Air Fryer Salmon Bites

Happy Father's Day! Normally, I like to grill on Father's day because Dad was the grill master in our family. But I had this salmon in the freezer that I really needed to use and so I thought, "Dad liked salmon." 

This was an interesting recipe for me. I have never had salmon with teriyaki sauce and I can't say that I ever will again. The main mistake I think I made here was the teriyaki sauce I had was 1) thick and 2) too sweet. I mean, it was fine, but it won't be my favorite. 

I may try this again using a thinner teriyaki that's a bit more savory than sweet, something like Kokkiman's maybe.

Air Fryer Salmon Bites

Recipe from To Simply Inspire

Serves 1

• 1 lb salmon filets
• 2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• ½ tablespoon honey
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon ground pepper

Remove skin from salmon using a sharp knife

Chop salmon fillets into 1 inch cubes

In a medium bowl, add the teriyaki sauce, olive oil, soy sauce, honey, garlic powder and pepper and blend together well.

Add the salmon to the marinade for 10-15 minutes while oven is preheating.

Preheat the air fryer to 350° F. Place the salmon pieces into the basket in a single layer. (do not overcrowd. cook in batches if necessary)

Cook for 6-8 minutes or salmon is cooked through. (Shake the basket half way through cooking).

Top with sesame seeds if desired.

Crispy Sweet Chili Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro Slaw

Y'all...I have found another amazingly simple and amazingly delicious meal. And it couldn't be more
simple.

I've never used frozen popcorn shrimp before and really wasn't sure I'd like it, but turns out I LOVED it. I did purchase the SeaPak brand the original recipe author suggested. 

This combination of sweet chili sauce, tangy lime and shrimp is off the charts delicious. 

This recipe is going into the favorite category and maybe, just maybe will make it to the rotation of delicious meals. 

Make this recipe. You won't regret it. 

Crispy Sweet Chili Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro Slaw

Recipe from Black Berry Babe

Serves 6-8

• 18 ounces SeaPak Popcorn Shrimp
• 6 tbsp sweet chili sauce (find in asian aisle)
• 2 tbsp sour cream
• squeeze of lime
• 16 fajita sized soft tortillas
• 2 cups Cilantro Lime Coleslaw (recipe link in notes)

Cilantro Lime Coleslaw

FOR THE CILANTRO LIME DRESSING:

• 1/4 red onion or yellow onion, sliced into very fine strips
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons sugar or Splenda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

FOR THE CABBAGE SLAW MIX:

• 8 ounces coleslaw mix, green cabbage with carrots
• 4 ounces shredded red cabbage
• 1/3 cup chopped green onion
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Cook shrimp to package specifications. While it's baking; make the coleslaw and sauce.

In small mixing bowl, combine sweet chili sauce, sour cream, and a squeeze of lime juice. Stir until well combine.

In a large bowl, add coleslaw mix, purple cabbage, onion, cilantro and green onions. toss to combine.

In a small bowl, prepare the coleslaw dressing. Add onions, lime juice, olive oil, sugar/splenda, salt and pepper. Whisk vigorously and allow it to rest for 2-3 minutes to allow the lime juice to mellow out the onions.

Pour dressing onto slaw mix, stir and cover. allow to rest in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. Stir again, before serving.

When the shrimp is done; remove the cooked popcorn shrimp from the oven and allow to cool for 1-2 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the sweet chili sauce mixture. Toss to combine.

To each tortilla, add a few sweet chili shrimp and top with cilantro lime coleslaw. Top with additional fresh cilantro if desired.

Air Fryer Lemon Butter Salmon

I'm getting a new fridge this Tuesday so wanted to eat out of my freezer. I've spent the last couple of days doing just that. It's still not going to be nearly as empty as I'd like, but it's a start.

I found a salmon filet in the drawer and thought I'd better use it up. I love these single serve salmon filets you can get these days. Makes eating fish easier. 

This is a easy recipe and can be done in the oven as well. I salted my salmon and added some lemon pepper too. I'd make this again in a heart beat. 

Air Fryer Lemon Butter Salmon

Recipe from Butter Your Biscuits

Serves 3

• 3- (6 ounce) salmon filets, skin on
• Salt and pepper
• Non stick cooking spray
• 3 T butter, melted
• 2 T fresh lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp fresh chopped dill
• ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
• Lemon slices for garnish
• More dill for garnish

Place the salmon fillets on a baking sheet or plate and pat dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl add the melted butter, lemon juice, garlic, dill, and Worcestershire sauce and mix until combined. Place 3 tablespoons in a separate bowl.

Preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes. Spray inside the basket with non-stick cooking spray.

Brush 1 tablespoon on top of each salmon filet. Place salmon filets inside the basket.

Cook at 400 degrees for 10-13 minutes

Remove from air fryer and serve with extra lemon butter sauce over the top.

Bang Bang Chicken Skewers (100 of 150)

Happy Friday! It's been a couple of days / weeks since I've actually made myself a new recipe. I had to take a little break you see. I just wasn't feeling it. 

Tonight though, I had chicken out and figured I'd do myself this recipe. Bang Bang sauce was all the rage a year or so ago. The first time I had Bang Bang Sauce was at  Bonefish Grill's and they have an appetizer called Bang Bang Shrimp and OH...MY...God...is it good. 

But what is Bang Bang sauce? It's a cream sauce that is a little sweet and a little spicy. It's usually made with mayo and sweet chili sauce - then you add as much spicy as you want. 

The key for this recipe is getting that sauce on the chicken the moment it comes out of the air fryer. You want the heat of the chicken "melt" the mayo and sweet chili sauce. 

Bang Bang Chicken Skewers

Found on Instagram

Serves 2

• 2 chicken breasts, cut into chunks
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• 1/2 tsp onion powder

Bang Bang Sauce

• 1/2 c mayo
• 1/4 c sweet chili sauce

Cut your chicken into bit size pieces. 

Mix together the spices and spread on chicken. Add about 1 T olive oil to the chicken and mix together. 

Cook in your air fryer for 12 minutes at 400 (preheat the airfryer for about 4 minutes before you put the chicken in).  Cook until done. 

Brush on the bang bang sauce and enjoy.

Air Fryer Cauliflower (95 of 150)

I have a love hate relationship with cauliflower. As a flavor profile, it's fine with me. The texture is OK
if it doesn't get mushy. If it gets mushy, then all bets are off. 

I have gotten pretty good at air frying cauliflower and NOT making it mushy. I just know to cook it less than the recipe usually calls for. 

Tonight I made a rookie mistake and over cooked the cauliflower. I used smaller florets than I should have and that resulted in mushy cauliflower. I ate it, well most of it. 

I've made a bunch of recipes like this one. It's a solid recipe. Just don't overcook your cauliflower. 

Air Fryer Cauliflower

Recipe from Wholesome Yum

Serves 4

1 head Cauliflower (cut into florets)

3 T Olive oil

2 tsp Lemon juice

3/4 tsp Smoked paprika

1/2 tsp Garlic powder

1/2 tsp Sea salt

1/4 tsp Black pepper

Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.

Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees F.

Place the cauliflower florets in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Season with garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper. Toss to coat.

Add cauliflower to the air fryer basket in a single layer (cook in batches if needed – don’t crowd the basket). Cook cauliflower in the air fryer for 7-10 minutes (depending on the size of your florets), shaking the basket halfway through, until browned on the edges.

Chicken Fries in the Air Fryer (69 of 150)

Anything fried. That's my jam. You can take your sweets all you want. I crave carby, fried, goodness. Now, when you're trying to eat healthier, fried food isn't a friend. 

Enter pork rinds and an air fryer and you have crunchy, fried goodness. 

I broke away from this recipe a little. I didn't have any eggs so I improvised. I slathered the chicken nuggets in mayo first then dredged it in pork rinds. Really a nice combo. 

Chicken Fries in the Air Fryer

Recipe from Jennifer Banz

Serves 4

• 1 pound Chicken Breast-cut into thin strips, lengthwise
• 3.5 Ounces Crushed pork rinds
• ¼ tsp Kosher salt
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp onion powder
• 2 Large eggs, beaten

Preheat the air fryer to 400F

In a shallow dish, mix the crushed pork rinds with the seasonings. In a separate shallow dish, add in the beaten eggs. Take one of your chicken strips and coat it in the egg, then your pork rind mixture. Set on a plate. Repeat this process with each piece of chicken.

Spray the air fryer basket with oil spray. Place the chicken fries in the air fryer basket and air fry for 12 minutes, flipping halfway through. This will probably need to be cooked in 2 batches and the second batch will cook more quickly.

Air Fryer Lemon Garlic Salmon (68 of 150)

Fish is something that's really hard for me to get into my meal planning. I don't have too many fish recipes, so when one comes up, I take full advantage of it. 

Salmon is one of my favorite fish to eat. I do like it cooked well though. Tonight was the first time I put it in the air fryer. Pro tip: make sure the skin side is also oiled. If not, the skin is going to stick to the air fryer and make it harder to clean. 

Ahem. 

I tossed some broccoli in olive oil and lemon pepper and added it into the basket half way through. 

This is an easy, and delicious recipe. Lemon and salmon are a good paring. 

Air Fryer Lemon Garlic Salmon

Recipe from Sweet C Designs

Serves 4

• 4 6 oz salmon filets
• 2 T olive oil
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp celtic sea salt
• 1 tsp fresh cracked pepper
• 1 lemon, sliced into thin rounds
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp Italian herbs

In a large bowl, drizzle lemon juice and olive oil over salmon and rub to make sure the salmon filets are evenly coated.

Season generously with salt, pepper, garlic powder and Italian herbs.

Arrange salmon filets in air fryer basket, making sure they don't touch too much (don't over crowd the basket, so air can move around salmon easily).

Arrange lemon slices on and around salmon in air fryer basket.

Set air fryer to 400 degrees and cook for 10 minutes for salmon with a little bit of red in the middle.

Cook for 12 minutes for salmon with no red in the middle, 14 for well done salmon or thicker salmon filets.

Serve and enjoy!

Air Fryer Breaded Cubed Steak (Bistec Empanizado) (65 of 150)

Ask anyone who knows me what I'll order for breakfast - almost every time? And they'll tell you
Chicken Fried Steak. My heart does a pitter pat for chicken fried steak. But if I continue to eat it my heart won't be doing any pitter patting at all. So, I must find a skinnier version. 

This recipes must have come from my favorite town "Crunchville". But, the crunch didn't come from the bread crumbs. Nope, I swapped those bad boys out for pork rinds again. It really does have a good crunch to it. 

I also used season salt instead of boring old salt. I'm not sure if that makes a difference at all, I'm trying to use it up you see. 

Air Fryer Breaded Cubed Steak (Bistec Empanizado)

Recipe from SkinnyTaste

Serves 4

• 4 pieces cubed steak (beef round sirloin), 16 ounces total
• 3 large eggs, with 1 tablespoon water
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs*
• olive oil spray
• white rice and lime wedges, optional for serving

Season the beef with salt on both sides.

Beat the eggs in a shallow bowl with water.

Dip the beef in the egg, then into the breadcrumbs, patting it with the back of a fork so it sticks.

Transfer to the air fryer basket in batches as needed.

Spray the top of the beef with oil then air fry 400F in a single layer 5 minutes on each side, spraying the other side when you flip. Serve with rice and lime wedges, if desired.

Fish Sticks (64 of 150)

During my days in Jenny Craig, one of their meals was my all time favorite. Their fish and chips. I know. I know. It's not the "real" thing, but when you're trying to keep your stomach from getting larger than Texas, it's a way to curb that craving. The two VERY little fish sticks were served with 5 VERY SMALL wedge potatoes. But there was something about them. 

I do like me some fish and chips. And as I mentioned above about Texas, they just aren't in the cards these days. But, there's no reason I can't take a fish stick recipe and make it healthy, right? 

This is a very basic, very common recipe for fish sticks in the air fryer. The key to the crunch is panko - which is not on my low carbish list. So I decided to try the old stand by - pork rinds. Yes, that's a thing in low carb eating. Swapping crushed pork rinds for panko. It's oddly similar. You don't get that pork rind flavor, just the crunch. 

The secret to crunchy in the air fryer is spraying the meat with a PAM or something similar before you put it in. 

I served these with my homemade cocktails sauce. I made this up during the Jenny Craig Fish n Chip days. It's basically a couple of hefty squirts of ketchup (sugar free of course), a tsp or so of horseradish and a Tablespoon or so of mayo. I got a little heavy handed with the horseradish tonight...spicy! Cleared out my sinuses though. 

You could also bake these in a traditional oven. You'd have adjust the time a little. 

Fish Sticks

Recipe from Centennial Kitchen Air Fryer Recipes

Serves 4

• 4 (6oz) cod fillets
• 1/4 c flour
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 eggs
• 1 c panko
• 1 T Old Bay Seasoning

Cut each cod fillet into 4 sticks. Pat dry with paper towels.

Set up a dredging station. First bowl mix flour, paprika, salt and pepper. In second, beat eggs. In third mix breadcrumbs and old bay seasoning.

Coat fix in flour, then egg, then panko. Pressing panko to adhere.

Spray sticks with cooking spray. Place sticks in air fryer basket. Cook @ 400F for 10 minutes; turning once halfway through. 

Tandoori Chicken (59 of 150)

Tandoori chicken is one of my favorite meals to order at Indian restaurants. The vibrant flavor is one that feels comforting to me. Tandoori chicken is usually baked in a "tandoor" oven. A clay oven that's popular in Indian cooking. I've never actually seen one or have witnessed chicken being baked in it, but it feels like something I need to check out. 

The spices in tandoori chicken are warm and savory. The garam masala gives it the unique Indian flavor that's familiar to me and one of my favorites. 

This was an easy recipe and pulling the air fryer out was a treat. It's been awhile. You don't need the air fryer to make this. You could easily grill or bake this chicken as well. 

Tandoori Chicken

Recipe from The Air Fryer Cook Book

Serves 4

• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 T grated fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• Salt and Pepper
• 1/2 c plain whole yogurt
• 4 tsp lime juice
• 4 5 oz bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed

Combine garlic, ginger, garam masala, cumin, chili power, oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl and microwave until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Set aside to cool. Then stir in 1/4 c yogurt and 1 T lime juice. 

Pat chicken dry. Poke skin side of chicken 10-15 times. Add to bowl with yogurt and toss to coat. Let marinate for 10 minutes. While chicken marinades, combine remaining yogurt and remaining 1 tsp lime juice in a clean bowl; season with salt and pepper. 

Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip off, arrange chicken skin side up in air fryer basket. Place basket in air fryer and set temp to 400F. Cook until chicken is well browned and crispy  and registers 195F, 20-30 minutes, rotating halfway through. 

Transfer chicken to serving platter and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve with reserved yogurt / lime mixture.

Cheeseburger Sliders (Low Carb) (Recipe 39 of 150)

Cheeseburgers are, I think, part of my DNA. My mom LOVED cheeseburgers and I do too. I'm sure
this is more nurture than nature. I'm sure she fed me cheeseburgers immediately when I was a baby. 

We all know cheeseburgers have carbs. The bun. I love the bun. But in an attempt to lower my carb intake (I'm not doing great at this) I decided to try this recipe. And you know what? I didn't miss the bun at all. 

I've had this two nights in a row. It's super easy to put together and super fulfilling. I still get the cheeseburger part of the cheeseburger without a bun. Oddly, for real cheeseburgers I don't eat pickles or lettuce on mine. I hate hot lettuce. Blech! This recipe I actually chopped up the lettuce in bite size pieces, pickles in bite size pieces and cherry tomatoes. I drizzled the dressing over the lettuce. Each bite I had was meat and veggie. Perfect bite. 

Cheeseburger Sliders (Low Carb)

Recipe from SkinnyTaste Air Fryer cookbook

Serves 4

Sliders Ingredients

1 lb 90% lean ground beef

1/4 c shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

1 Tbsp yellow mustard

3/4 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper

Special Sauce

2 Tbsp light mayonnaise

2 tsp ketchup

1/2 tsp yellow mustard

1/2 tsp dill pickle juice

1/8 tsp onion powder

1/8 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp sweet paprika

For Serving

4 large outter leaves iceberg lettuce, each halved lengthwise

8 1/4-inch-thicslices tomato (from 2 small tomatoes

2 slices red onion, from 1 small, rings separated

8 dill pickle chips

For the Sliders

In a large bowl, combine the beef, cheddar, mustard, salt, onion powder, and pepper. Gently form the meat into 8 equal patties, about 1/2 inch thick. Press your finger in the center of each patty to create a dimple (this will help maintain their flat shape when they cook).

For the special sauce

In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, pickle juice, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika and mix until smooth.

Preheat the air fryer to 400 F.

Working in batches, arrange a single layer of sliders in the air fryer basket. Cook, flipping halfway, to your desired doneness, 8 minutes for medium.

To serve, place 2 lettuce halves on each plate and top each with a slice of tomato, a slider, onion, special sauce, and pickles. Serve immediately!

Baked Pork Chops (Recipe 143 of 125)

Tonight I made pork chops in the air fryer. The recipe calls for them to be baked, but I had the air fryer out so why not?

These turned out delicious. I marinated them for about 2 hours and then stuck them in a preheated air fryer. The outsides got crispy and the inside stayed nice and moist. 

I served them along side of some asparagus with lemon pepper and a side salad. A nice overall meal. 

Baked Pork Chops
Recipe from SweetC Designs

Serves 4

Easy Pork Chop Marinade:

• 1 T garlic powder, minced
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 T lemon juice

Easy Baked Pork Chops:

• 2 T olive oil
• 1 tsp celtic sea salt
• 1 tsp fresh cracked pepper
• 4 pork chops, 1/2" thick boneless chops - NOT extra thick or super thin

Add lemon juice, 2 tbsp olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, pork chops, salt, and pepper to a ziploc bag and marinate for at least 3 hours, and up to overnight.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and place cast iron pan (or other heavy oven safe pan) in oven.

When oven is 375 degrees and pan is scorching hot (but not smoking), carefully swirl olive oil in pan and heat until shimmery.

Season pork chops with salt and pepper.

Add in pork chops, without crowding the pan.

Close oven and cook to browned on one side - about 6 minutes.

Flip pork chops and place back in oven.

After 6 minutes, check pork's temperature. If pork chops are thinner, they cook much faster - pork chops are done when they are 145 degrees internally.

If pork chops are not done, keep cooking until they are (cooking time will vary widely based on the thickness of your pork chop, whether or not there is a bone, etc. - so I find it's best to go from temperature instead of time.)

When pork is 145 degrees internally, remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Air Fryer:

Heat air fryer to 400F. Drop in the pork chops, cook about 6 minutes. Flip and cook another 6. Check the temperature to make sure it's 145F or higher.