Simple and Healthy Kid-Friendly Air Fryer Recipes

Air fryers have become a staple in modern kitchens, offering a healthier alternative to traditional frying methods. If you’re a parent looking to whip up tasty meals that your kids will love, while also keeping health in mind, then you’ve come to the right place!

In this blog post, we’ll explore a variety of kid-friendly air fryer recipes that are sure to please even the pickiest eaters.

1. Crispy Chicken Tenders

Ingredients:

• Chicken tenders
• Eggs
• Bread crumbs
• Salt and pepper
• Optional: grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

1. Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C).
2. In a bowl, beat the eggs and season with salt and pepper.
3. Dip each chicken tender into the egg mixture, then coat with bread crumbs (add grated Parmesan for extra flavor).
4. Place the coated chicken tenders in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
5. Cook for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and crispy.

2. Veggie Packed Pizza Pockets

Ingredients:

• Pizza dough
• Pizza sauce
• Mozzarella cheese
• Chopped vegetables (such as bell peppers, mushrooms, and onions)
• Olive oil

Instructions:

1. Roll out the pizza dough and cut into squares.
2. Place a spoonful of pizza sauce, cheese, and chopped vegetables on each square.
3. Fold the squares into pockets and brush with olive oil.
4. Preheat the air fryer to 375°F (190°C).
5. Place the pizza pockets in the air fryer basket and cook for 8-10 minutes until golden and the cheese is melted.

3. Crispy Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients:

• Sweet potatoes
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Optional: paprika or cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into fry-sized pieces.
2. Toss the sweet potato fries with olive oil, salt, pepper, and optional seasoning.
3. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C).
4. Place the sweet potato fries in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
5. Cook for 15-20 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until crispy and golden.

4. Air-Fried Mac and Cheese Bites

Ingredients:

• Cooked macaroni
• Cheese sauce
• Bread crumbs
• Eggs
• Salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Mix the cooked macaroni with cheese sauce and season with salt and pepper.
2. Roll the mac and cheese mixture into bite-sized balls.
3. Dip each ball into beaten eggs, then coat with bread crumbs.
4. Preheat the air fryer to 375°F (190°C).
5. Place the mac and cheese bites in the air fryer basket and cook for 8-10 minutes until golden and crispy.

5. Banana-Nutella Dessert Wraps

Ingredients:

• Flour tortillas
• Bananas
• Nutella
• Optional: chopped nuts

Instructions:

1. Spread Nutella on a flour tortilla.
2. Place banana slices and optional chopped nuts on one half of the tortilla.
3. Fold the tortilla in half to create a half-moon shape.
4. Preheat the air fryer to 375°F (190°C).
5. Place the dessert wraps in the air fryer basket and cook for 5-7 minutes until the tortilla is crispy.

6. Crispy Parmesan Zucchini Fries

Ingredients:

• Zucchini, cut into fry-sized sticks
• Bread crumbs
• Grated Parmesan cheese
• Eggs
• Salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C).
2. In one bowl, beat the eggs and season with salt and pepper. In another bowl, mix bread crumbs and grated Parmesan cheese.
3. Dip each zucchini stick into the egg mixture, then coat with the bread crumb and cheese mixture.
4. Place the coated zucchini sticks in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
5. Cook for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and crispy.

7. Crunchy Apple Chips

Ingredients:

• Apples, thinly sliced
• Cinnamon
• Sugar (optional)

Instructions:

1. Toss the thinly sliced apples with cinnamon and optional sugar.
2. Preheat the air fryer to 350°F (175°C).
3. Place the apple slices in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
4. Cook for 10-12 minutes until the chips are crispy and slightly golden.

8. Mini Hawaiian Pizzas

Ingredients:

• English muffins, split
• Pizza sauce
• Mozzarella cheese
• Pineapple chunks
• Ham or Canadian bacon, diced

Instructions:

1. Spread pizza sauce on each half of the English muffins.
2. Top with mozzarella cheese, pineapple chunks, and diced ham or Canadian bacon.
3. Preheat the air fryer to 375°F (190°C).
4. Place the mini pizzas in the air fryer basket and cook for 8-10 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

9. Cheesy Chicken Quesadillas

Ingredients:

• Cooked chicken, shredded
• Flour tortillas
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Diced tomatoes
• Chopped cilantro (optional)

Instructions:

1. Lay a flour tortilla flat and sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on one half.
2. Add shredded chicken, diced tomatoes, and chopped cilantro (if using) on top of the cheese.
3. Fold the tortilla in half to create a quesadilla.
4. Preheat the air fryer to 375°F (190°C).
5. Place the quesadilla in the air fryer basket and cook for 5-7 minutes until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is crispy.

10. Honey Garlic Chicken Wings

Ingredients:

• Chicken wings
• Honey
• Soy sauce
• Minced garlic
• Salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, mix honey, soy sauce, minced garlic, salt, and pepper to make the marinade.
2. Coat the chicken wings with the marinade and let them marinate for at least 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C).
4. Place the marinated chicken wings in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
5. Cook for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the wings are crispy and cooked through.

These kid-friendly air fryer recipes are not only delicious but also healthier alternatives to traditional fried foods. Get creative with your ingredients and let your kids join in on the fun of cooking with the air fryer!