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I’ve recently become an Air Fryer addict. Yes, as in the bulky countertop oven that speed-heats food, creating crispy fries, chicken, and other dishes that taste deep-fried — only they don’t use an ounce of grease. I assumed it’d be too good to be true, then I tried making homemade fries. Then sweet potato fries. And zucchini fries. And chicken of all varieties.
It heats food faster than a traditional oven, which is a huge plus on frantic weeknights, when I typically burst through the door hangry and ready to eat dinner oh, a good two hours ago.
These low-carb chicken tacos have been a game-changer, too. We use hearty romaine in place of flour tortillas, though you can use whatever you like. The chicken just takes a little salt, pepper, and chili powder, then it Air Fries for about 16-18 minutes and BAM! Dinner’s ready. Heat up some rice and beans, add salsa and slice an avocado, and you’ve got the type of meal people gush about days later. Seriously. It’s zero effort and totally satisfying.
I’m so addicted to trying new dishes with the Air Fryer (and no, they aren’t paying me to do this, though on second thought … Philips, hit me up!) that I’m going to post at least one recipe a month using the gadget, chronicling my hits … and misses. Let’s see how this goes.
What You Should Know Before Trying an Air Fryer:
- Double-check the basket size — Many are great for cooking enough food for 1-2 people at a time. This can be incredibly frustrating for larger families, since you’ll have to cook in batches.
- Chicken stays juicy, yet it gets crispy on the outside (no rubber chicken here!)
- The settings are pretty foolproof. In fact, many models include pictures, so you just have to click on a picture of fries to cook fries, chicken for chicken, and so forth. You should still check for signs of doneness before eating, but it does simplify things.
If you’re interested in trying it for yourself, check out the Air Fryer on Amazon. (If you buy one, we’ll make a little $$$ from the Amazon affiliate link, which helps fund future posts. And dinner.)
BUY IT NOW: Air Fryer, Amazon
Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1 head romaine
- 1 avocado, pitted and chopped into bite-sized pieces.
- 1 jar fresh salsa
- 1/2 c quinoa, cooked
- 1 lime
- 1 tbsp cilantro, chopped, plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Pat chicken dry with a paper towel. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Place chicken breasts into the grill pan of an Air Fryer. Set to chicken setting, or 360 degrees, for 16-18 minutes. Slice chicken in half to confirm it's thoroughly cooked (no pink inside). Slice into bite-sized pieces.
- Place individual pieces of romaine onto plates, in place of tortillas. Set aside.
- Assemble cilantro-lime quinoa: In a small bowl, combine quinoa, juice of 1 lime, and cilantro.
- Make tacos: Place a little cilantro-lime quinoa onto each romaine leaf. Top with avocado, chicken and salsa. Garnish with additional cilantro, if desired.
