Five Weeknight Dishes: Slow-cooker and air fryer recipes

By Margaux Laskey The New York Times I truly hope you ve been having a breezy and delightful summer wherever you are but here in the Northeast we ve been sweating through one heat advisory after another After a sticky commute home and my second shower of the day the last thing I want to do is touch a stove No-cook meals are great and while I could happily subsist on a diet of cottage cheese fresh mango and Topo Chico my family usually wants a warm meal For those of you in the same boat here are a handful of slow cooker and air fryer recipes that will fill your bellies but won t heat up your kitchen Slow-Cooker Chipotle-Honey Chicken Tacos These may be the easiest tacos you ever make but you d never know it The recipe hinges on just two ingredients canned chipotles and honey which slowly caramelize together for a glossy and incredibly tasty sauce You may hesitate because there s so little liquid in the slow cooker with the chicken but don t worry That s how it s supposed to be It allows the sauce to get a little sticky which is exactly what you want By Sarah DiGregorio Yield servings Total time to hours Ingredients pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs tablespoons honey teaspoon onion powder teaspoon garlic powder teaspoon ground cumin teaspoon kosher salt to chipotles from a can of chipotles in adobo finely chopped plus tablespoons adobo sauce -ounce can black beans rinsed and drained Juice of lime Warmed tortillas for serving Pickled onion for serving see tip Sliced or cubed avocado for serving Preparation Combine the chicken honey onion and garlic powders cumin salt and chipotle chiles and adobo sauce in a - to -quart slow cooker Stir well Cook for at least hours and up to hours on low If it s more convenient you can let the slow cooker switch to warm after hours The dish will hold on warm for about another hours before the chicken starts to become quite dry Using two forks coarsely shred the chicken in the sauce Stir in the black beans and lime juice Cover and let the beans warm through about minutes Taste and add more salt or lime juice if necessary Serve in tortillas with pickled onion and avocado Tip To make quick-pickled onions thinly slice a red onion and put the slices in a bowl or container Bring about cups cider or white vinegar to a boil and add about heaping spoonfuls of sugar and a big pinch of salt to dissolve You can also add a pinch of red-pepper flakes a bay leaf or particular dried oregano if you like Pour the hot vinegar over the onions and let them cool They re ready to use right away and can be stored in the refrigerator for weeks Air-fryer salmon The circulating high heat crisps the skin while keeping the flesh tender and moist Food styled by Simon Andrews David Malosh The New York Times Air-Fryer Salmon Salmon cooks perfectly in the air fryer because the device s circulating high heat keeps the fish moist and crisps skin-on fillets Here tomatoes and lemon slices provide a bright boost to the dish but feel free to forgo or vary the recipe with seasonings like brown sugar and mustard or purely try out other salmon recipes By Eleanore Park Yield servings Total time minutes Ingredients -ounce salmon fillets if using frozen see tip either skin-on or skinless Olive oil as needed Salt and pepper lemon and cup cherry tomatoes optional Preparation Heat air fryer to degrees if preheating is recommended for your air fryer Pat salmon fillets dry with paper towels Brush olive oil all over salmon season with salt and pepper If using lemon and cherry tomatoes thinly slice half the lemon crosswise set the remaining lemon half aside In a small bowl add the cherry tomatoes lemon slices and tablespoon olive oil Season with salt and toss to combine Place salmon fillets in the air fryer basket skin-side down Top with lemon slices and scatter tomatoes around the basket Cook until salmon skin is crisped and lightly browned to minutes Flip the fillets and cook for another to minutes until salmon is cooked through and flakes evenly Squeeze remaining lemon half over salmon fillets if using and serve Tip The cook time depends on the thickness and temperature of the fillets To test for doneness insert a metal cake tester or thin paring knife into the middle of a fillet to see if the fish is warmed all the way through If the metal feels cold continue to cook for an additional minute or two Generally -ounce fillets take about minutes To cook frozen salmon place unthawed fillets in the machine and add an extra to minutes Slow-cooker corn chowder In this lighter brothier version of traditional corn chowder Sarah DiGregorio slices the kernels from the cobs and then slowly simmers the scraped cobs with chiles scallions garlic potatoes and miso for a savory but just-this-side-of-sweet broth Food styled by Hadas Smirnoff David Malosh The New York Times Slow-Cooker Corn Chowder The rich flavor of this lightly creamy chowder comes from slow-simmered corn cobs After the kernels are removed the cobs go into the slow cooker along with the potatoes and aromatics where they infuse the broth as it slow-cooks The corn kernels are added at the very end so that they retain their fresh poppy sweetness Canned green chiles lend mild heat and tons of mellow peppery flavor to go along with the sharper jalape o If you come across fire-roasted canned green chiles snap those up The miso adds a sweet-savory note that reinforces the corn flavor but if you don t have it on hand add about two additional teaspoons of salt By Sarah DiGregorio Yield to servings Total time hours Ingredients ears of corn pound small creamer potatoes halved or quartered into -inch chunks cups chicken broth or stock -ounce cans chopped mild green chiles scallions sliced whites and green parts separated garlic cloves smashed and chopped tablespoon unsalted butter jalape o stemmed seeded and minced tablespoon yellow or white miso optional teaspoon kosher salt plus more as needed cup sour cream cup light or heavy cream or half-and-half Black pepper to taste Chopped crisp cooked bacon optional for serving Preparation Cut the kernels from the corn cobs and put them in a bowl refrigerate Snap the cobs in half In a - to -quart slow cooker combine the cobs potatoes broth green chiles scallion whites garlic butter jalape o miso if using and salt Cook on low until the potatoes are very tender about hours About minutes before serving use tongs to discard the cobs Stir in the corn kernels and scallion greens and cook until warmed through Turn off the slow cooker Whisk the sour cream and light or heavy cream together in a large liquid measure or a bowl Slowly whisk a scant ladlefuls of the hot broth into the cream mixture until combined Stir the cream mixture into the chowder Grind in a generous amount of black pepper Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if necessary Serve in bowls and top with bacon if desired Slow-cooker sausages peppers and onions This Ali Slagle dish can be served tucked into French steak rolls blanketed with a slice or two of melted provolone cheese Food styled by Maggie Ruggiero Ryan Liebe The New York Times Slow-Cooker Sausages Peppers and Onions The sure-fire combination of sausages peppers and onions is ready-when-you-are when you make them in the slow cooker Once the sausages are cooked through and the peppers and onions are tender they can hold on warm for up to hours Searing the sausages in a skillet is the only cooking you ll have to do but it s an major step that fortifies the sauce with the sausage s brawny spiced juices The sweet peppers and onions will tangle in the light tangy tomato sauce Save extra sauce for the following morning s pasta or if you want a thicker sauce strain and reduce in a saucepan on the stovetop Pile everything into a sub perhaps with particular mozzarella broiled on top or over pasta roasted potatoes or gnocchi By Ali Slagle Yield servings Total time About hours Ingredients bell peppers any colors sliced -inch thick large yellow onion halved and sliced -inch thick teaspoon garlic powder teaspoon dried oregano teaspoon crushed red pepper optional Parmesan rind optional Salt and black pepper tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil to pounds sweet or hot Italian sausage One -ounce can crushed tomatoes Torn basil leaves for serving optional Preparation In a - to -quart slow cooker add the peppers onion garlic powder oregano and red pepper and Parmesan rind if using Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine Set aside Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium Add the sausage and cook turning occasionally until browned all over to minutes Transfer to the slow cooker With the heat off under the skillet pour in the crushed tomatoes and scrape up any browned bits from the skillet Scrape the tomatoes into the slow cooker Toss gently to combine Cover and cook on low until the vegetables are tender and the sausage is cooked through to hours Season to taste with salt and pepper Top with the basil if desired Air-fryer tofu Coat cubed tofu with potato starch salt and pepper cook until satisfyingly crackly then douse with a soy-brown-sugar glaze Food styled by Simon Andrews David Malosh The New York Times Air-Fryer Tofu Much like air-fryer French fries tofu becomes perfectly crunchy in the air fryer without the need for deep-frying or an abundance of oil This recipe takes a cue from Eric Kim s crispy tofu nuggets using potato starch to create a crackly exterior The potato starch and salt coating as well as the circulating high heat helps evenly draw out the moisture Similar to plenty of air fryer recipes the tofu benefits from being tossed or shaken halfway through to ensure even cooking If using a smaller air fryer cooking spray helps prevent the cubes from clumping when piled into the basket For a full meal serve with rice and a squeeze of lime for an extra shot of brightness By Eleanore Park Yield servings Total time minutes Ingredients ounces medium or medium-firm tofu if unavailable go with firm drained cup potato starch teaspoons kosher salt Freshly cracked black pepper Nonstick cooking spray cup light or dark brown sugar tablespoons rice vinegar tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce teaspoon sambal oelek or sriracha Sliced scallions optional for serving Preparation Heat air fryer to degrees if preheating is recommended for your air fryer Wrap the drained tofu in a clean kitchen towel or in a limited layers of paper towels Place on a plate and weigh down tofu with something heavy like a glass bowl skillet or can and allow to drain for at least minutes and up to minutes While the tofu drains in a large wide bowl combine the potato starch salt and pepper Unwrap the tofu and pat dry once more Cut the tofu into -inch cubes and add to the potato starch mixture Use your fingers to gently toss until coated Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray Place the tofu in the air fryer basket shaking off any excess potato starch while transferring Once the tofu is in the air fryer basket spray once more with the cooking spray to prevent clumping Cook until tofu becomes slightly puffed about minutes Use tongs to move tofu pieces around the basket Continue to cook until lightly browned in several spots and crisped all around about minutes Discard the potato starch from the large bowl wipe it clean and set it aside While the tofu cooks make the sauce In a small skillet combine the brown sugar vinegar and soy sauce over medium heat Cook stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens slightly and clings lightly to the back of a spoon about minutes Remove from the heat and stir in the sambal Return the crispy tofu to a large bowl Pour the soy glaze over the tofu toss to coat Transfer to a serving plate and top with scallions if using Related Articles Recipe Polish strawberry pasta methods to take cucumber salad from summer side to star These flavor-packed pork burgers were inspired by Indian street food Gretchen s table Spicy chicken thigh with mint yogurt sauce revels in warm spices Recipe This is the best way to make a Wedge Salad This article originally appeared in The New York Times Subscribe to our weekly newsletter In The Know to get entertainment news sent straight to your inbox