Best Foods to Cook in an Air Fryer (And Why They Work So Well)

1. Chicken

Chicken is one of the foods I come back to again and again in the air fryer.

There are so many ways to season it, and the circulating heat works particularly well when you want a browned exterior while the chicken cooks through.

Chicken thighs are one of my favourites because they are easy to season and work with all kinds of sides.

Smaller pieces, wings and other appropriately sized cuts can also work well, although cooking time will depend on the cut, thickness and air fryer being used.

2. Fish

Fish can be another great air fryer option, especially when you want something relatively quick without much fuss.

I have cooked everything from salmon fillets to a whole sea bass in mine.

With fish, thickness and size make a big difference, so I would never assume every fillet or whole fish needs the same amount of time.

Use a tested recipe as your starting point and adjust when necessary for the fish you are cooking and your particular air fryer.

3. Beef and Skewers

Small cuts of beef and skewers can work particularly well in an air fryer because plenty of the meat's surface is exposed to the circulating heat.

They are also convenient when you are cooking a smaller batch.

My Easy Air Fryer Beef Skewers are a good example. I cook the ribeye pieces at 180°C first and then give them a short finish at 205°C for extra browning.

That is the method for that particular recipe rather than a rule for every beef skewer.

4. Potatoes

There is a reason potatoes and air fryers are such good friends.

Whether they are cut into wedges, chunks, fries or another roasted-style shape, potatoes can develop beautifully browned edges in circulating hot air.

The result still depends on the cut, preparation, quantity and how much space the food has in the basket.

5. Vegetables

The air fryer can also be useful when you want vegetables with roasted edges without switching on a full-size oven.

Firm vegetables such as broccoli and peppers can work particularly well, depending on how they are prepared.

Not every vegetable behaves the same way, though. Some contain far more water than others, while delicate leafy vegetables behave very differently from firm vegetables.

So I would not promise that every vegetable thrown into an air fryer is going to become magically crispy. For the foods I would rather cook another way, see What Not to Cook in an Air Fryer.

6. Pastries

Pastry has definitely earned its place in my air fryer.

Small pastries are particularly convenient because I can cook a batch without switching on the full-size oven.

The circulating heat can help the pastry puff and brown while the filling heats through.

I've used my air fryer for different savoury pastries, including my pesto, tomato and mozzarella puff pastries and my mini sausage pastries.

7. Toasties, Melts and Loaded Bread

Bread-based snacks are another reason my air fryer gets used so often.

When you want toasted bread and a hot or melted filling at the same time, the air fryer can be very convenient.

I've used mine for melts, toasted sandwiches and loaded open bread.

8. Foods That Are Designed to Brown or Crisp

Foods where you actively want a browned or crisp exterior are often natural candidates for an air fryer.

The circulating hot air can work particularly well when plenty of the food's surface is exposed and there is enough room for air to move around it.

This is also why many frozen foods can work well in an air fryer.

Where a packaged food provides specific air fryer instructions, follow those instructions as your starting point and remember that different machines can cook at different rates.

What Makes a Food Good for Air Frying?

Foods that tend to work particularly well in an air fryer often have one or more of these characteristics:

• You want browning or crisp edges.
• There is plenty of exposed surface area.
• The food can be arranged so hot air can circulate around it.
• It does not depend on a large amount of liquid for cooking.
• The quantity is manageable for the basket or drawer being used.

This does not mean food has to be completely dry.

It simply means that foods suited to circulating dry heat generally make more sense than dishes that need to simmer in lots of liquid.

A Few Things That Make a Difference

Even foods that are well suited to air frying can disappoint if the setup is wrong.

Avoid overcrowding when the particular recipe needs air to circulate around individual pieces.

Remember that different air fryers can behave differently.

Turning or shaking can help some foods cook more evenly, but it is not mandatory for every food or every machine.

Some Lackie Flavors recipes are cooked without flipping because that is how I tested them in my COSORI Dual Blaze.

Preheating is another area where there is no single rule for every machine or recipe.

I do not routinely preheat my COSORI Dual Blaze, but another model or a particular recipe may recommend it.

So, What Should You Try First?

If you are staring at a new air fryer wondering where to begin, start with food you already enjoy and a straightforward tested recipe.

Chicken, fish, potatoes, vegetables, skewers and simple pastries are all useful ways to get familiar with how your particular machine cooks.

Once you understand your air fryer, experimenting becomes much easier.

That is when the air fryer starts becoming less of another appliance sitting on the counter and more of the thing you automatically reach for when dinner needs to happen.

And sometimes that experiment turns into something like an Air Fryer Beef Pastry Burger, which is exactly why I stopped thinking of my air fryer as something that was mainly for chips.

Explore more Air Fryer recipes on Lackie Flavors for ideas straight from my kitchen.