The hardest part of weeknight cooking is not technique, it is the decision. You have chicken thighs, half a bag of potatoes, something green that needs using, and no idea what that adds up to.
The air fryer is unusually good at this problem, because most of what it does well follows the same pattern: protein plus a starch plus a vegetable, all cut to a similar size and cooked hot.
Combinations that always work
- Any protein + potato + a green vegetable, all cut to roughly 2cm.
- Chickpeas or tofu tossed in oil and spice, 200°C until crisp, over rice you already had.
- Frozen anything: the air fryer beats an oven for frozen chips, fish and nuggets, and takes half the time.
- Leftover roast vegetables reheated at 180°C for 5 minutes — better than they were yesterday.
- Eggs, bread and cheese: toasted sandwiches and baked eggs work far better than most people expect.
Rules for cooking mixed ingredients together
- 1Cut everything to a similar size or nothing finishes together.
- 2Start with what takes longest — potatoes and root vegetables get a head start of 8 to 10 minutes.
- 3Add quick items later: peppers, courgette and asparagus need 8 to 12 minutes total.
- 4Oil everything lightly. Dry surfaces go leathery rather than crisp.
- 5Season after cooking for herbs, before cooking for salt and paprika.
Finding a recipe from your kitchen in AirFryer Chef
- 1
Tell the app what you have
Enter the ingredients in your fridge and cupboard.
- 2
See what matches
Recipes you can make appear alongside ones that need only a couple of extra items.
- 3
Swipe if you are undecided
The For You deck and Surprise Me exist for the evenings when nothing sounds right.
- 4
Add the gaps to your list
Missing ingredients go to the shopping list, grouped by recipe.
Free to download on iPhone & iPad
Frequently asked questions
Can I cook a full meal in one air fryer basket?
Yes, if you stage it: start the dense items, add quicker ones later, and keep everything in a single layer.
Is pantry matching free?
Basic use is included; advanced pantry matching is part of AirFryer Chef Pro.