10 Foods that are Better in the Air Fryer than the Oven

Chicken thighs - Let's face it. Chicken thighs are better in the air fryer (especially bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs). In the air fryer, they cook quicker than the oven and the skin comes out perfectly crispy.

My favorite air fryer chicken recipes:

• Air fryer bone-in chicken thighs
• Air fryer Greek chicken thighs
• Air fryer peri peri chicken thighs

this recipe

Garlic bread - My husband used to make garlic bread in the oven ALL the time. Now we only make it in the air fryer. Why? It's quicker, easier, and no preheating. (And it's better too). Here's our go-to air fryer garlic bread recipe. I also love this air fryer cheesy garlic bread.

Salmon - I never cook salmon in the oven anymore. The air fryer just cooks it so perfectly, there's no need for any other way most of the time.

My favorite air fryer salmon recipes:

• Air fryer honey dijon salmon
• Air fryer salmon bites
• Air fryer panko salmon
• Air fryer brown sugar salmon

Chicken wings - These are just perfect in the air fryer. Come out perfectly cooked. Try my air fryer buffalo wings or air fryer honey garlic wings.

Frozen french fries - I feel like these always take forever to cook in the oven, and don't always crisp up nicely. The air fryer solves both of these problems.

Here's instructions for making frozen sweet potato fries in the air fryer and air fryer waffle fries.

Crostini and croutons - I've made crostini and croutons in the oven. But the air fryer is so much faster and easier. Here's simple recipes for air fryer crostini and air fryer croutons.

Carrots - The air fryer has two advantages over the oven when roasting carrots. It's faster and in my opinion the carrots roast better. Here's my recipe for air fryer carrots.

Green beans - Sure, I've cooked green beans in the oven. But they get roasted perfectly in the air fryer. Here's my recipe for air fryer green beans.

Roasted potatoes - I honestly don't love making roasted potatoes in the oven. They take forever, and mine always get bits stuck to the pan which is then a pain to clean.

When I make air fryer roasted potatoes, they cook much faster and it's easy to clean the air fryer.

Winter squash - Butternut squash, acorn squash, etc. are all delicious in the oven. But the air fryer does it so much faster. And that's a win in my book. The key is always finding a squash that will fit in your air fryer (especially butternut and spaghetti squash, as those can be larger).

Here's recipes for air fryer butternut squash, air fryer spaghetti squash, air fryer acorn squash, and air fryer honeynut squash.