When the Thanksgiving oven is full, fitting another main onto the menu can be difficult. These 17 air fryer recipes cover chicken, beef, pork, stuffed peppers, pasta bakes, and casseroles, with cook times ranging from 15 minutes to 1½ hours. The list includes mains and a few substantial sides, so you can match a recipe to what still needs oven space. Choose a quick protein or a complete casserole and keep the main oven available for other dishes.
Air Fryer Chicken Divan
Golden edges and a creamy broccoli center give Air Fryer Chicken Divan a full-casserole feel in 30 minutes, with six servings. Butter, chicken, onion, celery, broccoli, and cream of chicken soup make up the base. Since it includes protein and vegetables in one dish, it can take a spot beside holiday sides without tying up the main oven. Serve it hot while the other dishes finish.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Chicken Divan
Air Fryer Beef Pot Pie
A flaky top and richly seasoned filling make Air Fryer Beef Pot Pie a substantial main; its card lists 40 minutes and eight servings. Refrigerated puff pastry covers ground beef, vegetables, and a seasoned gravy. The air fryer handles the enclosed pie while the big oven stays open for turkey, rolls, or another centerpiece. Cut it into wedges for a hearty option that can be served straight from its dish.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Beef Pot Pie
Air Fryer Parmesan Crusted Chicken
A crisp, golden coating gives Air Fryer Parmesan Crusted Chicken a special-occasion look in 30 minutes, and the recipe serves four. Chicken breasts are coated with butter, Parmesan, and breadcrumbs, with seasoning for a crunchy crust. It cooks in a compact appliance while the main oven is occupied, making it useful when the menu needs another protein. Slice and serve with vegetables or potatoes from the holiday spread.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Parmesan Crusted Chicken
Air Fryer Stuffed Peppers
Bright, individual portions bring color to the table with Air Fryer Stuffed Peppers, which take 30 minutes and make four servings. Red bell peppers hold rice, onion, olive oil, and crushed tomatoes, with salt and pepper for seasoning. The air fryer cooks the filled halves without competing for oven space. Set one beside a larger roast or serve a couple together as a meatless main among the Thanksgiving dishes.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Stuffed Peppers
Air Fryer Chicken Noodle Casserole
Creamy noodles and tender chicken turn Air Fryer Chicken Noodle Casserole into a one-dish option in 21 minutes, with six servings. Egg noodles, butter, onion, celery, flour, milk, cream, and chicken stock form the base, with chicken folded in. Its short cook time suits a busy holiday kitchen, and the air fryer keeps another casserole out of the main oven. Bring it to the table while it is still bubbling.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Chicken Noodle Casserole
Air Fryer Baked Ziti
Saucy pasta and a browned cheese top make Air Fryer Baked Ziti a filling main that takes 45 minutes and serves eight. Ziti, sweet Italian sausage, onion, garlic, chopped tomatoes, basil, and cheese build the familiar layered bake. It can cook in the air fryer as the oven handles larger holiday dishes. Spoon portions from the baking dish and pair them with a crisp salad or green vegetable.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Baked Ziti
Air Fryer Chicken and Dumpling Casserole
Soft dumplings over a creamy chicken filling give Air Fryer Chicken and Dumpling Casserole a homestyle feel in 30 minutes; it serves six. Chicken stock, shredded chicken, frozen carrots and peas, onion, and flour make the base, with dumpling dough added on top. Let the air fryer handle this filling dish while the oven stays available. It works as a complete main when guests want something warm and hearty.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Chicken and Dumpling Casserole
Air Fryer Roast Beef Sliders
Small, shareable sandwiches make Air Fryer Roast Beef Sliders easy to pass around; 12 sliders take 20 minutes. Soft Hawaiian rolls hold roast beef, provolone, and French fried onions, with butter and au jus seasoning on top. Their quick cook keeps the main oven free, and the portions suit guests who want a lighter plate alongside the traditional mains. Set them out warm for lunch or an informal holiday meal.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Roast Beef Sliders
Air Fryer Vegetable Pasta Bake
Colorful vegetables and short pasta make Air Fryer Vegetable Pasta Bake a meatless main in 20 minutes, with six servings. Rigatoni or penne combines with red onion, bell pepper, zucchini, garlic, olive oil, and tomato sauce. The compact bake can cook while the big oven is reserved for the centerpiece. Serve it as a main for guests avoiding meat or as a generous side beside turkey and other holiday favorites.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Vegetable Pasta Bake
Air Fryer Chicken Cordon Bleu
A ham-and-cheese center makes Air Fryer Chicken Cordon Bleu feel suited to a holiday plate; it takes 35 minutes and serves four. Chicken breast is paired with deli ham, Emmental, Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, honey, and a crisp coating. The air fryer cooks the portions without taking oven space, helping when several dishes are in progress. Slice each breast to show the filling and serve with a simple vegetable side.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Chicken Cordon Bleu
Air Fryer Mashed Potato Casserole
A browned, cheesy top makes Air Fryer Mashed Potato Casserole a substantial side for a holiday spread; it takes 1 hour 5 minutes and serves ten. Russet potatoes are combined with cheddar, milk, sour cream, butter, and garlic powder for a creamy center. Cooking it in the air fryer leaves the big oven open for the main roast. Spoon it alongside turkey or ham, especially when you need a generous potato dish.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Mashed Potato Casserole
Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
Sticky, browned drumsticks bring a hands-on main to the table with Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Drumsticks, ready in 32 minutes for four servings. Chicken legs are seasoned with avocado oil, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and barbecue sauce. The air fryer keeps the cooking contained while oven racks are full. Pile them on a platter with napkins nearby for a casual option among the more traditional Thanksgiving dishes.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
Air Fryer Meatball Casserole
Tender meatballs under a bubbling top make Air Fryer Meatball Casserole a filling main in 50 minutes, with six servings. Ground beef, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, egg, garlic, onion, and Italian seasoning form the meatballs, which cook with sauce and cheese. The air fryer can take this casserole while the oven is busy with larger pans. Serve it with pasta or bread for guests who want a hearty plate.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Meatball Casserole
Air Fryer Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Creamy broth and familiar pot pie flavors make Air Fryer Chicken Pot Pie Soup a warm main course in 55 minutes, serving six. Flour, chicken stock, milk, celery, onion, mushrooms, and chicken make a thick, spoonable bowl, with vegetables rounding it out. The air fryer helps free oven space while a soup pot simmers. Ladle it into bowls with bread or biscuits for a relaxed Thanksgiving meal.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Air Fryer Lasagna
Layers of noodles, beef, tomato, and cheese make Air Fryer Lasagna a full main that takes 1 hour and serves six. The recipe uses precooked lasagna noodles, ground beef, canned tomatoes, onion, garlic, and cheese. Cooking a smaller dish in the air fryer leaves the large oven available for other holiday recipes. Let it rest before cutting so the layers hold together when you serve each portion.
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Air Fryer Whole Chicken
Crisp skin and a carved centerpiece give Air Fryer Whole Chicken a place on the holiday table; it takes 1 hour 30 minutes and serves four. A 3- to 4-pound chicken is seasoned with rosemary, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika. Cooking it in the air fryer can leave the oven free for sides and desserts. Rest the bird before carving and bring it out with the pan juices.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Whole Chicken
Air Fryer Pork Chops
A quick browned finish makes Air Fryer Pork Chops a practical second protein; the recipe takes 15 minutes and serves two. Bone-in chops are seasoned with sage, garlic powder, brown sugar, salt, pepper, and oil. Because the air fryer cooks them quickly in a small footprint, they can fill a gap while the Thanksgiving oven is occupied. Serve with mashed potatoes or roasted vegetables for a smaller table or an extra option.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Pork Chops