All of my easy-to-follow tips and tricks for air fryer cooking- including the air fryer brand I love, helpful accessories, a printable, and some of my favorite air fryer recipes! 

Check out my many air fryer recipes, like this Salmon Bowl, Breakfast Potatoes, or Calzones!

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Air fryers are fantastic kitchen appliances that can help you cook up delicious and healthier meals without sacrificing flavor or texture! Whether you’re a seasoned home cook or a kitchen newbie, an air fryer can help you achieve that perfect golden brown crispness in your favorite foods. 

What I love about the Air Fryer:

  • Healthier – Enjoy your favorite crispy fried foods in a healthy way without the added oils and fats!
  • Doesn’t Heat My House – Especially living in Arizona, I don’t like to turn on my oven in the summer! Using an air fryer let’s me make my favorite Baked Potatoes without heating up the house.
  • Hosting – The air fryer comes in handy when hosting and prepping a big meal for guests, and especially when you don’t have multiple oven.

My Favorite Air Fryer:

There are TONS of air fryers on the market, but the GoWISE 5.8 QT 8-in-1 Air Fryer is my favorite because its large enough to cook meals for my whole family, and it has multiple cooking settings to make sure your food comes out just the way you like it.

  • Built-in touchscreen menu
  • 8 cooking presets for fries, pork, chicken, steak, shrimp, cake, fish, and pizza
  • Wide temperature range 
  • Built-in alarm function that reminds you to shake your ingredients in 5, 10, and 15-minute increments

Need a smaller air fryer? I recommend the 4 Quart Ninja AF101

Want an air fryer that does more than one job? You gotta check out this 6-quart Instant Pot Duo Crisp 11-in-1 Air Fryer! This thing will air fry, steam, slow cook, saute, dehydrate, and more! 

PRO TIP: Everything in the kitchen is more manageable when I’m meal planning – a little bit of prep on paper really makes everything else work better!

Don’t miss the FREE PRINTABLE at the bottom of this post! Print it off and store it with your air fryer recipes to have this great reference at your fingertips. 

Air Fryer Accessories

I have a few products I can’t live without when cooking with my air fryer. They make cooking and cleanup a breeze!

  • Oil Sprayer: Did you know you can’t use aerosol cooking sprays on most air fryer models? It destroys the coating of your basket. After trying many different oil misters, I highly recommend this one.
  • Kitchen tongs: Let’s keep protecting that basket with silicone-tipped tongs. Tongs also allow you to easily flip and move your food around in the basket without burning your hands. I also recommend a silicone spatula
  • Air Fryer Liners: I didn’t have liners when I first got my air fryer, and wow, I was missing out! Air fryer liners prevent sticking and help distribute heat evenly– which improves the cooking performance of your air fryer! (Quick tip: It’s best to use products specifically made for the air fryer to avoid problems!)
  • Digital Meat Thermometer: Like ovens, every air fryer cooks a little differently, so a reliable digital meat thermometer is a must for getting our Air Fryer Steak and Air Fryer Whole Chicken perfect!
  • Vegetable Chopper or Mandoline Slicer: Food cooks more evenly in the air fryer if it’s uniformly cut or sliced. It makes all the difference with our Air Fryer French Fries!

Air Fryer Tips & Tricks!

  • Tip #1: Don’t overcrowd your basket: That’s why I love my GoWISE 5.8 QT 8-in-1 Air Fryer because it’s big enough to only do one batch!
  • Tip #2: Reheat your leftovers in the air fryer! I’ve fooled my family into eating leftovers many times by reheating them in the air fryer! Much better than the microwave. French Toast Roll-Ups and Crispy Southwest Wrap are especially good reheated in the air fryer the next day!
  • Tip #3: Thaw your meat. For the best results, meat must be thawed before cooking in the air fryer for recipes like our Air Fryer Meatballs and Air Fryer Chicken Wings. 
  • Tip #4: Be careful with cheese! Don’t smother your recipe with cheese– you’ll have a burnt, gooey mess on your hands! (Although with the air fryer liners, it wasn’t as big of a deal!)
  • Tip #5: Hand Wash: The dishwasher damages the non-stick basket. (See more cleaning tips below!)

Cleaning Your Air Fryer: My Simple 5 Step Process:

  1. Unplug: Make sure you unplug your air fryer and that it’s completely cooled down before you clean it.
  2. Clean Basket and Tray: The basket and tray are the most important parts of your air fryer, so keeping them clean is essential. Remove any excess food particles with a soft sponge or cloth, then wash the basket and tray with warm, soapy water. (Remember to avoid using abrasive products or steel wool because it can scratch the surface)
  3. Clean Heating Element: use a soft-bristled brush to remove any debris and wipe it down with a damp cloth. I can’t say enough about these microfiber cleaning cloths. I have them in every room in my house!
  4. Wipe: Give the outside of your air fryer a quick wipe down with your damp cloth too!
  5. Store Properly: When not using your air fryer, store it in a cool, dry place with plenty of ventilation. It’s best not to stack heavy objects on top of it because that can damage the heating element.

My Top Air Fryer Recipes: 

Calzones– so easily adapted for the Air Fryer!

Three homemade Calzones on a piece of parchment paper, with the middle one cut in half showing the cheese pulling apart.
4.97 from 82 votes

Calzones

This easy homemade Calzones recipe includes pizza dough stuffed with your favorite pizza toppings, making a fun customizable dinner that everyone loves. Calzones can be made in advance or frozen for an easy freezer meal.
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Air Fryer Tofu

A plate of crispy air fryer tofu with chopsticks and a side of sweet and sour sauce.
5 from 2 votes

Air Fryer Tofu

This 10 minute crispy Air Fryer Tofu is the perfect snack or great to add in to your favorite vegetarian bowl or entrée. It's so versatile and can be seasoned in so many ways. My kids love eating these tofu "nuggets"!
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Whole Chicken

A whole chicken, cooked in the air fryer, served on a platter.
5 from 7 votes

Air Fryer Whole Chicken

The BEST Air Fryer Chicken recipe is juicy, flavorful, and has perfectly crispy skin. It only takes a few minutes to prep and is always a family favorite!
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Chick-Fil-A Crispy Chicken Sandwich Copycat

4.77 from 1103 votes

Chick-Fil-A Crispy Chicken Sandwich Copycat

This Chick-Fil-A crispy chicken sandwich with homemade Chick-Fil-A sauce is the perfect copycat recipe of the classic sandwich we all love!
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Air Fryer Steak

The best air fryer steak topped with homemade garlic butter with a piece cut to show the juicy interior.
5 from 10 votes

Air Fryer Steak with Garlic Herb Butter

You can make a perfect, juicy Air Fryer Steak in less than 20 minutes. Top with a simple homemade garlic herb butter and you've got a winner.
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Roasted Vegetables (Adapted for Air Fryer)

A serving dish filled with the best Roasted Vegetables: a mix of butternut squash, red onion, red bell pepper, and brussels sprouts.
4.97 from 64 votes

Roasted Vegetables

Our fool-proof Roasted Vegetables recipe works with a variety of vegetables, like brussels sprouts, butternut squash, red bell pepper, and red onion, and is the perfect side dish to practically any entrée.
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Air Fryer French Toast

A plate with Air Fryer French Toast and a small container of syrup.
4.80 from 15 votes

Air Fryer French Toast

This Air Fryer French Toast recipe is delightfully crispy-toasted on the outside, and soft in the center and is as tasty as it is easy to make!
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Breakfast Taquitos

Five breakfast taquitos on a plate with a small bowl of salsa.
4.99 from 120 votes

Breakfast Taquitos

Easy Breakfast Taquitos have scrambled eggs, cheese and sausage links rolled and baked inside a corn tortilla. They are quick to make, and fun to eat!
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Breakfast Potatoes

A bowl of crispy Breakfast Potatoes with bell peppers and onion, ready to serve.
4.98 from 45 votes

Breakfast Potatoes

These easy Breakfast Potatoes are roasted in the oven resulting in the perfect crispy on the outside, soft in the middle, potatoes.
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Air Fryer Grilled Cheese

The best Grilled Cheese Sandwich cut in half diagonally, showing the cheese inside.
5 from 108 votes

Air Fryer Grilled Cheese

The best Air Fryer Grilled Cheese recipe is easy to make, has the perfect texture, and only takes 10 minutes! It's filled with gooey melted cheese and it turns out perfectly every time!
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Air Fryer Pizza

Pizza made in the Air Fryer and cut into slices.
4.93 from 57 votes

Air Fryer Pizza

Use this Air Fryer Pizza recipe for your next pizza night! It's cheesy, delicious, and has a crispy crust. Perfect for a weeknight since it's ready in less than 10 minutes!
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Air Fryer Chicken Tenders

Air Fryer Chicken Tenders served in a basket with dipping sauce.
5 from 44 votes

Air Fryer Chicken Tenders

The best Air Fryer Chicken Tenders recipe results in golden, crispy, and perfectly juicy chicken. These couldn't be easier to make and can be served in so many ways!
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Toasted Ravioli

A bowl with toasted ravioli and a small bowl of marinara sauce.
5 from 43 votes

Toasted Ravioli

Warm and crispy Toasted Ravioli made from frozen raviolis dipped in egg and breadcrumbs, fried, and served with marinara sauce for dunking.
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Air Fryer Meatballs

A plate filled with homemade Air Fryer Meatballs, ready to serve or freeze for another day.
5 from 15 votes

Air Fryer Meatballs

These easy Air Fryer Meatballs are perfectly crisp on the outside, tender on the inside, and only take a few minutes to make.
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Easy Homemade Crab Cakes

Three easy homemade Crab Cakes on a plate, two of them topped with homemade tarter sauce and garnished with chives.
4.99 from 61 votes

Crab Cakes

The BEST Crab Cakes recipe couldn't be more delicious or easy, made with fresh lump crab meat, bell pepper, cilantro, mayo and spices. Serve them as an appetizer or main dish, topped with our crab cakes sauce.
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Air Fryer Chicken Wings – My most popular air fryer recipe

Air Fryer Chicken Wings on a wood board with ranch and veggies.
4.97 from 170 votes

Air Fryer Chicken Wings

The BEST Air Fryer Chicken Wings are seasoned with a simple spice rub and cooked (from fresh or frozen), then tossed in your favorite wing sauce! They are crispy and only take 5 minutes to prepare, and are quick and easy cooked in the air fryer.
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Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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