3 cheap and easy air fryer recipes

Forget blenders or Nutribullets, the age of the air fryer is here. This handy kitchen gadget is the newest counter-top staple in town – and there are plenty of reasons why.

Not only is the air fryer being used by four in ten UK adults as a healthier home-cooking hack, but it also uses half as much power as a conventional oven.

Welcome news for Brits as energy prices are set to ramp up, yet again, in April.

How much do they cost?

It depends. Vastly on where you go and which model you buy. The good news is they are pretty affordable if you know where to look.

Brands such as Philips, Ninja and Tefal offer a range of products at varied price points should you find yourself clearing space in your kitchen cupboard.

It’s also worth checking second-hand retailers, such as Preloved, which are a great option if you are not willing to part with too much cash.

How does an air fryer work?

Much like an oven, air fryers cook, grill and bake (yes bake) foods, but in a fraction of the time, saving you time as well as pennies.

According to Meredith Laurence, a chef and author, you can shave off 20% cooking time with an air fryer.

This is due to the intensity of the heat in an air fryer compared with a traditional oven.

It uses convectional heat and a circulating fan to mimic the effects of a deep-fryer, by submerging food in high temperatures with little or no oil needed.

Meanwhile, nutrients, including vitamin C and some beneficial plant components, can be preserved.

And they get a thumbs up from Vitality Expert and nutritionist James Vickers. “Air-fryers will give food a crispy texture and soft centre with a similar taste to deep fried food but by using less oil,” he says.

“It is a great way to cut costs by using less oil and energy that cooks tasty food, also without having to spend time watching over it.

“Similar to the slow cooker, everyone seems to have busy lives now so being able to leave food cooking away and get on with life means you can come home or finish work and its done.”

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What are the benefits of using an air fryer?

Considering its many advantages, air fryers are (hopefully) here to stay – unlike that fancy kitchen gadget we bought during lockdown that’s now accumulating dust.

Thanks to their versatility and time-saving benefits, we think they are a game-changer in any kitchen.

Here are just five of its main benefits.

Healthier cooking

Generally speaking, air frying is healthier than frying in oil. It requires substantially less oil or simply none at all.

As James explains: “Using less oil means we’re consuming less saturated fat, which has benefits to our heart health like our cholesterol and blood pressure which leads to weight gain.

“So, making a switch to an air fryer can help you make those little changes in your diet to reduce saturated fat but still have tasty food.”

Efficient use of energy

According to moneysavingexpert.com, air fryers can have a running cost of only 34p per hour against an average of 68p for a conventional oven. This can significantly reduce the amount spent on energy daily.

Versatility

There’s an incredible amount of food you can cook using your air fryer, such as fish, meat, boiled eggs, cake, and even a roast dinner.

Easy to clean

It is unlikely anyone enjoys cleaning up after cooking, but some air fryers are dishwasher safe and others you can clean using washing liquid and a non-scratch sponge.

Safe and time effective

For many of us, it can be difficult to find the time to cook and a major advantage of an air fryer is that it gets extremely hot very quickly and is very simple to use, this’ll help cut your cooking time with ease.

Our favourite air fryer recipes:

Tender chicken breasts with (optional) brussels sprouts (serves 2)

Ingredients:

• 2 medium chicken breasts (skinless and boneless to make it super easy)
• Olive oil spray
• ½ tsp paprika
• ½ tsp oregano
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• Pinch of salt and pepper
• Brussel sprouts (optional)

Method:

1. Place the chicken in the fryer and spray with the olive oil to coat thinly.
2. In a small bowl combine all the spices and seasoning to then rub liberally on the chicken
3. Cook at 180°C for 18-20 minutes, turning the chicken after ten minutes. Add in the brussels sprouts here if you’d like to.
4. Cook for the remaining time. Serve and enjoy.

The inspiration for this recipe originally came from Air fryer chicken breast recipe - BBC Good Food

Sweet cinnamon spice apples (serves 2)

• 2 large red apples
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp of melted coconut oil
• 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey (your preferred alternative)
• Natural Greek yogurt (optional)

Method:

1. Chopped the apple into small cubes and place into a bowl.
2. Combine with coconut oil, and cinnamon. Then toss.
3. Add the apple cubes to the heated air fryer and ensure they aren't touching too much, otherwise they won't cook evenly.
4. Cook for 10-14 minutes on 180C. Halfway, give the basket a shake then close to continue.
5. When finished, fold the warm apples into the maple syrup (or preferred alternative). They should be slightly crisper, golden, and softer on the inside. Serve in a bowl and add Natural Greek yogurt if you would like.

The inspiration for this recipe originally came from Air Fryer Apples - Healthful Blondie

Sweet or savoury crispy chickpea snack – take your pick!

This super easy chickpea recipe is perfect for when you are craving a delicious snack. What is even better is you can play around with flavours to create your own personal favourites.

Ingredients:

• Can of chickpeas
• Olive oil spray

Toppings:

• Cinnamon Sugar: 1 tbsp granulated or coconut sugar, ½ tsp cinnamon
• Chili Lime: 1 tsp chilli powder, ½ tsp cumin, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp juice of lime
• BBQ: 1 ½ tsp paprika, 1 tsp brown sugar, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp dry mustard, small sprinkle of salt and pepper

Method:

1. Drain the chickpeas and place in the air fryer. Set the temperature to 200C for 17 minutes - this time may vary depending on preference of how crispy you'd like them to be.
2. After 5 minutes, open basket and spray chickpeas with oil and shake basket. Close and continue air frying, shaking about every 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, make your chosen topping. Feel free to experiment here with different flavours to see what you like and perfect the recipe to your taste.
4. With about 2 minutes left, open air fryer basket and sprinkle half of the topping on the chickpeas. Close and continue air frying for the remaining 2 minutes.
5. Once chickpeas are done, remove and place in a bowl. Sprinkle the rest of the topping on the chickpeas and stir to combine. Serve and enjoy.

The inspiration for this recipe originally came from Air Fryer Cinnamon and Sugar Roasted Chickpeas - Fork To Spoon

Top tip:

If air frying isn’t for you, you can achieve a similar effect with a standard oven. James recommends “using a spray bottle for oil as it can reduce the amount of oil you use, or you can measure the oil you use to limit the amount of saturated fats you consume.”

At Vitality, we’re all about encouraging our members to make small positive lifestyle choices that can make a big impact to their lives.

That is why we offer partner benefits and rewards with a range of big brands.

Log into Member Zone or visit vitality.co.uk to find out more.