4 Air Fryer Recipes for Football Season Fun

Not a fan of spending precious seconds on cooking when the big game is on? Looking for healthy, delicious foods that are fast to whip up and can feed a family full of football fans? That’s where an air fryer can come to the rescue.

These small appliances—which circulate air at high heats to make foods juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside—can also toast bread, cook hard-boiled eggs, fry crispy zucchini, mushrooms, pizza, egg rolls and more. Not to mention, cooking foods in an air fryer can also help you save money on takeout or restaurants.

But first, here are some safety tips for air fryer use.

Air Fryer Safety Tips

Before you get started, keep these air fryer fire safety tips from the National Fire Protection Association in mind:

• Leave enough space around the air fryer to provide airflow and for air vents to release heat.
• Don’t leave your air fryer cooking when you leave home.
• Clean grease and food bits from the air fryer after each use.
• When not using the air fryer, unplug it to avoid fire risk.

Ready for some tasty air fryer inspiration? Here are four recipes for meals and snacks you can prepare without heating up the oven or grill for quick and easy gameday meals.

This crispy barbecue chicken thighs recipe from Cara Lanz at Midwestern Home Life uses a simple rub with basic pantry ingredients that you may already have on hand. Bonus: The easy homemade barbecue sauce doesn’t require sweating over a stove top.

“I love chicken thighs because they’re so flavorful and juicy, and you almost can’t overcook them,” Lanz says. “My favorite part is that the chicken bakes until charred in the air fryer, so you can still get that grilled flavor we crave in the summer without having to light up or clean the grill.”

This recipe works for chicken breasts, too. Just make sure you don’t leave them in the air fryer too long. “Chicken breasts can become tough and dry if overcooked,” Lanz says. “Use a digital thermometer and check the chicken early in the cooking process so it doesn’t exceed an internal temperature of 165° F.”

Air fryer tip: Always wash the air fryer basket and grate after every use to avoid bacteria growth that could contaminate other air fryer foods during cooking.

Need something more grab and go for you or your gameday guests?  This recipe for air-fryer jalapeño poppers from Sonia Khosla at Love Incredible Recipes is a healthy version of the popular deep-fried or frozen snack, and are perfect to snack on while watching a big play or during a commercial break.

These jalapeño poppers are mildly spicy. If you want more spice, Khosla recommends dipping them in a tabasco green pepper sauce.

“These jalapeño poppers are crispy, cheesy and delicious,” Khosla says. “The mouth-watering finger foods are perfect to enjoy as an appetizer or snack and great for parties and get-togethers.”

Air fryer tip: To coat foods without getting your hands oily, use a hand pump oil dispenser filled with olive oil, avocado oil or vegetable oil.

This quick and easy vegetarian pizza recipe, also from Khosla, calls for naan or flatbread, veggies, cheese and a tomato paste base. Just chop and add your favorite vegetables. Ask your kids or grandkids to join in: They’ll love making their own personal pizza, and this dish cooks in just two minutes.

You can use your own homemade naan bread (recipe included) or purchase a thin naan bread or flatbread from the store. For a nutritional boost, try using whole wheat naan.

“Air fryer naan pizza is a simple, tasty and great meal option, plus so quick to make,” Khosla says. “Each pizza can be customized with a variety of toppings, including fresh bell peppers, tomatoes, onions and sweetcorn.”

Air fryer tip: Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket. Leave space around each food item so the circulating hot air can do its job.

The chops in this slightly crispy pork chop recipe from Erin Clarke at Well Plated by Erin are filled with flavor and easy to prepare. You don’t need egg, flour or breadcrumbs—just a simple rub using olive oil chili powder, smoked paprika, dry mustard, ground coriander, cayenne pepper, kosher salt and ground pepper.

You can have these tasty pork chops on your plate in less than 30 minutes of prep and cook time. “Forget the dry chops of your childhood,” Clarke says. “The air fryer makes them crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, without the need to heat up your oven or grill.

This recipe’s spice rub tastes smoky and subtly spicy, Clarke says. Want more heat? “Feel free to add more cayenne for a bigger kick, or omit it if you prefer your pork chops more mild,” Clarke suggests.

Air fryer tip: If using an aerosol nonstick spray, don’t spray the basket as this may cause the nonstick coating on the basket to be less effective. Instead, spray food on a plate or rack first.

Do you have an air fryer recipe you love? Share it in the comments for others to enjoy!