Dinner Ideas for Kids: The Classics They Love, Made in Your Air Fryer
Written by: Caleb Aguilera & the COSORI Chefs and Staff
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Time to read 4 min
Quick & Easy Classics Made in Your Air Fryer
Here’s a scene every parent knows all too well: after a long, busy day, it’s dinnertime and your kids are demanding food. You make your way to your kitchen and open the fridge, thinking about what to make. One of them wants hot dogs, the other wants pizza. What if you could make something every kid will love?
Good news, COSORI has you covered with these delicious air fryer recipes that will leave even the pickiest child wanting another bite.
Air Fryer Dino Nuggets
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Ingredients
1½ cups panko breadcrumbs
2 large chicken breasts (about 1 pound), cut into 2-inch chunks
3 large eggs, divided
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon sweet paprika
Oil spray
Items Needed
Food processor
Parchment paper
Baking sheet or dish
2-inch dinosaur cutter
Directions:
1. Place the panko breadcrumbs into a food processor and blend until broken down into smaller pieces, then transfer to a shallow dish and set aside.
2. Place the chicken, 1 egg, cornstarch, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika into the food processor. Blend until the mixture is just smooth and incorporated.
3. Spread the mixture onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet or dish and spread to ½-inch thickness. Freeze for 30 minutes.
4. Cut the mixture into shapes using a dinosaur cutter. Re-form any scraps of the chicken mixture back into a ½-inch-thick even layer and cut into shapes until you’ve used up all the chicken mixture. You may need to freeze again for 15 to 30 minutes to cut out clean shapes. Freeze all the shaped nuggets for 15 minutes.
5.Place the crisper plate into the COSORI Air Fryer basket.
6. Select the Preheat function and tap Start/Pause.
7.Place 2 eggs into a shallow dish and whisk until smooth. Dip each chicken nugget into the beaten egg, then into the panko breadcrumbs, pressing to adhere. Spray both sides with oil spray.
8.Place the nuggets onto the preheated crisper plate.
9. Select the Air Fry function, adjust temperature to 400°F and time to 8 minutes, then tap Start/Pause.
10. Flip the nuggets halfway through cooking.
11.Remove the nuggets when golden brown, then allow to cool for 5 minutes.
12.Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
Mini Air Fryer Pizza Sliders
Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef (93/7)
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh oregano, chopped
½ teaspoon black pepper
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ cup low-sodium marinara sauce
4 ounces fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
8 whole wheat or whole grain dinner rolls, halved
8 small leaves butter lettuce
Directions:
1.Place the crisper plate into the COSORI Air Fryer basket.
2. Select the Preheat function, adjust temperature to 450°F, then tap Start/Pause.
3.Combine the lean ground beef, parsley, oregano, black pepper, salt, and Worcestershire sauce in a large bowl and mix until combined. Form the mixture into 8 patties, shaping them slightly larger than the rolls as they will shrink as they cook.
4. Place the beef patties onto the preheated crisper plate.
5. Select the Broil function, adjust time to 7 minutes, then tap Start/Pause.
6.Remove the air fryer basket after 5 minutes of cooking, spoon 1 tablespoon of marinara sauce over each patty, and top with a slice of fresh mozzarella, then place the basket back inside the air fryer to finish cooking.
7.Remove the patties when done and transfer onto a plate. Carefully wipe the crisper plate with paper towels.
8. Place the rolls cut-side up onto the crisper plate.
9.Select the Broil function, adjust time to 3 minutes, then tap Start/Pause.
10.Remove the rolls when golden brown and toasted.
11. Assemble the sliders with lettuce and patties in the toasted rolls, then serve.
Air Fryer Chicken Bites with Dipping Sauces
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 6 minutes
Chicken Dipping Sauce
½ cup avocado-oil-based mayonnaise
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2½ tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons BBQ sauce
Tzatziki Dipping Sauce
½ English cucumber
1½ cups Greek yogurt (2%)
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon white vinegar
½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
Chicken
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika
1 tablespoon olive oil
Directions:
1. Place all the ingredients for the chicken dipping sauce in a bowl and stir to combine. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
2.Line a plate with paper towels and grate the cucumber onto the paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Allow to sit for a couple of minutes.
3. Stir together the Greek yogurt, grated garlic, dill, olive oil, vinegar, and salt.
4. Squeeze as much moisture as you can from the cucumbers, then stir into the Greek yogurt mixture. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
5.Place the crisper plate into the COSORI Air Fryer basket.
6.Select the Preheat function, adjust temperature to 450°F, then tap Start/Pause.
7. Combine the cubed chicken, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and olive oil in a large bowl and toss to combine.
8.Place the chicken onto the preheated crisper plate.
9.Select the Broil function, adjust time to 6 minutes, then tap Start/Pause.
10.Remove the chicken when golden brown and serve with the dipping sauces.
Tips for Involving Kids in the Cooking Process
Believe it or not, cooking is a great opportunity to bond with your kids while teaching them new skills. A convenient place to start is grocery shopping. Bring your kids along and walk them through each ingredient you need for the meal. This helps them feel involved because they understand the first step in cooking a recipe.
Next, try assigning them age-appropriate tasks in the kitchen. Jobs like measuring ingredients, mixing, or even plating food can help show them the fun side of cooking while giving you a break.
Break out the adult and child-sized aprons and show your kids all the things they can create in the kitchen.
