I always thought I didn’t need an air fryer…I could just turn my oven to convection cooking. But my foodie friends kept insisting I had to give one a try. Wow, was I wrong about these mighty little machines! Air fryers heat up and cool down in just a few minutes, so you wind up with less heat in your kitchen, even when roasting at a high temperature.

This recipe was developed by Kate Sherwood, The Healthy Cook. Have a comment, question, or idea? Email Kate at healthycook@cspinet.org.

Time: 30 minutes 

Serves: 4

Ingredients

  • 2 bunches broccolini, stems trimmed
  • 1 Tbs. + 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¼ tsp. + ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • 4 large cloves garlic, cut in half lengthwise 
  • 2 tsp. sweet or smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ tsp. dried oregano or thyme
  • 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 4)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the air fryer to 350°F.
  2. Cut any large broccolini stalks in half lengthwise. In a large bowl, whisk together 1 Tbs. oil with 1 Tbs. water and ¼ tsp. salt until the salt dissolves. Toss the broccolini and garlic in the oil mixture. 
  3. Add the broccolini and garlic to the air fryer basket, spreading the broccolini out as evenly as possible. Roast until the garlic starts to brown, 3-4 minutes. Remove the garlic and set aside. Continue cooking the broccolini until tender-crisp and charred in spots, about 5 minutes more. Remove the broccolini to a platter. 
  4. Increase the air fryer temperature to 400°F.
  5. In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 Tbs. oil with the paprika, pepper, oregano, and remaining ¼ tsp. salt. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel, then toss the chicken in the spice mixture.
  6. Add the chicken to the air fryer basket in a single layer. Roast until the chicken is cooked through, 18-20 minutes, turning it over about halfway through the cooking time. (Note: The chicken is cooked through when an instant-read food thermometer inserted into the thickest part of each piece reads at least 165°F.)
  7. Transfer the chicken to the platter with the broccolini. Pour any juices from the air fryer basket over the chicken and top with the garlic. 

Nutrition Information

Per serving (1 thigh + ½ bunch broccolini):

  • Calories: 240
  • Total fat: 12 g 
  • Sat fat: 2.5 g
  • Carbs: 9 g
  • Fiber: 3 g
  • Total sugar: 2 g
  • Added sugar: 0 g
  • Protein: 26 g
  • Sodium: 390 mg