Time to invest in an air fryer?

True, no one needs an air fryer to make protein-packed meals. However, I find that air frying–as opposed to just cooking food in the oven or on the stove–can improve the texture and taste of certain dishes. Fried chicken or coconut shrimp, for instance, get much crispier, and quicker, when cooked in an air fryer. 

Crispy Cod

Ingredients

• 2 6 oz cod filets 
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• ⅓ cup flour
• 2 large eggs
• ⅔ cup panko crumbs 
• ⅓ cup grated parmesan 
• 2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
• ½ tsp garlic 
• 1 tbsp olive oil

1. Preheat your air fryer to 400°F.
2. Pat the cod dry and sprinkle with ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper. 
3. Add flour to one bowl. In a second, whisk the eggs. In a third, combine the panko, parmesan, and seasonings. 
4. Dip the cod in the flour, then the eggs, and finally the panko mixture. 
5. Oil your air fryer and place the fish in the basket. Fry for 10 minutes, flip, and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. 

Coconut Shrimp

Ingredients

• 1 lb shrimp (peeled and deveined)
• ¼ cup flour
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 2 large eggs
• ¾ cup unsweetened shredded coconut 
• ¼ cup panko crumbs
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Optional: sweet chili or cocktail sauce for serving

1. Preheat your air fryer to 365°F.
2. Combine the flour, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl. In another bowl, whisk the eggs. In a third bowl, mix the coconut and panko crumbs. 
3. Dip the shrimp in the flour mixture, then the eggs, and finally the coconut and panko.
4. Oil your air fryer and place the shrimp in the basket with space in between each. Cook for 6 minutes, flip, and cook for another 6 minutes. 

Orange Tofu

Ingredients

For the tofu:

• 1 block of tofu
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper 
• 2 tsp cornstarch 
• ½ tsp garlic powder 
• ½ tbsp soy sauce
• ½ tsp sesame oil 
• Optional: sesame seeds and scallions for garnishing 

For the sauce:

• ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup orange juice
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• ¼ tsp ground ginger
• ½ tbsp soy sauce
• ½ tbsp cornstarch

1. Preheat your air fryer to 400°F.
2. Press and pat your tofu dry. 
3. Cut tofu into cubes. 
4. Whisk together all of the ingredients under “for the tofu.” Toss the tofu in this mixture. 
5. Cook for 10 minutes, shaking a few times throughout. 
6. While cooking, prepare the sauce.
7. In a pot over medium heat, add all sauce ingredients except for the cornstarch. 
8. Bring to a boil for a minute and return to low. Whisk in the cornstarch, avoiding lumps. 
9. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until the sauce starts to thicken. 
10. Toss the cooked tofu in the sauce and garnish with scallions and sesame seeds.  

Fried Chicken

Ingredients

• 1-2 lbs drumsticks or chicken thighs
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tbsp cajun seasoning 
• 1 tbsp garlic powder 
• 1 tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp paprika
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil

1. Preheat the air fryer to 365°F.
2. Pat chicken dry and sprinkle on ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper. 
3. Whisk together buttermilk and eggs in one bowl. In another bowl add all remaining ingredients excluding the oil. 
4. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture first, then the egg mixture, and finally the flour mixture again.
5. Add oil to your air fryer and cook the chicken for 15-20 minutes. Flip and cook for another 5-10 minutes.  

Easy Salmon

Ingredients

• 2 6 oz salmon filets 
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp honey or brown sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic (powder or fresh)
• ½ tsp ginger (ground or fresh)
• ½ tbsp soy sauce

1. Preheat your air fryer to 400°F.
2. Pat the salmon dry and sprinkle it with salt and pepper.
3. Combine all remaining ingredients and drizzle over the salmon.
4. Add tinfoil to your air fryer basket and place salmon on top. Bake for about 7-10 minutes. 

Image of salmon from Pexels.com.