Kickoff is in an hour and you need snacks. These 10 air fryer appetizers are the ones I make every Sunday during football season: crispy wings, melty mozzarella sticks, buffalo chicken egg rolls and a few shortcuts straight from the freezer. Every one is done in 15 minutes or less, so you can cook between quarters and never miss a play.
The air fryer is the MVP of game day. No pot of oil, no oven hogging the kitchen, and everything comes out crunchier than it would baked. Pick three or four from the list, set out a couple of dips, and you’re set through the fourth quarter.
10 Air Fryer Appetizers for Game Day
Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings (Hooters Copycat) – Crispy-skinned wings tossed in buttery hot sauce, no deep fryer needed. The first thing to disappear every Sunday. Get the recipe: Air Fryer Hooters Buffalo Chicken Wings
Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls – Spicy buffalo chicken and cheese wrapped in a shatteringly crisp shell; serve with ranch or blue cheese. Get the recipe: Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls
Air Fryer Pigs in a Blanket – Golden crescent dough around mini hot dogs, done in 8 minutes. Kids and grown-ups fight over these. Get the recipe: Air Fryer Pigs in a Blanket
Air Fryer Homemade Mozzarella Sticks – Gooey centers and a crunchy breadcrumb coating with marinara for dipping. Get the recipe: Air Fryer Homemade Mozzarella Sticks
Air Fryer Loaded Nachos – Layers of chips, cheese, beans and toppings, melted in minutes right in the basket. Get the recipe: Air Fryer Loaded Nachos
Air Fryer Jalapeño Popper Bites – Cream cheese, jalapeño and bacon flavor in a bite-size crunchy package. Get the recipe: Air Fryer Jalapeño Popper Bites
Air Fryer Bite-Size Pretzels – Soft, salty pretzel bites; serve with a bowl of warm queso. Get the recipe: Air Fryer Bite-Size Pretzels
Air Fryer Queso (Mexican Cheese Dip) – Creamy, melty queso made in the air fryer for pretzels, chips and wings. Get the recipe: Air Fryer Queso
Air Fryer King’s Hawaiian Ham and Cheese Sliders – Sweet rolls, ham, melted cheese and a buttery topping; make a full tray for halftime. Get the recipe: Air Fryer King’s Hawaiian Ham and Cheese Sliders
Air Fryer Frozen Potato Skins – The freezer-aisle shortcut: TGI Friday’s potato skins, crispy in 10 minutes. Get the recipe: Frozen Potato Skins in Air Fryer
Bonus: Air Fryer Round Tortilla Chips for the queso, and Air Fryer Frozen Mozzarella Sticks if you’d rather skip the breading step.
Game Day Timing Plan
- Pregame (30 minutes before kickoff): wings and sliders. Both hold well on a sheet pan in a 200°F oven.
- First quarter: pigs in a blanket and jalapeño popper bites, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Halftime: mozzarella sticks, buffalo chicken egg rolls and a fresh batch of nachos while the show is on.
- Fourth quarter: pretzel bites and queso for the finish.
- Keep it crispy: anything that sits more than 20 minutes gets 2 minutes back in the air fryer at 375°F.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these ahead? Wings, egg rolls and mozzarella sticks can be assembled or par-cooked in the morning and finished in the air fryer right before serving. Sliders can be built ahead and covered in the fridge.
How do I cook for a crowd with one air fryer? Cook in batches and hold finished food on a sheet pan in a 200°F oven. A dual-basket air fryer lets you run wings and mozzarella sticks at the same time.
What dips go with air fryer appetizers? Ranch, blue cheese, marinara, queso and honey mustard cover everything on this list.
Can I cook frozen appetizers straight from the freezer? Yes. Frozen potato skins, mozzarella sticks and pigs in a blanket all go in frozen; add 2 to 3 minutes to the fresh cook time.
All recipes featured in this post are from Fork To Spoon.
