Three Simple Family Dinners to Make in the Air Fryer
These easy air fryer recipes are a lifesaver for busy family homes
Finding the time to cook delicious meals for the family is always difficult. Packed with 80 sweet and savoury prep-friendly recipes, Meal Prep Air Fryer from Max McCann (known online as Meals with Max) takes the stress out of mid-week meals with fast, easy to make options. Here, he shares three of his favourites.
Barbecue Pork Tacos with Coleslaw
Pork and barbecue sauce are a match made in heaven, and they taste even better stuffed into tacos. The portable air fryer makes the pork tender and sticky, and the crunchy coleslaw adds freshness. It’s messy, fun and exactly what you want from taco night.
SERVES
2
Cook time
20 minutes
Ingredients
- 320g pork fillet, sliced into thin strips
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 8 tsp BBQ sauce
- 4 small soft tortillas
- salt and black pepper
- chopped coriander, to garnish
- For the coleslaw
- 80g white cabbage, finely shredded
- 60g carrot, grated
- 2 tbsp light mayonnaise
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- salt and black pepper
Method
In a bowl, mix the pork strips with the olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and black pepper. Place into the large glass dish of the portable air fryer, without the tray, spreading it out evenly. Air fry for 10 minutes, stirring halfway through the cooking time, until cooked through and juicy.
Meanwhile, make the coleslaw by combining the cabbage, carrot, mayonnaise, vinegar, salt and black pepper in a bowl. Mix well and chill in the fridge.
Add the barbecue sauce to the cooked pork, stir until the pork is fully coated, then return to the portable air fryer for one to two minutes to glaze. Warm the tortillas in the portable air fryer for the final minute of cooking. Fill each tortilla with barbecue pork, top with coleslaw and garnish with chopped coriander.
STORE: Cool the pork completely and seal the glass dish with the lid. Then store in the fridge for up to three days. Store the coleslaw separately in a sealed container, then build the tacos when you’re ready to eat.
REHEAT: Remove the lid and attach the portable air fryer. Use the Recrisp function to heat for six minutes, or until hot, stirring halfway through.
PREP AND GO: Prep the pork, then store in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Once ready to cook, attach to the portable air fryer and continue. Make the coleslaw ahead and store separately in a sealed container in the fridge.
MEALS WITH MAX TIPS
For extra heat, add sliced jalapeños or a pinch of chilli flakes to the pork before cooking.
Swap tortillas for lettuce cups or a salad for a lighter, lower-carb and lower- calorie option.
If you are cooking for one, halve the ingredients and cook this in the smaller dish.
Chicken Katsu Curry with rice
Golden, crispy chicken with a rich, fragrant curry sauce – this is the kind of dish that always feels like a treat. It’s simple to make at home and serving it with rice makes it a proper comfort bowl. I love this one when I want something hearty but still homemade.
SERVES
2
Cook time
30 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 x 150g chicken breasts
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 8 tbsp panko breadcrumbs
- 2 small carrots, roughly diced
- 1 onion, roughly diced
- oil spray
- 80g rice
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 2 tsp thinly sliced
- fresh ginger
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp honey
- 200ml chicken stock
- salt and black pepper
- chopped coriander, to garnish
Method
Butterfly the chicken breasts by slicing them in half lengthways, without slicing all the way through. Open out the chicken breasts – they should be flat and an even thickness. Season with salt and black pepper.
Place the flour in one bowl, beaten eggs in another bowl and breadcrumbs into a third bowl. Coat the chicken in the flour, then in beaten egg, then in the breadcrumbs. Place the diced carrots and onion into the bottom of the large glass dish of the portable air fryer without the tray, and spray with a little oil. Air fry for eight minutes.
Place the tray on top of the veg, then put the chicken onto the tray. Spray with a little oil, then air fry for 14 minutes. Flip the chicken halfway through the cooking time. Cook the rice according to the packet instructions. While the rice cooks, remove the chicken from the air fryer and leave to rest for a couple of minutes.
Place the cooked vegetables into a blender, with the garlic, ginger, curry powder, turmeric, soy sauce, honey and hot chicken stock. Blend until smooth. Divide the cooked rice between two plates and top with the crispy chicken. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and then garnish with some fresh coriander.
STORE: Cool completely, put the chicken back in the glass dish and seal with the lid. Then store in the fridge for up to three days. Store the sauce separately. Heat the rice when serving.
REHEAT: Remove the lid and attach the portable air fryer. Use the Recrisp function to heat for six minutes, or until hot. Heat the rice separately in the microwave. Reheat the sauce in a small saucepan or in the microwave.
MEALS WITH MAX TIPS
If the sauce is a little too thick, add a little more chicken stock.
For a creamier sauce, you could add one to two tablespoons of coconut milk before blending.
If you like it spicy, you could garnish with some sliced red chilli.
If you are cooking for one, halve the ingredients and cook this in the large dish.
You can use microwave rice to save time, if you want.
Crispy Chilli Beef with Rice
This classic is one of my absolute favourites to make at home. The beef goes beautifully crispy in the portable air fryer and the sticky chilli sauce coats every piece. Served with rice, it’s sweet, spicy and unbelievably moreish – and so much lighter than the takeaway version.
SERVES
2
Cook time
20 minutes
Ingredients
- 220g sirloin steak, thinly sliced
- 2 tsp cornflour
- 2 tsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
- 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
- 2 tsp dark soy sauce
- juice of 1 lime
- big pinch of chilli flakes
- 80g rice
- 2 spring onions, sliced
- chopped coriander, to garnish
Method
In a bowl, toss the sliced beef with the cornflour, light soy sauce and sesame oil. Let it marinate while you prep everything else. Add the olive oil, red pepper, garlic and ginger to the large glass dish of the portable air fryer, without the tray. Air fry for five minutes.
Place the tray on top of the peppers, then arrange the marinated beef on top. Air fry for 10–12 minutes, stirring halfway through the cooking time, until the beef is crispy and cooked through.
Remove the tray and add the beef to the bottom of the dish with the peppers. Stir in the sweet chilli sauce, dark soy sauce, lime juice and chilli flakes. Mix until everything is fully coated. Air fry for two minutes until sticky and glossy.
Meanwhile, cook the rice according to the packet instructions. Divide the cooked rice between two plates and top with the crispy chilli beef and the sliced spring onions. Garnish with fresh coriander, then enjoy.
STORE: Cool the crispy chilli beef completely and seal the glass dish with the lid. It’s best to cook the rice while reheating the crispy chilli beef and add the spring onions when serving.
REHEAT: Remove the lid and attach the portable air fryer. Use the Recrisp function to heat the crispy chilli beef for six to seven minutes. Cook the rice while it reheats.
MEALS WITH MAX TIPS
Want to bulk it out? Add some cooked broccoli or green beans.
You can swap the steak for thin strips of chicken or tofu, if you like.
If you are cooking for one, halve the ingredients and cook this in the smaller dish.
To make prepping this dish even easier, you could swap boiled rice for microwave rice!
