I spent a week making 3-ingredient meals in my air fryer, and I’d cook every delicious dish again

The three ingredients used in this recipe from blogger Chewable Structures were olive oil, seasoning, and pork chops.

I couldn’t find the specific McCormick spice blend she recommends using, so I made one using a combination of chipotle pepper, roasted garlic, salt, and pepper.

I coated each chop in a drizzle of olive oil, then massaged in the seasoning blend.

After preheating the air fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, I put one chop in each basket. I cooked them for 10 minutes on one side, then five on the other.

I don’t often cook pork chops because they tend to easily get dry. So, I couldn’t believe how juicy and perfect these chops came out.

The olive-oil coat gave these a nice golden crust and the meat maintained its moisture. I would make these air-fryer pork chops for dinner any night of the week.

I love butternut squash, but roasting it in the oven can heat up my whole house and take a long time.

So I tried this easy recipe from food blogger All the Nourishing Things that’s paleo, vegan, vegetarian, and Whole30-friendly.

First, I peeled, gutted, and chopped my squash into 1/8-inch thick moons.

Next, I combined the squash with olive oil and rosemary. I added some salt and pepper for extra flavor.

I placed the prepared squash in a preheated air fryer at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes, shaking halfway.

The squash was tender and well-seasoned. I also think it paired well with the pork chops.

Next time, I’ll add in some garlic and onion powder and chili flakes for a little kick.

This recipe from food blogger Smile Sandwich was so easy. First, I sprayed the air-fryer baskets and chicken wings with cooking spray.

Next, I placed the wings in the preheated air fryer at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 25 minutes, shaking the basket every so often.

To make my sauce, I skeptically combined barbecue and Buffalo sauces. I like them separately, but I wasn’t sure they’d be good together.

Once the wings were cooked through — the less crowded the baskets, the quicker they cook — I coated them in the sauce while they were still hot.

The wings had a slightly crispy texture from the air fryer, and the barbecue-Buffalo combination was excellent. It was sweet, tangy, and had a little kick.

Anyone who’s a fan of Nutella will enjoy this recipe from blogger Blue Jean Chef. First, butter one side of each of the two pieces of bread.

Then, spread a thick layer of Nutella on the other sides and add a layer of sliced banana. Instead of Nutella, I used a hazelnut spread from Whole Foods.

Close the sandwich with the butter side on the outside.

I stuck the sandwich in the preheated air fryer at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for five minutes on one side, then a couple more on the other.

The sandwich was toasty and indulgently gooey on the inside. Definitely eat it with a glass of milk.

This bagel recipe from blogger Best Recipe Box blew my mind. I had no idea you could make bagels with just yogurt and flour.

First, I combined plain, non-fat Greek yogurt and self-rising flour.

I mixed the ingredients until they started to form a ball. Then I lightly floured my cutting board and kneaded the dough with my hands for about 30 seconds.

I cut the dough into four parts and added flour to my hands when the dough got too sticky.

I rolled each chunk into a ball, then used a floured finger to stick a 1-inch-wide hole into each, giving it a bagel-like shape. Then, I let them rest and rise for 15 minutes.

After they rested, I brushed an egg wash over the bagels and sprinkled on my toppings. I used everything seasoning and cinnamon sugar. 

Then, I placed the bagels in the air-fryer basket, allowing them enough space to rise and spread. 

I sprayed the basket with cooking spray and then cooked the bagels at 330 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 minutes.

They were golden and ready to be eaten.

These air-fryer bagels were the perfect size and had a soft, moist texture on the inside.

They were awesome on their own or with cream cheese, butter, or jam. I will absolutely be making these again.

Working with puff pastry can sometimes be tough. But the air fryer perfectly cooked the pastry evenly, giving it a fluffy, flaky texture that was just what I was craving.

Following blogger Cook It Real Good’s recipe, I took my defrosted pastry sheet and cut it into rectangles. 

Then I took a regular-sized hot dog and cut it in half. I rolled the two halves of the hot dog in the pastry and brushed them with an egg wash.

I placed the hot dogs in the preheated air fryer at 390 degrees Fahrenheit for about eight minutes, until the puff pastry was golden.

These air-fryer hot dogs came out delicious. The combination of slightly sweet puff pastry with the hot dogs made these seem much fancier than if I’d cooked frozen, premade pigs in a blanket.

This three-ingredient buttermilk-ranch chicken from blogger Hurried Hostess surprised me by using ranch dip as a marinade to tenderize and flavor the chicken tenders.

Many chefs soak chicken in buttermilk before frying it, so this was a similar deal.

I couldn’t find the Helluva Good! dip the recipe asked for, so I substituted for a different ranch dip, which worked fine. 

I started by combining the chicken with the ranch dip and letting it soak for a couple of hours.

Next, I coated each chicken strip in panko and placed them in a preheated air fryer at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 to 20 minutes. I flipped them halfway. 

I knew they were done when they were golden brown. The chicken had a great, crunchy coating and was super tender on the inside.

I would make this again with thighs and drumsticks, too.

These recipes were so easy to make and yielded tasty dishes. If I were to make them again, I would simply add some extra seasoning to a few of the dishes, like the squash and chops.

I also like how customizable most of these recipes were. For example, instead of using a banana for the Nutella sandwich, you could use strawberries.

You can also coat the air-fryer chicken wings in any sauce, whether you want straight Buffalo or a combination. 

This story was originally published on July 9, 2022, and most recently updated on June 27, 2025.