flour mixture, then into the egg, then into the bread crumbs to coat thoroughly.
5. Put the chicken in the air fryer basket and mist with olive oil.
6. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked to 165°F. Carefully remove the toothpicks and serve.
Ingredient tip: You can find chicken filets, which are cut from the chicken breast, in most large grocery stores. If you can’t find them, you can cut one chicken breast in half, holding your knife parallel to the work surface, to make two thin slices.
Per serving: Calories: 478; Total Fat: 12g; Saturated Fat: 3g; Cholesterol: 200mg; Sodium: 575mg; Carbohydrates: 26g; Fiber: 2g; Protein: 64g
Ham and Cheese Stuffed Chicken Burgers
PREP TIME: 12 MINUTES / COOK TIME: 13 TO 16 MINUTES / SERVES 4
350°F GRILL
FAMILY FAVORITE
Another take on the classic Chicken Cordon Bleu recipe, this dish is much more casual. Serve these tender and juicy burgers on toasted onion buns slathered with mayo and mustard and piled high with lettuce and sliced tomatoes.
⅓ cup soft bread crumbs
3 tablespoons milk
1 egg, beaten
½ teaspoon dried thyme
Pinch salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1¼ pounds ground chicken
¼ cup finely chopped ham
⅓ cup grated Havarti cheese
Olive oil for misting
1. In a medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs, milk, egg, thyme, salt, and pepper. Add the chicken and mix gently but thoroughly with clean hands.
2. Form the chicken into eight thin patties and place on waxed paper.
3. Top four of the patties with the ham and cheese. Top with remaining four patties and gently press the edges together to seal, so the ham and cheese mixture is in the middle of the burger.
4. Place the burgers in the basket and mist with olive oil. Grill for 13 to 16 minutes or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked to 165°F as measured with a meat thermometer.
Ingredient tip: You can buy pre-chopped ham in the meat section of many supermarkets. But for this recipe, the ham should be in pieces no larger than ¼ inch. If the ham you buy is larger than that, chop it finer.
Per serving: Calories: 367; Total Fat: 15g; Saturated Fat: 5g; Cholesterol: 179mg; Sodium: 370mg; Carbohydrates: 8g; Fiber: <1g; Protein: 47g
Chicken Tenders with Veggies
PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES / COOK TIME: 18 TO 20 MINUTES / SERVES 4
380°F ROAST
FAMILY FAVORITE
Chicken tenders cook to perfection in the air fryer. In this recipe, you’ll coat them in honey and seasoned bread crumbs. Serve this homey recipe with a green salad and some garlic bread for dinner on a weeknight. Kids love it!
1 pound chicken tenders
1 tablespoon honey
Pinch salt
Freshly ground black pepper
½ cup soft fresh bread crumbs
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 carrots, sliced
12 small red potatoes
1. In a medium bowl, toss the chicken tenders with the honey, salt, and pepper.
2. In a shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs, thyme, and olive oil, and mix.
3. Coat the tenders in the bread crumbs, pressing firmly onto the meat.
4. Place the carrots and potatoes in the air fryer basket and top with the chicken tenders.
5. Roast for 18 to 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked to 165°F and the vegetables are tender, shaking the basket halfway during the cooking time.
Did You Know? Chicken tenders are cut from the chicken breast when this cut is sold boneless and skinless. The tender is a little muscle behind the breast.
Per serving: Calories: 378; Total Fat: 8g; Saturated Fat: <1g; Cholesterol: 97mg; Sodium: 296mg; Carbohydrates: 35g; Fiber: 3g; Protein: 41g
7
MEAT
Spicy Thai Beef Stir-Fry
Thai Burgers
Beef Korma
Rice and Meatball Stuffed Bell Peppers
Stir-Fried Steak and Cabbage
Unstuffed Cabbage
Cheese-Stuffed Meatballs
Meatballs in Spicy Tomato Sauce
Mexican Pizza
Tex-Mex Steak
Chicken-Fried Steak
Tender Country Ribs
Bacon Garlic Pizza
Sweet-and-Sour Polish Sausage
Lemon Pork Tenderloin
Crispy Mustard Pork Tenderloin
Spicy Thai Beef Stir-Fry
PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES / COOK TIME: 6 TO 9 MINUTES / SERVES 4
370°F STIR-FRY
GLUTEN-FREE
Peanut butter, red chiles, and lime juice give this recipe its distinctive Thai flavor. The tender beef and broccoli, along with garlic, transform this dish into a feast.
1 pound sirloin steaks, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons lime juice, divided
⅓ cup crunchy peanut butter
½ cup beef broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
1½ cups broccoli florets
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 to 2 red chile peppers, sliced
1. In a medium bowl, combine the steak with 1 tablespoon of the lime juice. Set aside.
2. Combine the peanut butter and beef broth in a small bowl and mix well. Drain the beef and add the juice from the bowl into the peanut butter mixture.
3. In a 6-inch metal bowl, combine the olive oil
, steak, and broccoli. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until the steak is almost cooked and the broccoli is crisp and tender, shaking the basket once during cooking time.
4. Add the garlic, chile peppers, and the peanut butter mixture and stir. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling and the broccoli is tender. Serve over hot rice.
Did You Know? The heat in a chile pepper is in its membranes and seeds. If you like spicy food, leave them in, but if you prefer a little less heat, remove and discard them. And when you handle chile peppers, be careful! Never touch your eyes or mouth when cutting them, because the chemical capsaicin in the peppers can burn.
Per serving: Calories: 387; Total Fat: 22g; Saturated Fat: 6g; Cholesterol: 101mg; Sodium: 281mg; Carbohydrates: 7g; Fiber: 2g; Protein: 42g
Thai Burgers
PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES / COOK TIME: 15 MINUTES / SERVES 4
380°F GRILL
FAMILY FAVORITE
Did you know that ground beef, and, in fact, any ground meat, must be cooked to 165°F for food safety reasons? If the temperature is any lower, you run the risk of food poisoning. But adding a mixture of bread crumbs and liquid to the meat means you can cook that burger well done and it will still be moist and juicy.
½ cup soft bread crumbs
¼ cup Thai chili sauce
2 minced green onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1¼ pounds 93 percent lean ground beef
4 onion rolls, split in half
1 large beefsteak tomato, sliced
⅓ cup commercial peanut sauce
1. In a large bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Thai chili sauce, green onions, and garlic, and mix well. Add the ground beef and mix gently but thoroughly until combined.
2. Form the beef mixture into four patties. Make an indentation in the center of each patty with your thumb so the burgers don’t puff up when they cook.
3. Cook for 12 minutes, and then test the burgers. If they aren’t at least 165°F, cook for 3 minutes until they reach that temperature.
4. Assemble burgers with the onion rolls, sliced tomato, and peanut sauce.
Substitution tip: You can make these burgers with ground pork or a combination of ground pork and ground beef. You could also add sliced onions and lettuce to the burgers when you assemble them.
Per serving: Calories: 584; Total Fat: 18g; Saturated Fat: 5g; Cholesterol: 127mg; Sodium: 1,315mg; Carbohydrates: 47g; Fiber: 3g; Protein: 53g
Beef Korma
PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES / COOK TIME: 17 TO 20 MINUTES / SERVES 4
350°F BAKE
GLUTEN-FREE
An Indian recipe made of a mixture of meat and vegetables, beef korma is cooked in a yogurt sauce seasoned generously with curry powder. It can be mild or spicy depending on your taste. Serve this dish with warm pita bread and a cool cucumber salad.
1 pound sirloin steak, sliced
½ cup yogurt
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tomato, diced
½ cup frozen baby peas, thawed
1. In a medium bowl, combine the steak, yogurt, and curry powder. Stir and set aside.
2. In a 6-inch metal bowl, combine the olive oil, onion, and garlic. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until crisp and tender.
3. Add the steak along with the yogurt and the diced tomato. Cook for 12 to 13 minutes or until steak is almost tender.
4. Stir in the peas and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until hot.
Ingredient tip: The best cuts for this recipe include sirloin, sirloin tip, and top round. The yogurt helps tenderize the steak, even with a very short marinating time.
Per serving: Calories: 298; Total Fat: 11g; Saturated Fat: 4g; Cholesterol: 103mg; Sodium: 100mg; Carbohydrates: 9g; Fiber: 2g; Protein: 38g
Rice and Meatball Stuffed Bell Peppers
PREP TIME: 13 MINUTES / COOK TIME: 11 TO 17 MINUTES / SERVES 4
400°F BAKE
FAMILY FAVORITE, GLUTEN-FREE
Stuffed peppers are classic comfort food. You can choose any color of pepper. Mix and match and let your family decide what pepper they want! Choose the tiny appetizer-size meatballs for this dish. The amount you’ll need depends on the size of the peppers.
4 bell peppers
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup frozen cooked rice, thawed
16 to 20 small frozen precooked meatballs, thawed
½ cup tomato sauce
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1. To prepare the peppers, cut off about ½ inch of the tops. Carefully remove the membranes and seeds from inside the peppers. Set aside.
2. In a 6-by-6-by-2-inch pan, combine the olive oil, onion, and garlic. Bake in the air fryer for 2 to 4 minutes or until crisp and tender. Remove the vegetable mixture from the pan and set aside in a medium bowl.
3. Add the rice, meatballs, tomato sauce, and mustard to the vegetable mixture and stir to combine.
4. Stuff the peppers with the meat-vegetable mixture.
5. Place the peppers in the air fryer basket and bake for 9 to 13 minutes or until the filling is hot and the peppers are tender.
Ingredient tip: If you can’t find small meatballs that will easily fit into the bell peppers, just buy regular-size meatballs and cut them into thirds.
Per serving: Calories: 487; Total Fat: 21g; Saturated Fat: 7g; Cholesterol: 47mg; Sodium: 797mg; Carbohydrates: 57g; Fiber: 6g; Protein: 26g
Stir-Fried Steak and Cabbage
PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES / COOK TIME: 8 TO 13 MINUTES / SERVES 4
370°F STIR-FRY
FAMILY FAVORITE
Cabbage adds great flavor and nutrition to this simple, satisfying dish. You can use red or green cabbage—or a combination of both—in this recipe.
½ pound sirloin steak, cut into strips
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 cups chopped red or green cabbage
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, sliced
½ cup commercial stir-fry sauce
1. Toss the steak with the cornstarch and set aside.
2. In a 6-inch metal bowl, combine the peanut oil with the cabbage. Place in the basket and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Remove the bowl from the basket and add the steak, pepper, onions, and garlic. Return to the air fryer and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until the steak is cooked to desired doneness and vegetables are crisp and tender.
4. Add the stir-fry sauce and cook for 2 to 4 minutes or until hot. Serve over rice.
Substitution tip: In place of regular cabbage, try using Napa cabbage, which is a more traditional stir-fry ingredient. Or you could use bok choy or try broccoli florets.
Per serving: Calories: 180; Total Fat: 7g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 51mg; Sodium: 1,843mg; Carbohydrates: 9g; Fiber: 2g; Protein: 20g
Unstuffed Cabbage
PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES / COOK TIME: 14 TO 20 MINUTES / SERVES 4
370°F BAKE
FAMILY FAVORITE, GLUTEN-FREE
Making traditional stuffed cabbage entails quite a bit of work. You have to soften the leaves, make the filling, stuff the cabbage, roll it up, and bake it in sauce. This one-dish version of the recipe gives you the taste of the real thing—but with much less prep work.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1½ cups chopped green cabbage
16 precooked frozen meatballs
1 cup frozen cooked rice
2 tomatoes, chopped
½ teaspoon dried marjoram
Pinch salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1. In a 6-inch metal bowl, combine the oil and the onion. Bake for 2 to 4 minutes or until the onion is crisp and tender.
2. Add the cabbage, meatballs, r
ice, tomatoes, marjoram, salt, and pepper, and stir.
3. Bake for 12 to 16 minutes, stirring once during cooking time, until the meatballs are hot, the rice is warmed, and the vegetables are tender.
Cooking tip: At most supermarkets, you can now buy prepped fresh veggies that are ready to cook. Look in the produce section and you’ll likely find chopped onions, chopped cabbage for slaw, and other foods such as shredded carrots and chopped bell peppers.
Per serving: Calories: 453; Total Fat: 20g; Saturated Fat: 7g; Cholesterol: 47mg; Sodium: 590mg; Carbohydrates: 51g; Fiber: 4g; Protein: 25g
Cheese-Stuffed Meatballs
PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES / COOK TIME: 10 TO 13 MINUTES / SERVES 4
390°F BAKE
FAMILY FAVORITE
Meatballs that are stuffed with melted cheese are divine! They are easy to make, albeit a bit fussy. In this recipe, feel free to use any kind of cheese that melts easily, from mozzarella to Swiss or Colby. Serve them with pasta sauce over noodles or rice.
⅓ cup soft bread crumbs
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 egg
½ teaspoon dried marjoram
Pinch salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound 95 percent lean ground beef
20 ½-inch cubes of cheese
Olive oil for misting
1. In a large bowl, combine the bread crumbs, milk, ketchup, egg, marjoram, salt, and pepper, and mix well.
2. Add the ground beef and mix gently but thoroughly with your hands.
3. Form the mixture into 20 meatballs.
4. Shape each meatball around a cheese cube. Mist the meatballs with olive oil and put into the air fryer basket.
5. Bake for 10 to 13 minutes or until the meatballs register 165°F on a meat thermometer.
Cooking tip: To make the best meatballs or meatloaf, always combine all of the “filler” ingredients—such as bread crumbs and egg—first, then mix in the meat. The more you handle the meat, the tougher the meatballs. Handle ground meat as little as possible for best results.
[2016] The Complete Air Fryer Cookbook: Amazingly Easy Recipes to Fry, Bake, Grill, and Roast With Your Air Fryer Page 8