It’s true – you can’t make soup (or anything with liquid) in an air fryer, but you can make just about everything else. This menu focuses on the air fryer and makes meals that you could swear were deep-fried or pan-fried AND there’s way more to these air-fried meals than French fries and other snacks. We kick off the week with the easiest pasta sauce you’ll ever make. Then, launch into some street tacos that will transport you on vacation to a seaside locale. Wednesday’s Chicken Cordon Bleu could well be a Saturday night dinner party, but it’s so easy that it fits perfectly into the middle of the week. Friday night sandwich night will have you craving more and Sunday’s family meal brings everyone to the table with a delicious chicken dinner. It’s all here and it’s all out of your air fryer.
If you want to learn more about air frying, check out the air frying section of the cooking school here. There you can find my Air Frying 101 video where I explain everything about air frying to you.
Don’t forget to “Grab Your Shopping List” by clicking the button above. I’ve listed everything so that you can be sure you have all you need. This week, I’ve given you the choice to pick up just 4 long crusty rolls for the beef dip sandwiches, or 8 if you’d like leftovers for lunch the following day.
If you like planning your meals for week, you might also like to check out other weekly menu planners. You can find all the Weekly Menu Planners here.
(The planned menu and grocery list has quantities for a family of four. You can alter the recipe quantities by clicking on the plus or minus buttons next to the serving size on the recipe card.)
Monday: Pasta with Quick Roasted Tomato Sauce, Capers & Basil
This quick and easy pasta recipe calls for cherry tomatoes, but you can use large diced tomatoes instead if you like. Serve it along with a little salad and some crusty bread for a complete meal. If you want or need some protein with dinner, top off the plate of pasta with a little sliced air-fried chicken breast.
Tuesday: Spicy Fish Street Tacos with Sriracha Slaw
You’ll feel just like you’re buying a fish taco from a truck on the beach with these spicy fish street tacos. If fish isn’t your thing, cut up strips of chicken breast or pork to make these crispy tacos. You can make the slaw as spicy or as mild as you like by adjusting the sriracha too.
Wednesday: Parmesan Crusted Chicken Cordon Bleu
This meal is so easy that it’s perfect for a weeknight, but it could easily be a fancy weekend dinner too. Try it with a little brandy mustard cream sauce drizzled on top. This chicken cordon bleu pairs nicely with asparagus and a little cooked orzo tossed with butter, parsley and a little lemon juice.
Thursday: Honey Mustard Pork Chops with Brussels Sprouts & Potatoes
These pork chops out of the air fryer might surprise you – so tender and moist. It’s nice to have the vegetables included in the recipe too. If you’re not a fan of Brussels sprouts, try substituting green beans. They won’t take as long to cook as Brussels sprouts, however, so start the potatoes first and add the green beans after 5 minutes.
Friday: Sausage and Pepper Sandwiches
Get your favorite Italian sausage for this simple sausage sandwich. If you would like to cut some calories, use chicken or turkey sausage instead of pork. This meal is so hearty you might not need a side dish, but air-fried French fries or some classic potato salad would be delicious with this hero sandwich.
Saturday – Marinated Rib Eye Steak with Mushrooms
If you’ve never air-fried a steak… get ready to smile. This super easy steak dinner could only be improved with an air-fried baked potato and a green salad alongside. To air-fry a baked potato, rub the potatoes with olive oil, season with salt & pepper and air-fry at 400°F for 40 minutes. Then wrap them in foil to stay warm while the steak cooks.
Sunday: Summer Ale Chicken with Potatoes & Summer Corn
If you can’t find fresh corn for this all-in-one chicken dinner, just use frozen corn kernels. Let the corn defrost on the counter and toss it in with the potatoes during the last 5 minutes of the cooking process. Hang on to any extra spice rub you might have – it’s delicious on steak and pork too.
I used my air fryer last night to make fried chicken. I dredged it in flour, buttermilk, flour. It cooked good, but the crust fell off of the chicken as we broke it open. The crust was very hard. Do you have a solution to fix this?
Hi Julie. If you use eggs when you coat the chicken it acts as a binder and helps the flour stick to the chicken. Try brining or marinating you chicken in the buttermilk, then dredge with seasoned flour, dip in beaten eggs and coat with the flour again. Also try not to handle the chicken too much when cooking. Just flip over once during the cooking process if needed. Here is my recipe for Air Fryer Buttermilk Fried Chicken: https://bluejeanchef.com/recipes/air-fryer-buttermilk-fried-chicken/
What a fabulous idea. I too am a planner….more week by week. Since I love to cook….but knowing each day what’s for dinner makes life so much easier. Thank you so much…love your recipes….videos as well as cookbook. Thank you, thank you, thank you! PS: can’t go a day without enjoying your beautiful “babies”……very lucky dogs!