These Easy Air Fryer Dinner Recipes Are Made For Days When You’re Just Done
From tasty one-dish pasta bakes to taco fillings and even a take-out fake-out.
After a long day of working (at home, the office, wherever), there's no better feeling than watching the clock strike 5, knowing you can finally punch out for the day and get some much-needed rest. Except you can't because you're a mom, and your day never ends there. And on top of that, someone's gotta make dinner. Lucky you. No, really. This list of easy air fryer dinner recipes is here to save your sanity by taking most of the work and mess out of feeding your family tonight.
If you don't have an air fryer, you need to get one, like, yesterday. If you do have one, you know they're little appliances sent directly from heaven that not only cook food quickly but are also easy to clean — stick the pan in the dishwasher kind of easy. So, if you can get dinner done in the air fryer, do it.
From delicious one-dish pasta bakes to taco fillings and even a take-out fake-out classic, these air fryer dinner recipes are crowd-pleasers meant to snuff out whining from tiny human complainers who don't like anything served on their plate. And the best part: You can finally get a minute to relax. Just stick in the air fryer and, boom, there's dinner.
Chicken Parmesan Casserole
Chicken tenders aren't just for kids. If you're a fan of chicken parmesan with a side of al dente pasta, this chicken parmesan casserole recipe by The Cozy Cook brings them together in one dish. Chicken tenders make for an easy shortcut, and you can even assemble it up to two days ahead of time. So, come Friday night, you can kick back and relax and let the air fryer do the work.
Fish Taco Bowls
These 6-minute air-fryer fish taco bowls by Gina Homolka, New York Times best-selling author and creator of the Skinnytaste brand, are like taking a trip to Baja, Mexico (if you close your eyes real tight). Simply toss cubes of your favorite fish in a simple seasoning, pop in the air fryer, and serve with a side of pre-shredded cabbage mix. Dinner's done!
Steak and Potatoes
You don't have to spend hundreds of dollars at a steakhouse or fire up the grill to serve your family a mouthwatering steak and potato dinner, thanks to this traditional recipe by Cooks Well With Others that you can cook in the air fryer. It's topped with an easy-to-make herb garlic butter. Yum.
Quesadillas
Quesadillas are a customizable, family-friendly food perfect for any time of day — including dinner. They're not super hard to make, but not having to stand at the stove while they cook is a time-saver. Platings + Pairings' version is ready in under 10 minutes and is equal parts crunchy and melty. Add a few slices of avocado and a dollop of sour cream, and dig in.
Carnitas
One of the brilliant things about air-fryer technology is that it's designed to cook foods quickly. And when it comes to carnitas, you can usually expect a long commitment. But not with these air-fried carnitas by Simply Low Cal, which cook in just 45 minutes. The marinade gives the pork incredible flavor while making it so tender that it literally falls apart.
Sesame Chicken
This air-fried sesame chicken is a total take-out fake-out. Food By The Gram transforms normally bland chicken breasts with a super savory but a little bit of sweet Asian sauce that will fool your family into thinking it's from their favorite Chinese restaurant. It only takes a few minutes to prep and cooks in just 15 minutes.
Pizza Puffs
If you've got a craving for pizza but delivery is going to take over an hour, these pizza puffs by food blogger Becky Excell are just the thing to try. It doesn't get easier than thawed frozen puff pastry stuffed with your go-to pizza toppings and letting the air fryer do the rest. To save even more time, use jarred pizza sauce and get on with your night.
Grain-Free Baked Eggplant Parm
OK, so these eggplant parm stacks by Mary's Whole Life will take some prep time, but they are 100% worth it! Besides, your air fryer will do most of the heavy lifting. Layers of eggplant, marinara sauce, and mozzarella cheese are all topped with fresh basil. Looks fancy, but it's easy.
Chicken Fajitas
Who doesn't love seeing a hot cast iron skillet piled with fajitas coming their way? Usually, this means packing up the kids and heading to your local Mexican restaurant. But making them at home in your air fryer is a thing. Don't believe it? Just check out this video recipe for air fryer chicken fajitas by Savita Chefdehome. They're juicy and flavorful and come together in a few minutes.
