Chicken is an excellent source of protein, and it’s easy to cook. We have so many recipes for chicken that you’ll never be bored with what you can do with this fantastic food. Please take a look at our weekly meal plan for some inspiration.
Embarking on a weekly meal plan centered around the versatile and beloved ingredient, chicken opens up a world of culinary possibilities. When coupled with the efficiency of air fryer recipes, this meal plan promises a delightful journey of flavors, textures, and time-saving cooking techniques. Whether you’re a busy professional seeking quick and healthy meals or a culinary enthusiast eager to explore diverse recipes, the synergy of chicken and the air fryer offers a winning combination.
From succulent chicken breasts to crispy wings, this meal plan presents a repertoire of dishes that cater to various tastes and preferences. Join the adventure as we unravel a week’s worth of culinary creations, simplifying your meal preparation while elevating your dining experience with the magic of the air fryer and the timeless appeal of chicken. Get ready to transform your weekly meals into a delectable feast that’s both convenient and satisfying.
Sunday Mocking
Sunday is a great day to make mocking because you will have leftovers from the weekend. You can make mockins in an air fryer, or you can make mockins in the oven. Mockins are a great way to use up leftover chicken and vegetables. So, if you have a lot of veggies and some chicken, it’s perfect for making mockins.
Chicken Mockins
This is an effortless, classic dish you can make in your air fryer. It’s perfect for serving with a side of rice or pasta and some veggies to complete your meal.
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breast tenders (cut into cubes)
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or mozzarella if you prefer)
- 1 cup bread crumbs (seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and parsley)
- One tablespoon of olive oil
Cooking Directions
Prepare the Chicken: Pat it dry with paper towels, then cut it into pieces.
Prepare the Marinade: In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the marinade and whisk until smooth (you can also do this in a blender or food processor). Transfer half of it to another bowl and set it aside, as we’ll use that later on.
Cook the Chicken: Put some nonstick cooking spray in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish (or you can use aluminum foil instead) and arrange your chicken pieces on top of it, so they don’t touch one another; pour over both bowls of marinade evenly and let them soak for at least 30 minutes, flipping halfway through if desired.
Then, you can either leave them sitting out at room temperature or refrigerate them overnight if you want to get extra crispy skin.
Monday parmesan
Chicken Parmesan
Monday is the day to make chicken parmesan. This is a classic dish you can easily make in an air fryer. Just follow the instructions below, and you’ll be able to make this tasty dish in no time.
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breasts without bones and skin
- Three large eggs
- 2 cups panko
- 1 tsp powdered garlic
- 12 cups of grated Parmesan
- Two tablespoons of Italian spice
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- ½ cup marinara sauce
- 1 cup grated mozzarella (or sub for provolone slices)
Cooking Directions
Step 1: Place your chicken breasts on parchment paper or aluminum foil. Season them with salt and
pepper, then drizzle olive oil over them so they’re well coated. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until cooked through, depending on how thick your breasts are (thicker ones take longer).
Step-2: While the chicken cooks, cook any vegetables you want in another pan—I like to use diced red
bell peppers here because it makes for some colorful presentation when serving later on! You can add mushrooms if you’d like; try not to crowd those guys around by putting too many veggies in one batch—you want them all cooked evenly.
Step-3: After cooking comes time for assembly, layer some mozzarella cheese over each breast before
covering them with tomato sauce and bread crumbs mixed into a paste-like consistency using water as needed as a binder rather than flour (though if gluten allergies are prevalent in your household, then feel free to use either option instead)
Taco Tuesday
Mexican Chicken Taco
Ingredients
- Chicken Thighs: This recipe calls for three boneless, skinless thighs that weigh between 3/4 and 1 pound.
- Seasoning: This recipe for homemade taco seasoning is a great choice. It tastes much better than any store-bought one.
- Lime: Use lime juice that you squeezed yourself, not juice from a bottle. It changes everything.
- Pico De Gallo. You can make your own pico de gallo or buy it at the store.
- Tortillas: Use corn tortillas that are white or yellow.
Avocados and sour cream
Cooking Directions
Mix Mexican seasoning, lime juice, and vegetable oil with the chicken thighs to marinate the chicken. Marinate for about 30 minutes at room temperature or for 2 to 3 hours in the fridge.
Cook the meat in an air fryer preheated to 400 degrees and cook it for 6 minutes. Then flip it over and cook it for another 5 minutes. Wait a few minutes, then cut.
You can buy pico de gallo or make it yourself.
Warm Tortillas: You can heat tortillas in the microwave, air fryer, or stove.
Sour Cream Sauce: Mix some lime juice, salt, and water with sour cream to thin it out.
Assemble: Put cooked meat, pico de gallo, avocado slices, and sour cream sauce on tortillas.
Wednesday Chicken Wraps
Chicken Cheese Wraps
The protein-packed chicken breast is coated in a spicy buffalo sauce and then wrapped with lettuce and bacon (or vegetarian bacon). The best part of this wrap is that it has all the flavor of a buffalo wing but none of the messy hands.
Ingredients
- 6 Frozen chicken breasts
- Two tortillas made of flour
- Shred cabbage
- Tomatoes cut up
- Blue Cheese Sauce Buffalo Sauce
- Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
Cooking Directions
- Put the frozen chicken tenders in the basket of the air fryer.
- Air-fry at 400°F for 10 minutes, turning halfway through.
- Then, cut the chicken tenders into small pieces and mix them with the buffalo sauce in a small bowl.
- Place the chicken with the coating on a tortilla wrap and top with lettuce, tomatoes, and cheddar cheese.
- You can put the Blue Dressing on the sandwich itself or serve it on the side. Serve yourself and enjoy.
Thursday Casserole
Cheesy Chicken Trio Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 10 oz frozen mixed vegetables, thawed and drained of liquid
- One can of cream chicken soup
- 1 cup sour cream
- 4 oz shredded Cheddar cheese (1 cup)
Cooking Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spray an 8×10-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Mix all ingredients except cheese until combined well in a large bowl.
- Pour into prepared pan and top evenly with cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbling around edges & golden brown on top (may be ready before 30 minutes).
Friday Pizza
Chicken Pizza
This is a great way to change things up from regular pizza. It’s just plain delicious. It’s also a good meal for people who want something high in protein and low in carbs. It takes less than 30 minutes to make from start to finish, and it’s so easy to put together.
This recipe says to make one “pizza,” but it’s easy to make as many as you want. There are no exact measurements, so go by how it tastes. Add chopped green pepper, sliced fresh mushrooms, or other toppings that make your Italian heart sing.
SERVES-1
- Prep Time 5 Min
- Cook Time 21 Min
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
- Garlic powder, to taste
- Dried Italian seasoning to taste
- Ground pepper, to taste
- Pizza sauce
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
- Sliced pepperoni
- A spray or two of olive oil
Cooking Directions
Step-1
Butterfly and open the chicken breast with a knife.
Step-2
Open a gallon Ziploc bag and place the chicken breast inside. Pound the chicken breast on all sides of the Ziploc bag until the poultry is round and flattened a little using a meat mallet till about 3/4 inch thick. Flattened chicken should resemble a pizza crust. (It doesn’t have to be a precisely round form, either.)
Step-3
Parchment-line your air fryer pan. Remove the chicken from the Ziploc bag and set the opened, flattened chicken breast on the parchment. Spray olive oil on the chicken and massage it on. Add a few shakes each (to taste) of the garlic powder, dried Italian spice, and pepper.
Step-4
Eight minutes at 356 degrees. Flip the chicken into the air fryer. Spray olive oil on this side and spread it with a spoon to prevent scorching. Place the pan inside the air fryer and cook for another 8 minutes at 356 degrees.
Step-5
- When done, remove the pan from the air fryer and distribute the pizza sauce as desired—next, layer mozzarella cheese and pepperoni.
- Now, you should have a beautiful personal-sized pizza in front of you.
- Toothpick each pepperoni to keep it from flying around the air fryer.
- Five minutes at 250 degrees will melt cheese and heat toppings.
Step-6
With tremendous anticipation, remove Pizza Chicken from the air fryer, remove toothpicks, and devour till your belly is filled.
Saturday tenderloins
Crumbed Chicken Tenderloins
- Prep:15 mins
- Cook: 12 mins
- Total: 27 mins
- Servings: 4
- Yield: 8 tenderloins
Ingredients
- One large egg
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs
- Two tablespoons of vegetable oil
- Eight chicken tenderloins
Cooking Directions
Step 1: Set an air fryer to 350 degrees F and turn it on (175 degrees C).
Step 2: In a small bowl, whisk the egg. Mix the bread crumbs and oil in a second bowl until the mixture is loose and crumbly.
Step 3: Dip each chicken tenderloin in the bowl of egg and shake off any extra egg. Make sure the crumb mixture evenly and entirely covers the chicken. Place chicken tenderloins in the air fryer’s basket.
Step 4: Air-fry for about 12 minutes until the middle is no longer pink. A thermometer should show at least 165 degrees F. (74 degrees C) when it is put in the middle.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I air-fry different cuts of chicken using the same air fryer temperature and time?
While air frying is versatile, it’s essential to consider variations in cuts and sizes. Thicker cuts like chicken thighs may require a slightly higher temperature and longer cooking time than smaller cuts like chicken tenders. Adjustments ensure each piece cooks to perfection.
How do you write a menu plan?
A menu plan can be a helpful tool for making sure you eat well throughout the week. To create a menu plan, start by writing down what foods you like to eat. Then, list all the other foods you want to try out next month. Finally, look up recipes that include each food item and create an easy-to-follow meal schedule.
How do I prevent the chicken from drying out in the air fryer?
To prevent dryness, coat the chicken with a thin layer of oil before air frying. Additionally, do not overcook the chicken—follow recommended cooking times, and use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature reaches the safe zone without exceeding it
Is it safe to cook frozen chicken directly in the air fryer?
Yes, you can cook frozen chicken in the air fryer. However, it’s crucial to adjust cooking times, usually adding a few extra minutes. Ensure the chicken reaches a safe internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) to guarantee it’s fully cooked.
Can I stack chicken pieces in the air fryer to cook multiple servings at once?
It’s generally recommended to avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket. Stacking may hinder air circulation, leading to uneven cooking. For optimal results, arrange chicken pieces in a single layer, ensuring each piece has enough space for the hot air to circulate. Consider cooking in batches if needed.
Conclusion
This weekly meal plan for chicken, curated with the efficiency and flavor-enhancing capabilities of the air fryer, serves as a culinary guide for those seeking a harmonious blend of convenience and taste. From zesty lemon herb chicken to crispy air-fried wings, each recipe not only showcases the versatility of chicken but also harnesses the air fryer’s ability to deliver quick, healthy, and delicious meals. This meal plan offers a diverse selection, ensuring that every day brings a new chicken delight to the table. As you embark on this flavorful journey, savor the joy of effortless meal preparation and the satisfaction of indulging in dishes that cater to various palates. Transform your weeknight dinners with the simplicity of these air-fried chicken recipes, turning your kitchen into a haven of culinary inspiration and gastronomic delight. Happy cooking!
Welcome to Cooking Hacks, a place for all the food lovers out there! I have always been passionate about cooking and finding new ways to make it easier and more enjoyable.
