Air Fryer Recipes That Don’t Involve Chicken Nuggets
Because it’s winter, you’re hungry, and you deserve better than beige food.
We love a chicken nugget as much as the next adult pretending it’s for the kids. But it’s winter. It’s dark by 5pm, the heat pump is doing its best, and dinner needs to work harder than just “crispy and convenient”.
Your air fryer has range. You just haven’t seen it in its winter menu era yet.
Here are five cold-weather air fryer recipes that go beyond snack-mode and straight into “actual meal” territory. (Yes, without turning on the oven. Or your will to live.)
1. Kumara Fries with Smoked Paprika & Garlic Aioli
A Kiwi staple – crispy on the outside, soft in the middle, and way more impressive than they should be.
How: Toss sliced orange or gold kumara in olive oil, smoked paprika, and a little salt. Air fry at 200°C for 15–18 minutes, shaking halfway. Serve with garlic aioli and the smug satisfaction of “making your own.”
2. Roast Veg & Haloumi Bowl
Perfect for when you want to feel healthy-ish, but still want melted cheese involved.
How: Chop seasonal veg into chunks. Air fry with olive oil and thyme. Add sliced haloumi for the last 5–7 minutes until golden. Eat solo, or over salad or couscous, and call it “dinner”.
3. Stuffed Mushrooms That Make You Look Fancy
Big field mushrooms stuffed with garlic breadcrumbs, herbs, and grated cheese. Your guests (or flatmates) will be impressed. You’ll know it only took 10 minutes and a mild level of interest.
Pro move: Add chopped walnuts or crumbled bacon if you’re feeling winter-indulgent.
4. Air Fryer Crumbed Fish Tacos
Still technically dinner, but also Friday-night-adjacent.
How: Use fresh or frozen fish fillets (gurnard or tarakihi works well). Coat in breadcrumbs, spray with oil, and air fry until crispy. Load into tortillas with slaw and lime yoghurt sauce. Pretend you’re coastal, not cold.
5. Crispy Chicken with Veg
Juicy chicken, sweet roasted veg, and exactly zero stovetop splatter. Weeknight brilliance with very little actual effort.
How: Rub skin-on chicken (legs, thighs or breasts) with olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Air fry at 190°C for 10 minutes. Add your choice of chopped seasonal veg (try courgette, broccoli, red capsicum, red onion, and cherry tomatoes) tossed in oil and seasoning. Cook everything together for another 10–15 minutes until golden and crisp.
6. Apple Cinnamon Parcels (Because It’s Cold and You Deserve Dessert)
Stewed apple + cinnamon + flaky pastry = happiness. Wrap them like tiny parcels, brush with egg wash, and air fry at 180°C until golden.
Serve with: Vanilla ice cream or custard. Blanket. Netflix.
In Summary
You don’t need a huge kitchen or endless bench space—just an air fryer with decent capacity, easy-to-clean parts, and settings that don’t require a manual the size of a small novel.
Your air fryer can do more than just survive winter. It can make it feel almost enjoyable. Put the nuggets away (just for tonight) and try something that tastes like actual effort—with very little effort required.
Ready to upgrade dinner without upgrading your workload?
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