Easy Meals with Air Fryers

Video by Jonathan Parrish

With school starting and all the extra activities after school, you may not have much time to cook dinner. Make back-to-school meals a breeze by leaning into your air fryer. Air-fried foods have fewer calories from fat than foods cooked with traditional methods, such as deep frying. Air fryers use circulating air technology to produce crispy foods. They have many benefits:

• Easy to use and clean
• Energy efficient
• Make quick, healthy meals
• Cook a variety of foods
• Fit into any kitchen
• Help keep kitchens cool during warm months

Getting back in the swing of school can be hectic for families, so let your air fryer do some of the work for you!  You can find more information about cooking with air fryers, including how to make your own nonstick cooking spray, food safety, and recipes, in Extension Publication 3577, “Nutrition and Wellness: All About Air Fryers.”

Give these air fryer recipes a try:

Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings

Ingredients

• 1 pound chicken wings, split into flats and drumettes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (or your preferred oil)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons lemon pepper
• Dash of cayenne pepper or smoked paprika

Steps

1. Wash your hands with soap and water.
2. Thoroughly pat dry the chicken wings with paper towels and place in a mixing bowl. Do not rinse raw chicken. Throw away the paper towels immediately after use.
3. Wash your hands with soap and water after touching raw chicken.
4. Evenly coat the chicken with a tablespoon of oil, then sprinkle with seasonings.
5. Wash your hands with soap and water after touching raw chicken.
6. Preheat your air fryer if your instructions tell you to do so. The additional few minutes will allow the chicken to marinate in the seasoning.
7. Place the chicken in your air fryer basket, spacing evenly.
8. Air fry at 400 degrees for 8 minutes per side, or until chicken wings are crisp and golden brown with an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Measure the temperature with a food thermometer at the thickest part of the chicken but not touching the bone.

Tips:

• Check the lemon pepper seasoning label to make sure it contains only lemon and pepper. Many lemon pepper seasonings have a lot of sodium.
• Add more flavor with more garlic powder, lemon pepper, cayenne pepper, or smoked paprika. These seasonings do not contain sodium.
• Enjoy these wings with Sweet and Spicy Sweet Potato Fries (see recipe below).

Sweet and Spicy Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients

• 2 large sweet potatoes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Steps

1. Wash your hands with soap and water.
2. Scrub the sweet potatoes with a clean vegetable brush under running water.
3. Cut each sweet potato in half lengthwise and again crosswise so you have four pieces. Slice each piece again, into two or three thick slices to make the potato more manageable to cut.
4. Cut each slice into fries. Try to keep all the fries the same size so they will cook evenly.
5. Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees. While it is preheating, place the cut fries in a bowl and toss with olive oil. Sprinkle with the seasonings and toss to coat.
6. When the air fryer is preheated, add the fries to the basket and cook for 15 minutes.
7. Pull out the basket and use tongs to quickly turn the fries (so the ones that were on the bottom are now on the top).
8. Continue cooking for 10–12 more minutes or until the fries are thoroughly cooked and golden brown.

Tips:

• For savory sweet potato fries, use garlic powder, black pepper, and chili powder instead of nutmeg and cinnamon.
• By keeping the sweet potato skins on, you get more fiber!

You can try more delicious and easy air fryer recipes listed in Extension Publication 3578, “Air Fryer Recipes.”

Check out our MSU Extension Nutrition and Wellness website for more healthy living tips, recipes, and resources and be sure to join our Facebook group!