fun
cooking
Test kitchen chef Khalil Hymore wasn’t sold on air fryers—
until he tried one. Next thing you know, he was cranking out snacks...
ecipe developers have
an all-access pass to
appliances in the test
kitchen, but they’re particular
about which ones get a spot
at home. “I’m not a gadget
guy—I have limited space in
my apartment,” says recipe
developer Khalil Hymore. We
sent Khalil an air fryer anyway
and asked him to dream up some
fun recipes. He came back with
six healthy twists on his favorite
snacks, and a small request:
“Can I keep the air fryer?”
—Ariana Phillips Tessier
MAGIC
Khalil used the
Instant Vortex
6-Quart Air Fryer
($130; kohls.com).Khalil’s Air Fryer Tips
Like most appliances,
air fryers have a distinct
factory smell out of the box.
To burn it off, follow the
manufacturer’s instructions
and run the fryer empty first.
Preheat an air fryer
like you would an
oven—you want it to
get nice and hot!
The light will go on
once it’s ready.
Use the grate insert
that comes with the air
fryer—it allows hot
air to circulate around
the food and lets the
excess fat drip down.
Don’t overcrowd
the basket. Work
in batches to avoid
steaming and to
make sure the
food gets crisp.
Air fryers aren’t
just for cooking.
You can use them
to heat up leftovers,
like pizza or
chicken nuggets!
40 FOOD NETWORK MAGAZINE ●JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021