20 High-Protein Air-Fryer Recipes Perfect for Busy Weeknights
Each one has 20 grams of protein (or more!) per serving.
Reviewed by Stefani Sassos, M.S., R.D.N., NASM-CPTNutrition & Fitness Lab Director
We don’t think we’re being extra when we say: the air fryer has truly revolutionized our daily cooking routine. These compact, shockingly versatile cookers can do everything from reheating leftovers and baking cookies to roasting chicken. In fact, the air fryer has become one of our favorite — if not the favorite — way of cooking proteins, including delicate fish fillets, steaks, chicken breasts and pork tenderloins. Using circulating currents of intense heat, the air fryer cooks food quickly and evenly without the need for excess (or, in some cases, any) oil, leaving you with moist, flavorful proteins.
To give you a bit of inspiration for your next meal, we’ve rounded up our favorite high-protein air-fryer recipes that feature 20 grams of protein (or more!) per serving, ranging from comforting mini meatloaves to a veggie-packed tofu noodle salad. While some of these recipes feature one or two components that can be made in the air fryer, some — like the Salmon and Swiss Chard — require zero additional equipment or heat sources.
Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
Protein per serving: 45 grams
Chicken parm is the pinnacle of Italian-American comfort food — but that doesn’t mean it has to be greasy or heavy. This recipe cuts way down on the oil, but keeps all the crispy, crunchy breading and melty cheese for an entrée that feels indulgent but not over-the-top.
Get the Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan recipe
RELATED: 30 High-Protein Chicken Recipes With 30+ Grams of Protein per Serving
Air Fryer Fish Taco Bowls
Protein per serving: 24 grams
This twist on the fave taquería staple involves serving piling everything into a bowl: Hearty brown rice is topped with crispy air-fried cod, crunchy slaw and a creamy, tangy dressing, resulting in a light, fresh, and filling meal.
Get the Air Fryer Fish Taco Bowls recipe.
Air Fryer Chicken Strips
Protein per serving: 31 grams
These homemade chicken fingers are crispy, crunchy and infinitely dippable. Serve them as is, or chop them up to add to salads and snack wraps.
Get the Air Fryer Chicken Strips recipe.
Balsamic-Glazed Mini Meatloaves
Protein per serving: 35 grams
These tangy glazed mini meatloaves bake up way faster in an air fryer than in a conventional oven. Plus, they're a breeze to freeze (hello, meal prep!).
Air Fryer Salmon and Swiss Chard
Protein per serving: 30 grams
This simple, elegant main comes together in under 30 minutes, entirely in the air fryer — yes, even the greens. The best part? You won’t have to clean up oil splatter from frying the salmon.
Air Fryer Turkey Breast with Gravy
Protein per serving: 60 grams
Whether you’re cooking a simple, scaled-down Thanksgiving dinner or you’re just craving a really good roasted turkey, this air fryer turkey breast is just the ticket. Plus, every component of this dish is cooked in the air fryer, freeing up precious oven space and curtailing cleanup.
Tandoori-Spiced Cauliflower Chicken Flatbreads
Protein per serving: 30 grams
Cauliflower is full of nooks and crannies, which crisp up and turn delectably golden brown and crispy in the air fryer. They’re also the perfect complement to juicy chicken breast in these flavorful tandoori-spiced flatbreads, adding heft and a dose of extra nutrients.
Get the Tandoori-Spiced Cauliflower Chicken Flatbreads recipe.
Air Fryer Fish and Chips
Protein per serving: 40 grams
Crushed potato chips are one of our favorite kitchen hacks, adding instant crunch, salt and a touch of acidity to a dish that’s otherwise made from scratch.
Get the Air Fryer Fish and Chips recipe.
Italian-Marinated Chicken
Protein per serving: 39 grams
This fresh, simple marinated chicken recipe comes together quickly (40 minutes, including marinating time) and can be made completely in the air fryer — ideal for when it’s too hot to even turn the stove on.
Get the Italian-Marinated Chicken recipe.
RELATED: 30 Filling, Protein-Packed Salads to Help You Hit Your Goals
Striped Bass with Radish Salsa Verde
Protein per serving: 33 grams
Did you know that you can make perfectly tender, crispy-skinned fish in the air fryer? We did — and it’s the main reason we’ve added this succulent striped bass to our weekly dinner rotation. You can serve these fillets on their own with a squeeze of lemon, though we’re partial to the zingy radish salsa verde.
Air Fryer Tofu with Peanut Sauce and Soba
Protein per serving: 33 grams
This plant-based meal is loaded with filling protein, from the crispy marinated tofu to the toothsome soba noodles. Served cold, it’s the ultimate quick, healthy summer meal—bonus points for being budget-friendly, as well. Opt for agave over honey to keep it vegan.
Get the Air Fryer Tofu with Peanut Sauce and Soba recipe.
RELATED: 32 High-Protein Vegetarian Meals for Meatless Monday and Beyond
Lemony Garlic and Herb Pork Tenderloin
Protein per serving: 32 grams
This elegant — yet surprisingly quick — pork tenderloin recipe is further proof that you can, indeed, make large-format proteins in the air fryer. This lemon-and-herb-rubbed version cooks up in just under 20 minutes, but tastes like it took way longer.
Air Fryer Pepperoni Pizzas
Protein per serving: 26 grams
Yes, there’s a pepperoni pizza on this list of high-protein recipes. No, it isn’t a mistake. Cooked in the air fryer, these pies have a golden-brown crust, perfect melted cheese, and crispy pepperoni (read: all the reasons we love pepperoni pizza to begin with). We like to offset the salty, rich toppings with a drizzle of honey.
Get the Air Fryer Pepperoni Pizzas recipe.
Best-Ever Marinated Flank Steak
Protein per serving: 28 grams
Yes, you can cook steak in the air fryer. In fact, the countertop appliance is perfect for cooking lean cuts like flank or skirt steak without drying them out — especially if you marinate them first. This citrus-forward marinade helps break down the proteins in the meat, keeping it tender and perfectly rosy pink in the middle.
Get the Best-Ever Marinated Flank Steak recipe.
RELATED: 83 Steak Recipes That Make Dinner At Home Feel Extra Fancy
Mediterranean Chicken Bowls
Protein per serving: 43 grams
Yet another quick, simple, yet absurdly satisfying chicken dinner to make on a weeknight (or any night). Our favorite part is the bed of fluffy couscous, which absorbs all the savory, tangy juices from the air-fried chicken and vegetables.
Get the Mediterranean Chicken Bowls recipe.
Gingery Pork Meatballs
Protein per serving: 26 grams
These zesty, herbaceous mini meatballs cook up beautifully golden brown in just around 10 minutes. We serve them with an easy-to-assemble noodle salad, but we think they’d be just as tasty over rice or stuffed into slider buns.
Get the Gingery Pork Meatballs recipe.
Air Fryer Salmon Flatbreads
Protein per serving: 41 grams
Slicing fresh salmon into chunks speeds up the cook time dramatically. Served over store-bought flatbreads with tomatoes and crumbled feta, this is a truly high-reward, low-effort meal.
Get the Air Fryer Salmon Flatbreads recipe.
Spicy Shrimp Lettuce Wraps
Protein per serving: 36 grams
Plump, tender shrimp are the star of these flavor-packed lettuce wraps. Load them up with lots of crisp veg and fresh herbs for a satisfying summer meal.
Get the Spicy Shrimp Lettuce Wraps recipe.
RELATED: 20 Delicious Low-Carb Recipes That’ll Actually Fill You Up
Garlicky Wings and Shishito Peppers
Protein per serving: 28 grams
With crispy, garlicky wings and charred shishitos cooked together in the air fryer, this recipe is basically two apps in one. We’re big fans of the pungent fish sauce glaze, which gets drizzled over the peppers and wings before serving.
Honey-Glazed Salmon
Protein per serving: 36 grams
You can — and should — cook a whole salmon fillet in your air fryer, if it fits. The circulating currents of heat help keep the delicate fish from drying out, leaving you with a beautifully tender, flaky fillet.
Get the Honey Glazed Salmon Recipe.
Stefani (she/her) is a registered dietitian, a NASM-certified personal trainer and the director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Nutrition and Fitness Lab, where she oversees all nutrition and fitness-related content, testing and evaluation. She holds a master’s degree in clinical nutrition from New York University, as well as advanced certifications as a Women's Fitness Specialist and a Behavior Change Specialist. Stefani is dedicated to providing readers with evidence-based content to encourage informed food choices and healthy living. She is an avid CrossFitter and a passionate home cook who loves spending time with her big fit Greek family.
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