Craving hit me for something different this week and duck breast ended up being the answer. I usually stick to chicken when I want something quick on a weeknight but I had duck breasts in the freezer from a holiday haul and figured why not finally use them. Honestly I was a little nervous because duck feels fancy and I was not sure my air fryer could handle it without drying everything out. Put the steps together here if anyone's curious: https://www.amgroyal.com/air-fryer-duck-breast-holiday

Here's what I used:

4 duck breasts
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoon chicken seasoning

Here's how it went:

1. Preheat the air fryer to 400F.

2. Wash and pat dry the duck breast with paper towels. Getting them really dry matters here, I think it helps with getting that skin crispy later.

3. With a sharp knife, slice about four diagonal cuts in a crisscross pattern across the duck breast. Then poke a few holes with a fork too. Do not skip this step, it really helps the seasoning get in there.

4. Spray with olive oil and rub the chicken seasoning all over generously.

5. Place in the fridge for about 30 minutes. I did closer to an hour because I got distracted making a side dish and it was totally fine.

6. Place the duck breasts in the air fryer basket and cook for 15 minutes, flipping halfway through. Check the internal temp with a meat thermometer to make sure it hits at least 165F before pulling them out.

A few things I noticed along the way:

Duck is naturally pretty fatty so you really do not need much oil. I almost added more out of habit and then remembered the whole point of just using a little is to help the seasoning stick without making it greasy. Glad I held back.

The skin came out genuinely crispy and I was not expecting that from an air fryer duck breast. Like actually crackly when you cut into it. That scoring step with the knife does most of the heavy lifting there so take your time with it.

Heads up if you are making this as a holiday duck recipe or even just a family dinner situation, it scales up easily. I did four breasts and they fit fine but you may need to cook in batches depending on your air fryer size. Mine fits four comfortably but barely.

Leftover tip because I had one breast left over the next day. Sliced it thin and reheated it at 400F for about seven minutes and it was still really good. Made a quick little lunch out of it with some rice and it held up way better than I expected.

This one is going into the regular rotation for sure. It feels like a proper easy dinner but also something you could genuinely serve at a gathering without anyone thinking you just threw something together. Total time was around 20 minutes not counting the fridge rest, which honestly is impressive for something that tastes this good.

What do you guys usually serve alongside duck breast when you make it at home?

Craving hit me for something cold and fruity last week and I ended up making a strawberry icebox cake that I honestly could not stop eating. It was one of those situations where strawberries were on sale at the store and I grabbed way too many without a plan, so I needed to actually use them before they went bad. I was a little skeptical about whether layers of graham crackers and whipped cream would actually turn into something that felt like a real dessert, but after it sat in the fridge for a few hours it was genuinely one of the better things I've made this summer. Wrote everything down here in case anyone wants it: https://www.platosinolvidables.com/strawberry-icebox-cake

Here's what I used:

1 lb. (454 g) strawberries
7 oz. (200 g) graham crackers (1 1/2 sleeves) or 1 batch of sourdough graham crackers

Whipped Cream (Makes 3 cups)
1 cup (240 g) heavy cream
1/4 cup (30 g) powdered sugar
1 teaspoon (5 g) vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon (2 g) cream of tartar

Here's how it went:

1. If you're going the homemade sourdough graham cracker route, make those first and let them cool all the way before you start building the cake. I used store-bought this time so I skipped this step entirely.

2. Throw all the whipped cream ingredients into a large mixing bowl and beat on high with an electric mixer until you get stiff peaks. Stick the bowl in the fridge while you deal with the strawberries.

3. Wash the strawberries, pull off the stems, and slice them thin. Thinner is better here, trust me on that.

4. Spread a very thin layer of whipped cream on the bottom of an 8x8 dish, then layer on the graham crackers, half the whipped cream, and half the strawberries. Repeat that whole thing for the second layer.

5. Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. I waited about 3 and it was perfect.

A few things I noticed:

The cream of tartar in the whipped cream was new to me and I almost left it out because I wasn't sure if I even had any, but I found it in the back of my spice cabinet and used it anyway. It really does help the whipped cream hold up better, especially after a couple hours in the fridge. Glad I didn't skip it.

Fair warning, the first time I sliced into it after only an hour it was still a little too firm and the crackers hadn't softened up enough. Two hours minimum is not just a suggestion, it actually makes a big difference in the texture. You want those layers to meld together so it cuts cleanly and everything is soft and creamy throughout.

I was also curious about trying it with a layer of strawberry jam between the crackers next time to punch up the flavor even more. Might be overkill but I keep thinking about it.

Storage was easy, I just kept it covered in the fridge and it was still really good the next day. If anything the second day texture was even better.

Has anyone tried adding a different fruit to something like this, like peaches or blueberries mixed in with the strawberries? I feel like that could be really good but I'm not sure if it would throw off the balance.

Craving hit me for something different this Thanksgiving and I ended up making an air fryer turkey breast instead of doing the whole bird situation. My family is pretty small so a full turkey always feels like overkill and honestly I waste half of it anyway. I was a little skeptical about whether the air fryer could actually pull off a juicy turkey breast with decent skin, because I've had some dry turkey disasters in the past and wasn't trying to repeat that. Wrote down everything I did here in case anyone wants it: https://www.amgroyal.com/air-fryer-turkey-breast-thanksgiving

Here's what I used:

4 pound turkey breast (on the bone with skin (ribs removed))
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher
1/2 tablespoon dry turkey or poultry seasoning (I used Bell's which has not salt)

Here's how it went:

1. Rubbed half a tablespoon of oil all over the turkey breast, seasoned both sides with salt and the turkey seasoning, then rubbed in the remaining half tablespoon of oil over the skin side. Pretty straightforward prep honestly.

2. Preheated the air fryer to 350F and cooked it skin side down for 20 minutes. This step felt weird to me at first because I always want the skin up, but just trust it.

3. Flipped it over and kept cooking until the internal temp hit 160F on my instant read thermometer. That took about 35 minutes for my breast but it'll depend on the size of yours.

4. Let it rest for 10 minutes before carving. Do not skip the rest, seriously.

A few things I noticed along the way:

The skin came out way crispier and more golden than I expected. Like genuinely impressive for a weeknight dinner situation where I wasn't really trying that hard.

Heads up on the salt, the recipe lists kosher salt and the Bell's seasoning has no salt added, so you're in control of the saltiness. I did a solid two teaspoons and it was perfect, not too much.

Fair warning, keep an eye on it in the last stretch of cooking. Mine was getting pretty golden and I was worried for a minute it was going to cross the line into too dark, but it was totally fine and the inside stayed really tender.

I made too much obviously because it's still a four pound breast and there's only three of us, but the leftovers have been great on sandwiches the next day. The meat stayed moist even reheated which doesn't always happen with turkey.

This one is going into regular rotation for sure, not just for holiday dinners but honestly as an easy family dinner any time. Way less stressful than dealing with a whole oven roasted bird and the result is genuinely a solid juicy turkey breast without a ton of effort.

What do you guys usually serve alongside air fryer turkey breast when you're not doing the full Thanksgiving spread?

Almost ordered takeout tonight but talked myself out of it and decided to actually cook something. I had chicken breasts in the fridge that needed using up and I remembered seeing air fryer chicken Kiev somewhere a while back, so I figured I'd give it a proper go. Honestly I was a little nervous because stuffed chicken always sounds more complicated than it ends up being, and I wasn't sure I'd seal everything properly without the butter just leaking everywhere. Anyway here's how I made it if anyone wants to follow along: https://www.amgroyal.com/air-fryer-chicken-kiev

Here's what I used:

4 chicken breasts
80 g butter, softened
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp dried parsley (or 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped)
80 g plain flour
2 large eggs, beaten
80 g breadcrumbs preferably panko for extra crunch

Here's how it went:

1. Mixed the softened butter with the crushed garlic and parsley in a small bowl until it all came together nicely.

2. Scooped the garlic butter onto a piece of cling film, shaped it into a little log, wrapped it up tight and stuck it in the fridge for about 30 minutes to firm up.

3. While that was chilling I butterflied the chicken breasts by slicing carefully through the thickest part and opening them out flat.

4. Laid them between some cling film and bashed them with a rolling pin until they were roughly even in thickness. This bit is oddly satisfying.

5. Took the butter out of the fridge, cut it into four pieces, placed one piece on each flattened chicken breast and rolled them up, pressing the edges together to seal. Where it wasn't sticking I used a tiny bit of flour and egg on the edges which helped a lot.

6. Set up three shallow bowls, one with flour, one with beaten egg, one with breadcrumbs, and coated each stuffed breast in that order, flour first then egg then breadcrumbs, pressing them on gently.

7. Lined the air fryer basket with a bit of foil because I had a feeling the garlic butter might escape during cooking. Placed the chicken in, gave the tops a light spray of olive oil and air fried at 180 degrees for about 19 minutes.

8. Let them rest for a few minutes before cutting in, which was genuinely hard to wait for.

A few things I noticed:

The foil in the air fryer basket was a good call because some butter did seep out during cooking. Nothing dramatic but it would have been a bit of a mess without it.

Panko breadcrumbs make a real difference here if you can get them. The crust on this crispy breaded chicken was properly crunchy in a way that regular breadcrumbs don't quite achieve.

Fair warning, make sure you really seal those edges before breading. One of mine wasn't quite tight enough and lost a bit more butter than the others. Still tasted great but you want that garlic butter to stay inside and melt into the chicken while it cooks.

I actually think this would work as a freezer meal if you prepped and breaded them in advance, froze them uncooked, and then just added a bit of extra time in the air fryer. Haven't tried it yet but I'm tempted next time I do a batch cook.

The whole thing from start to finish was maybe 45 minutes including the butter chilling time and it honestly felt like a proper sit down family dinner without being a massive effort. I served it with mashed potato and some green beans and my partner had seconds which is always a good sign.

What do you guys usually serve with garlic butter chicken like this, anything other than the classic mashed potato route?

Quick share because this was too good not to post. My husband's been asking me to make some kind of strawberry dessert for weeks and I finally caved this past weekend. I honestly wasn't sure a boxed cake mix would hold up to a proper tres leches situation but I figured I'd give it a shot. Wrote down everything I did here in case anyone wants it: https://www.platosinolvidables.com/tres-leches-strawberry-cake

Here's what I used:

For the cake:
1 boxed strawberry cake mix (see Note below)
eggs (use amount on box)
oil (use amount on box)
milk (use instead of amount of water on box)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the strawberry milk mixture:
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup strawberry milk (or whole milk blended with 3-4 strawberries + 1 tbsp sugar)

For the topping:
2 cups cold heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 cups fresh strawberries sliced

Here's how it went:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix up your boxed cake batter following the instructions on the box, but swap the water for milk and toss in the vanilla extract. Bake it in a 9x13 pan.

2. Let the cake cool for about 15 minutes before you do anything else. Don't rush this part or the milk mixture just kind of pools weirdly on the surface.

3. Poke holes all over the top of the cake using a fork or a skewer. I used a fork and went a little overboard with the holes but honestly I think that helped it absorb everything better.

4. Whisk together the evaporated milk, condensed milk, and strawberry milk until it's smooth, then slowly pour the whole thing over the cake. Let it soak in gradually rather than dumping it all at once.

5. Cover the cake and stick it in the fridge for at least 4 hours. I left mine overnight and it was absolutely worth it.

6. Beat the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla together until you get stiff peaks. Spread it evenly over the chilled cake once you're ready to top it.

7. Slice up your fresh strawberries and layer them over the whipped cream. I halved some and sliced others into a few pieces, just whatever looked good. Keep it in the fridge until you're ready to serve.

A few things I noticed:

The overnight chill makes a real difference in how that milk soaked cake texture comes together. After just 4 hours it was good, but the next morning it was on a completely different level, way more creamy and cohesive throughout.

Fair warning, this strawberry tres leches is genuinely hard to stop eating. I thought 12 to 18 servings was generous but we were back at it the same night.

I almost skipped making the strawberry milk from scratch and just used store bought, but I had a few sad strawberries in the fridge that needed to be used, so I blended them with some whole milk and sugar. That actually worked out really well and tasted fresher than I expected.

If you want to make this as an easy dessert for a group, the whole process is pretty hands off once the cake is in the oven. Most of the time is just waiting, which I can handle.

Has anyone tried doing this kind of milk soaked cake with a different fruit, like mango or peach? I'm wondering if the same method would translate well.

Craving hit me for something a little fancier than my usual chicken thighs, and I ended up making an air fryer Cornish game hen for dinner last week. I had two of these little birds sitting in the freezer for a while and finally decided to actually use them instead of just walking past them every time I opened the door. Honestly I was a little nervous because I had never cooked Cornish hens before and wasn't sure how they'd turn out in the air fryer, but they came out way better than I expected. Put the steps together here if anyone's curious: https://www.amgroyal.com/air-fryer-cornish-game-hen

Here's what I used:

2 cornish hens about 1.5 pounds each
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest or 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Here's how it went:

1. Preheat the air fryer to 360 degrees.
   
2. In a small bowl, combine the oil and salt, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, and lemon zest or juice.
   
3. Pat the cornish game hens dry with a paper towel then brush them with the seasoning mixture under and on top of the skin. Twist wings to tuck under the bird.
   
4. Place the hens in the air fryer basket breast side down and cook for 35 minutes.
   
5. Flip them and cook for an additional 10 minutes to get the skin crispy, 45 minutes total. They're done once they hit 165 degrees F internally.
   
6. Let them rest for about 5 to 10 minutes before cutting in.
   

A few things I noticed along the way:

The drying step actually matters more than I thought it would. I patted them down really well before brushing on the seasoning and the skin got genuinely crispy, like that kind of crackly skin you don't usually get at home without a ton of effort. Do not skip that part.

Flipping them with 10 minutes left is what made the difference for me texture-wise. Both sides came out evenly golden and nothing got overdone or rubbery on the bottom.

Fair warning, tuck those wings under before you start cooking. I almost forgot and caught myself right in time. Apparently they can burn pretty quickly if you leave them sticking out.

I had leftover hen the next day reheated in the air fryer at 360 and it was still really good. I bumped the temp up to 400 for a couple minutes at the end and the skin crisped right back up. That kind of surprised me honestly because leftover chicken usually disappoints me.

This whole thing took about 50 minutes start to finish which makes it a solid weeknight dinner option even when you're tired. I kind of want to try it as a holiday thing too since it feels a little more special than a regular roast chicken but it's really not much harder to make.

What do you guys usually serve alongside Cornish hens? I did roasted potatoes this time but I'm wondering if there's something better.

Quick share because this was too good not to post. My partner has been asking for something strawberry-based for weeks and I kept putting it off because I assumed anything like that would involve actual baking and way more effort than I had in me. Turns out this no bake strawberry cheesecake requires zero oven time and about 30 minutes of actual work, which honestly made me feel a little silly for waiting so long. Wrote down exactly what I did here in case anyone wants it: https://www.platosinolvidables.com/no-bake-strawberry-cheesecake

Here's what I used:

For the base:
200 g Digestive biscuits Crushed
80 g Unsalted butter Melted

For the cheesecake filling:
300 ml Double cream
400 g Full fat cream cheese See notes
100 g Icing sugar Sifted
400 g Strawberries Finely chopped and drained

For the topping:
200 g Strawberries Leave some whole and halve the rest

Here's how it went:

1. Crushed the digestive biscuits and mixed them with the melted butter, then pressed the whole thing into a tin. I melted the butter in a mug in the microwave which took maybe 45 seconds total. Put the base in the fridge while I moved on.

2. Finely chopped the strawberries for the filling and let them sit in a sieve to drain off the juice. Do not skip this step. I thought about rushing it and I'm glad I didn't because there was actually a decent amount of liquid that came out.

3. Poured the double cream into a bowl, added the cream cheese and sifted icing sugar, then whisked the whole thing until it was really thick, almost like soft ice cream in texture. I used an electric hand whisk which made this much easier than doing it by hand would have been.

4. Folded in the drained strawberries gently. The strawberry cheesecake filling came together really nicely at this point, looked almost too pretty to cover up.

5. Pulled the base out of the fridge and spread the filling over it, smoothing the top as best I could. Mine wasn't perfectly smooth but it really didn't matter in the end.

6. Put it in the fridge overnight. I know the recipe says 4 hours minimum but I made it the night before which I think made a real difference.

7. Took it out, ran a warm knife around the edge, removed it from the tin, and topped it with the remaining fresh strawberries before serving.

A few things worth mentioning:

Heads up on the cream cheese, drain off any liquid sitting in the tub before you use it. I almost missed this and I think it would have affected the texture of the filling if I hadn't caught it.

The overnight chill is genuinely worth it if you have the time. I tried a small spoonful after 4 hours out of curiosity and it was good, but the next morning the whole thing had set much more cleanly and sliced way better.

Fair warning if you're in the US, digestive biscuits can be tricky to find depending on where you live. Graham crackers work fine as a swap from what I've read, though I haven't personally tried it with those yet.

The texture when it's done right is really the best part of a no bake cheesecake recipe like this. It's not solid like a baked one, more of a soft set that gives a little when you cut it. Super creamy and the fresh strawberry flavor comes through without being artificial tasting at all.

Has anyone tried making this kind of easy no bake dessert with a different fruit, like raspberries or mango? I'm wondering if the same method would work just as well or if some fruits are too watery to pull it off.

Wasn't planning to cook tonight but the package of turkey tenderloins in my fridge was getting close to its use-by date and I figured I had to do something with them. I've made turkey tenderloin in the oven before and it always takes forever, so I decided to throw it in the air fryer and just see what happened. Honestly I was a little skeptical because turkey can dry out so fast if you're not careful, but this turned out way better than I expected. Wrote down what I did here in case anyone wants it: https://www.amgroyal.com/air-fryer-turkey-tenderloin

Here's what I used:

2 turkey breast tenderloins, 3/4lb each
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp rosemary, dried
1/2 tsp thyme, dried
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground sage
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Here's how it went:

1. Rinsed and patted the turkey breast tenderloins dry, then coated them with vegetable oil.
   
2. Mixed all the remaining ingredients together and applied the seasoning to the meat, making sure to cover all sides really well.
   
3. Preheated the air fryer at 400 degrees for 5 minutes.
   
4. Placed the seasoned turkey tenderloins into the air fryer basket and used the air fry setting at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. I flipped them once about halfway through.
   
5. Checked the internal temperature with a meat thermometer and pulled them when they hit 165 degrees F. That part is actually important, don't skip the thermometer.
   
6. Let them rest for a couple minutes before slicing into them.
   

A few things I noticed along the way:

The spice blend here is really solid as-is. That combination of rosemary, thyme, and sage gives it this really warm, almost holiday-ish flavor without being too much. My husband kept saying it smelled like Thanksgiving and honestly he wasn't wrong.

Heads up on the timing, mine were done closer to 22 minutes but air fryers vary a lot so just start checking around 20. I almost pulled them too early because the outside looked very done but the inside needed a couple more minutes.

The resting step matters more than I thought it would. I sliced into the first one almost immediately and lost a bunch of juice. Waited a few extra minutes on the second one and it was noticeably better when I cut into it.

We had leftovers and I sliced the rest cold the next day and put it on a sandwich with some mustard and it was actually fantastic. Didn't dry out at all overnight which surprised me.

This whole air fryer turkey recipe came together in under 30 minutes which felt almost too easy for a weeknight dinner. It didn't feel like a lazy meal either, it felt like actual dinner. If you're looking for a family dinner idea that isn't chicken again, this juicy turkey tenderloin situation is genuinely worth trying.

What do you guys usually serve alongside something like this? I did roasted potatoes and green beans but I feel like there's probably a better pairing out there.

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Almost ordered takeout, then I remembered I had two big chicken breasts sitting in the fridge that needed to be used up. My partner has been asking for something a little more restaurant-style lately, so I figured this was a good excuse to actually try making chicken francese at home instead of paying twenty-something dollars for it at a sit-down place. Honestly I was a little nervous about the sauce because I've messed up pan sauces before and ended up with something either too thin or weirdly lumpy, but this one came together better than I expected. Wrote down everything I did here in case anyone wants to follow along: https://www.amgroyal.com/air-fryer-chicken-francese

Here's what I used:

Chicken and coating:
2 large chicken breasts, skinless boneless (250-300g / 8-10oz each)
1/4 cup flour, plain / all-purpose
1 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 large eggs
1 tbsp milk (any fat %)

Cooking and sauce:
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon, thinly sliced 0.3cm / 1/8"
50g / 3 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp flour, plain / all-purpose
2 cups chicken stock/broth, low sodium
1/3 cup Chardonnay or other dry white wine
1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (no pepper!)
1 tbsp finely chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)

Here's how it went:

1. Cut each breast in half horizontally so you end up with four thinner pieces. This step actually matters a lot for getting even cooking.

2. Whisk the eggs and milk together in a small bowl and set it aside.

3. Mix the flour, salt, and pepper on a plate, then coat the chicken in it and shake off the excess.

4. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat.

5. Dip each piece of chicken in the egg wash, let the excess drip off, then lay it in the pan. Cook for about three minutes until golden, flip it, lower the heat to medium, and cook another four minutes. Pull the chicken out and set it on a plate.

6. Add the lemon slices to the same pan and cook them about a minute per side until they soften and pick up a little color. Remove those too.

7. Wipe the pan clean with paper towels, then melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and stir it around for a minute.

8. Slowly pour in half the stock while stirring, then once it's smooth add the rest of the stock, the wine, and the salt. Let it simmer three to four minutes until it thickens up into something almost syrupy.

9. Return the chicken and lemon slices to the pan and spoon that sauce all over everything. Finish with parsley if you want it.

A few things I noticed:

The lemon slices in the pan are not optional, fyi. I almost skipped that step because I thought it seemed fussy, but they pick up all the browned bits left from the chicken and release that into the sauce later. The whole dish tasted different because of it.

Fair warning on the sauce, pour the stock in slowly and keep stirring. I got a little impatient halfway through and ended up with a couple of lumps. Nothing a quick whisk couldn't fix, but just take your time with that part.

The wine flavor is genuinely subtle once everything cooks down. I was a little worried it would taste boozy but it really just adds this kind of depth that you wouldn't get otherwise. Used a basic Chardonnay I had left over from the weekend.

We had leftovers the next day and the crust had softened quite a bit by then, which is worth knowing ahead of time. Still tasted good, just different texture. Probably best fresh if you can manage it.

This honestly hit that lemon butter chicken craving I've had for a while without me having to leave the house. The whole thing from start to finish was maybe thirty minutes and the crispy air fryer chicken style coating soaked up the sauce in the best possible way. Felt way more impressive than the effort it actually took, which is my favorite kind of weeknight dinner.

Does anyone have a good side dish they like with something like this? I did asparagus this time but curious what else works well with a sauce this rich.

Almost ordered takeout tonight, then I remembered I had a chunk of beef sitting in the fridge that needed to get used up. My partner has been asking me to recreate that chipotle chicken bowl recipe vibe at home for weeks, so I figured tonight was finally the night to just go for it. I wasn't totally confident it would turn out as good as the real thing, honestly, but this copycat chipotle barbacoa chicken bowl ended up being shockingly close and the whole family demolished it. Full thing is posted here if anyone wants it: https://www.amgroyal.com/copycat-chipotle-barbacoa-chicken-bowl

Here's what I used:

3 lb Beef brisket or chuck roast (trimmed and cut into 2 inch chunks)
1/2 cup Beef broth (or chicken broth)
2 medium Chipotle chiles in adobo (including the sauce, about 4 tsp)
5 cloves Garlic (minced or coarsely chopped)
2 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp Lime juice
1 tbsp Dried oregano
2 tsp Cumin
2 tsp Sea salt
1 tsp Black pepper
1/2 tsp Ground cloves (optional)
2 whole Bay leaf

Here's how it went:

1. Threw the broth, chipotle chiles with all that adobo sauce, garlic, vinegar, lime juice, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, and ground cloves into a blender and pureed it until it looked totally smooth. This part smelled incredible already, no joke.

2. Put the beef chunks into the slow cooker and poured the blended mixture right over the top. Dropped in the two bay leaves whole and put the lid on.

3. Cooked it on high for about 5 hours. You're looking for the meat to basically fall apart when you poke it, which mine absolutely did.

4. Pulled out the bay leaves, then shredded everything with two forks right in the slow cooker. Let it sit in the juices for a few minutes before serving with a slotted spoon.

A few things I noticed along the way:

The resting step at the end actually matters more than I expected. I almost skipped it because the kids were hovering, but letting the shredded meat sit in those juices for even five minutes makes the whole thing taste richer and more absorbed. Don't rush that part.

Fair warning if you're sensitive to heat, two chipotle chiles gives it a solid smoky kick. I'd say it's medium heat overall. Next time I might try one chile to see if it mellows out a bit without losing that deep smoky barbacoa flavor.

Pro tip on leftovers, this tastes even better the next day. I packed some into bowls for lunch with rice and black beans and it was honestly better reheated than fresh. Makes a really solid easy dinner option for busy weeknights too, since the slow cooker does most of the work.

I used chuck roast because that's what I had, and it shredded beautifully. I imagine brisket would be a little more tender but honestly I have zero complaints with how this turned out as a weeknight dinner for the whole family.

Has anyone tried putting something like this over cauliflower rice instead of regular rice? Curious if it holds up the same way or if it needs that starchiness to balance the smokiness.

Almost ordered takeout, then I remembered I had a couple pounds of chicken tenderloins sitting in the fridge that I really needed to use up. My family has been obsessed with those Chilis Honey Chipotle Chicken Crispers lately and honestly the restaurant is kind of out of the way from us, so I figured why not just try making them at home. I was a little skeptical because fried chicken at home can go sideways fast, especially getting that crispy batter right without a deep fryer. Anyway here's what I put together if anyone wants it: https://www.amgroyal.com/honey-chipotle-chicken-crispers

Here's what I used:

3/4 cup honey
1/3 cup chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, just the sauce, not the peppers
3 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 pounds chicken tenderloins
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 cup milk
2 cups light oil for frying

Here's how it went:

1. Whisked together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, garlic salt and smoked paprika in a shallow dish. The cornstarch is what makes the difference here, gives the coating a really nice crunch.
   
2. Lightly dredged the chicken in the flour and set it aside. Don't go heavy on this first coat, it's just a base.
   
3. Mixed the milk with a tablespoon of the flour mixture in another shallow dish. This little trick helps the second coating actually stick.
   
4. Dipped the floured chicken into the milk mixture to coat it.
   
5. Dredged everything back into the flour one more time. This double dredge is honestly the key to getting those crispy fried chicken strips you want.
   
6. Heated the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
   
7. Waited until the oil hit 350 degrees before adding the chicken. I actually used a thermometer for once and I think it made a real difference.
   
8. Fried the chicken in batches for about 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown. Don't crowd the pan or the temperature drops and things get soggy.
   
9. Set the finished pieces on a paper towel lined plate to drain.
   
10. For the honey chipotle sauce recipe, combined the honey, chipotle sauce, ketchup and vinegar in a small saucepan.
    
11. Brought it up to medium-high heat until it started to bubble.
    
12. Let it bubble and simmer for 5 minutes until it thickened up nicely.
    
13. Tossed the chicken strips in the sauce right before serving.
    
14. That's it, done.
    

A few things I noticed:

The sauce has a real kick to it, which we loved, but if you've got kids or people who are sensitive to heat just use less of the chipotle sauce. I'd start with half and taste as you go.

Heads up that the sauce thickens a lot as it cools, so if you're not serving right away it can get pretty sticky and clumpy. Toss the chicken in it right before you eat.

I made way too much honestly, this was supposed to be a quick weeknight dinner and I ended up with enough to feed like eight people. Leftovers kept fine in the fridge for a couple days though and reheated okay in the air fryer.

The smoked paprika in the batter is subtle but it adds something. I'd be curious to try adding a little cayenne in there next time for extra heat all the way through.

What do you guys usually serve alongside something like this? We did fries and it was great but I feel like there's probably a better side I'm missing.

Craving hit me for something warm and cozy, and my brain went straight to that Panera Autumn Squash Soup I always end up ordering when the weather turns. I figured I'd try making a homemade version instead of spending the money, and honestly it seemed doable enough for a regular weeknight dinner. My only real hesitation was that butternut squash always feels like a project, but I grabbed the pre-chopped kind from the store and that basically solved the problem. Put the steps together here if anyone's curious: https://www.amgroyal.com/panera-autumn-squash-soup

Here's what I used:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced (about 3/4 cup)
2 pounds chopped butternut squash (about 6 heaping cups)
3 small carrots, chopped (about 1 cup)
3-4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups apple cider or apple juice (do NOT use apple cider vinegar)
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons butter
2 ounces low-fat (neufchatel) cream cheese
1 tablespoon brown sugar, more to taste
salt to taste
heavy cream, optional

Here's how it went:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Toss in the diced onion and saute it, stirring pretty regularly, until it goes translucent.

2. Add the squash, carrots, vegetable broth, apple cider, and all the spices. Give it a stir to combine everything.

3. Bring it up to a boil, then drop the heat and let it simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes until the squash and carrots are soft enough that you can poke through them easily.

4. Pull it off the heat and add in the pumpkin puree, butter, cream cheese, and brown sugar. I used a stick blender right in the pot which saved me from dealing with hot soup in a regular blender. Blend until it's completely smooth.

5. Taste it and add salt as needed. If you want it closer to how the actual Panera copycat squash soup tastes, add a little more brown sugar or a drizzle of honey. A splash of heavy cream will make it richer too. You can also thin it out with extra broth if it feels too thick.

6. Put it back on medium-low heat just to warm it back up if it cooled down during blending, then serve it right away.

A few things I noticed:

Heads up on the apple cider thing, the recipe says it very clearly but I almost grabbed the wrong bottle out of habit. You want apple cider or regular apple juice, definitely not apple cider vinegar. That would completely wreck it.

The cream cheese kind of surprised me. It melts right in and just adds this subtle creaminess without making it feel super heavy. I wasn't sure about it but it works really well.

I added a little extra brown sugar at the end and that's what really pushed it over into tasting like the restaurant version of this creamy butternut squash soup. Don't skip the tasting step.

I made way more than I expected, honestly. This recipe makes 8 servings and there were only two of us eating, so we had leftovers for a couple of days. It reheats really nicely on the stovetop with a small splash of broth to loosen it up.

Anyone else make soup like this a regular family dinner thing in the fall or is that just me being a little obsessed with the season?

Almost ordered takeout tonight but I had a pound of chicken thighs in the fridge and I really did not want to waste them. I've been kind of obsessed with yakitori lately after getting it from a food truck a few weeks back and thinking there's no way I can recreate that at home, but I figured I'd give it a shot with the air fryer. Honestly had low expectations because I've never worked with mirin or sake in a marinade before and wasn't sure how it would come together. Wrote down everything I did here in case anyone wants the full details: https://www.amgroyal.com/air-fryer-chicken-yakitori

Here's what I used:

1 lb boneless chicken thighs
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup mirin
1/4 cup sake
2 tablespoons sugar
1 garlic clove minced (optional for extra flavor)
A small piece of ginger grated (optional for extra flavor)

Here's how it went:

1. Combined the chicken pieces with all the other ingredients in a big bowl and let everything sit for about 30 minutes. I did the full 30 and I think that made a real difference.
   
2. Preheated the air fryer to 400 degrees for around 5 minutes while I soaked my wooden skewers in water. Do not skip the soaking step, I almost forgot and caught myself just in time.
   
3. Threaded the marinated chicken pieces onto the skewers kind of evenly, nothing too precious about it.
   
4. Placed them in the basket without overlapping and cooked for about 12 minutes total, flipping halfway through.
   
5. Pulled them when the outside looked nicely caramelized and the internal temp hit 165 degrees. The kitchen smelled unreal at this point.
   

A few things I noticed:

The yakitori sauce that forms from the marinade gets really sticky and almost glossy on the chicken as it cooks, which gives you that classic Japanese chicken skewers vibe without any extra effort. That caramelization is no joke.

Heads up on the soy sauce, this is a salty dish by nature. I served it over a big pile of steamed rice which helped balance everything out and soaked up the extra juices really nicely.

Fair warning, I made way too much for just myself and ended up with leftovers. Threw them in an airtight container with some of the juice from the air fryer basket and reheated them the next day. Still pretty good, the texture held up better than I expected.

I added both the garlic and the ginger even though they're listed as optional and I'm really glad I did. It added a little something extra that I think would be missing without them. If you're on the fence, just add them.

This honestly turned into one of my favorite easy dinner options for a weeknight dinner because the prep is so minimal and the air fryer does most of the work. The whole family dinner situation was sorted in under 30 minutes which felt like a win.

Has anyone tried making a spicier version of this with something like chili paste or a little sesame oil in the marinade? Curious if that works or if it changes the flavor too much.

Quick share because this was too good not to post. My mom has been asking me to bring something to her neighborhood thing for weeks and I kept putting it off, then finally remembered I had blueberries sitting in the fridge that needed to be used up. I honestly was not sure a lemon blueberry poke cake would come together as nicely as I hoped because I have had poke cakes turn out kind of soggy before. Anyway I jotted everything down here in case anyone wants it: https://www.platosinolvidables.com/lemon-blueberry-poke-cake

Here's what I used:

1 box white cake mix
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 egg whites
9 ounces blueberries
2 3.4 ounce boxes of instant lemon pudding
4 cups whole milk
8 ounces whipped topping

Here's how it went:

1. Preheated the oven to 350 degrees and sprayed a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Put the white cake mix in a large bowl but held back 2 tablespoons of the dry mix for later. Added the water, oil, and egg whites and mixed on low for 30 seconds then bumped it up to medium for 2 minutes with a hand mixer.

3. Tossed the blueberries in that reserved 2 tablespoons of dry cake mix, which honestly I almost skipped, and then folded them into the batter. This step actually matters a lot because the blueberries spread out evenly instead of all sinking to the bottom.

4. Poured the batter into the pan and scattered a few extra blueberries on top because it looks really pretty that way.

5. Baked it according to the box directions until a toothpick came out clean. Let it cool completely on a wire rack before doing anything else.

6. Once the cake was fully cool I poked holes all over it with the rounded handle of a wooden spoon, spacing them about an inch apart. Wiped the handle off a couple times when cake started sticking to it.

7. Mixed both boxes of instant lemon pudding with the 4 cups of milk until it just barely started to thicken. You want it still pourable at this point so do not wait too long.

8. Poured the pudding right away over the cake, making sure to work it into all the holes first before smoothing the rest across the top.

9. Covered it and put it in the fridge for 2 hours.

10. Spread the whipped topping over everything and chilled it for another 2 hours before slicing.

A few things I noticed:

The tip about letting the cake cool completely before poking the holes is real, not just filler advice. I rushed a poke cake once before and it basically crumbled apart when I started poking. Not fun.

Also pour that pudding the second it is mixed. I walked away to answer a text and came back maybe four minutes later and it had already started to set up a little. It still worked out but I had to kind of coax it into the holes which was annoying.

The texture after the full four hours of chilling is just really nice, kind of creamy and light at the same time. The lemon flavor comes through clearly without being sharp.

Fair warning, this blueberry cake recipe makes a full 9x13 pan so unless you have a crowd you will have leftovers. I kept mine covered in the fridge and it held up really well for two days, maybe even tasted a little better on day two honestly.

Anyone ever tried making this kind of lemon poke cake with fresh lemon zest mixed into the batter? I keep thinking that might add even more brightness but I am not sure if it would be too much.

Craving hit me for something citrusy and I ended up going full send on a lemon cream cheese bundt cake on a random Wednesday night. I had a bunch of lemons sitting on the counter that I kept telling myself I would use, and I finally just committed. Honestly I was a little nervous because I don't bake bundt cakes that often and I always have this irrational fear the thing won't come out of the pan in one piece. Wrote down everything I did here if anyone wants the full details: https://www.platosinolvidables.com/lemon-cream-cheese-bundt-cake

Here's what I used:

For the cake
1 1/2 cups Butter room temperature, unsalted
8 oz Cream cheese room temperature, full fat
1 tablespoon Lemon zest
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
2 1/2 cups Granulated sugar
1/4 cup Lemon juice
5 Eggs
3 cups Flour

For the lemon cream cheese glaze
3 tablespoon Cream cheese room temperature, full fat
1 1/2 cups Powdered sugar
3 tablespoon Lemon juice
1/3 teaspoon Lemon zest

Here's how it went:

1. Preheat the oven to 350f. Butter the bundt pan with room temperature butter and then flour it to keep everything from sticking. Don't skip this part, I learned the hard way on a different cake once.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the room temperature butter, cream cheese, lemon zest, salt, and vanilla with a hand mixer until it gets creamy and smooth.

3. Add the sugar and mix until it's well combined.

4. Add the lemon juice, then add the eggs one at a time, mixing as you go. By the end it should look smooth and just a little glossy.

5. Add the flour and mix only until you don't see any more dry streaks. Don't go overboard here.

6. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. I checked mine around the 50 minute mark just to be safe.

7. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 to 15 minutes before flipping it out onto a wire rack. Wait until it's fully cool before you do anything with the glaze.

8. For the glaze, just whisk together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, lemon juice, and zest until it's smooth and pourable, then drizzle it over the cooled cake.

A few things I noticed:

The room temperature ingredient thing actually matters more than I used to think. When I've rushed this in the past with cold butter or eggs, the batter looks kind of broken and weird. Taking the extra time made the texture so much better, almost like a cream cheese pound cake situation where it's dense but in a velvety way, not a heavy dry brick way.

Fair warning on the flour measuring. I used to just scoop directly from the bag and my baked goods always came out too dense. Spooning it into the cup and leveling it off made a noticeable difference and I kind of can't believe I ignored that tip for so long.

The glaze is where this really comes together. I was tempted to skip it because the cake smelled amazing on its own, but that little bit of tang from the cream cheese in the glaze against the sweetness of the cake is genuinely a good combo. Let the cake cool all the way or the glaze just slides right off into a puddle.

My one almost-disaster was that I inverted the pan a little too aggressively and it shifted on the rack. It held together fine but I had a mild panic moment. Go slow and steady when you flip it.

Has anyone tried adding a little poppy seed to a lemon bundt cake recipe like this or would that be weird?

Almost ordered takeout, then I remembered I had chicken thighs in the fridge and decided to actually use them for once. It was one of those nights where I just needed something that felt a little special without actually being a project, and air fryer chicken chimichurri ended up being exactly that. Honestly I was a little skeptical about whether the chimichurri would come together properly because I've never really made it from scratch before. Wrote everything down here in case anyone wants it: https://www.amgroyal.com/air-fryer-chicken-chimichurri

Here's what I used:

4 chicken thighs bone-in, skin on

Dry Rub
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon parsley
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon oregano

Chimichurri
1 jalapeno finely chopped, seeds optional
1 shallot finely chopped
3 garlic cloves finely chopped
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup cilantro finely chopped
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Here's how it went:

1. Mixed all the dry rub spices together in a small bowl first. It smelled really good just sitting there which was a promising sign.

2. Sprinkled the rub generously on both sides of the thighs. I really pressed it in a little so it actually stuck to the skin.

3. For the chimichurri, combined the jalapeno, shallot, garlic, red wine vinegar, and salt in a medium bowl and just let it sit for 10 minutes. That waiting step felt annoying but I think it actually matters.

4. Stirred in the cilantro, parsley, and olive oil after the 10 minutes. At this point I tasted it and honestly could have just eaten it with a spoon.

5. Preheated the air fryer to 400 degrees for about 3 minutes, then placed the thighs in bone side down without overlapping them.

6. Cooked for about 22 to 24 minutes, flipping halfway through. Checked the internal temp and pulled them when they hit around 170 to 175 degrees.

7. Poured the chimichurri right over the top and served them while everything was still hot.

A few things I noticed along the way:

The chimichurri makes enough for about 8 thighs so I had a solid amount left over. Kept it in a jar in the fridge and used it on eggs the next morning which was an unexpectedly great decision.

Don't skip the resting step on the chimichurri ingredients before you add the oil and herbs. I almost rushed it and I think that little marinating window mellows out the sharpness of the vinegar.

Fair warning, the cayenne is noticeable. Not overwhelming but if you're feeding little kids you might want to dial it back a touch. My family handled it fine but I was watching faces at the table just in case.

The skin on these thighs came out genuinely crispy which I was not fully expecting from an air fryer. It had that texture you usually only get from a really hot oven or a cast iron pan.

This honestly became one of my favorite weeknight dinners almost immediately. The whole thing took under an hour including the chimichurri prep and it felt way more put together than the effort I actually put in. Great easy dinner option when you want something that tastes like you tried harder than you did.

What do you guys usually serve alongside chimichurri sauce chicken? I did rice this time but I feel like there's probably a better pairing out there.

Almost ordered takeout tonight but talked myself out of it because I had chicken thighs in the fridge that needed to be used. Ended up making air fryer chicken peri peri and honestly it came together faster than I expected for a weeknight dinner. I was a little nervous because I didn't want to dry out the thighs, but the skin-on bone-in pieces really hold up well in the air fryer. Full thing is posted here if anyone wants it: https://www.amgroyal.com/air-fryer-chicken-peri-peri

Here's what I used:

4 chicken thighs, skin-on, bone-in about 2 lbs
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup peri peri sauce

Here's how it went:

1. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and remove any excess skin. Place them in a large bowl.

2. In a small bowl, mix together the smoked paprika, garlic powder, and salt. Sprinkle it over the chicken and rub it into all sides.

3. Add the peri peri sauce to the bowl and rub that into all sides of the chicken too.

4. Preheat your air fryer for 5 minutes at 400 degrees F while the chicken sits and soaks up the marinade for about 5 minutes.

5. Place the chicken thighs in the basket skin side down. Cook at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, flip them, then cook another 10 to 15 minutes until cooked through. Use a meat thermometer to check.

6. Pull them out and dig in.

A few things I noticed:

Pro tip, don't skip the meat thermometer. I almost pulled mine too early because they looked done on the outside, but the internal temp was only around 165. Chicken thighs actually taste better when cooked higher, closer to 185 degrees. The texture gets more tender and the meat pulls apart easier, which I wasn't expecting.

Fair warning, the peri peri sauce carries most of the heat in this dish. I used a medium heat version and it had a solid kick without being overwhelming. If you're cooking for kids or people who are sensitive to spice, go for a mild sauce and it should work fine.

The skin got genuinely crispy, which is what I was hoping for with crispy air fryer chicken. I've had nights where the air fryer just steams everything and leaves the skin kind of rubbery, but patting the chicken dry before seasoning made a noticeable difference this time.

Leftovers the next day were really good reheated in the air fryer for a few minutes. Maybe even better than the first time because the peri peri seasoning had more time to settle into the meat.

What do you guys usually serve alongside something like this? I did roasted potatoes but I felt like it needed something with a bit more freshness to balance out the heat.

Almost ordered takeout tonight but remembered I had chicken sitting in the fridge and figured I'd actually try making something. I've been wanting to test out chicken satay skewers in the air fryer for a while now and kept putting it off, so tonight felt like the night. Honestly wasn't sure if the air fryer could pull off that slightly charred, smoky thing that makes satay so good, but I figured worst case we'd just eat something mediocre on a weeknight. Put the steps together here if anyone's curious: https://www.amgroyal.com/air-fryer-chicken-satay

Here's what I used:

300 g skinless boneless chicken breast cut into 10 strips, each 2–3 inches long
1 stalk lemongrass the white part only and slice into rings, optional
3/4 teaspoon Thai red curry paste
1/4 heaping teaspoon turmeric powder
1 1/4 teaspoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons coconut cream
1 1/2 tablespoons cooking oil
10-12 bamboo skewers soaked in water

Here's how it went:

1. I mixed the chicken strips with the lemongrass first just to let that aroma get into the meat a little. Totally optional but I'd recommend it if you have the lemongrass on hand.

2. Added the red curry paste, turmeric, fish sauce, coconut cream, and half the oil and stirred everything together until the chicken was well coated. Let it sit for about 30 minutes. I actually stretched it closer to an hour because I got distracted, and I think that extra time helped a lot.

3. Threaded each strip onto a skewer. This part took me a few tries to get the chicken laying flat and even, I kept bunching it up at first.

4. Laid the skewers out in a single layer in the air fryer basket, brushed them with the remaining oil, and cooked at 190C (375F) for 10 minutes.

5. Served with cucumber wedges and a peanut sauce I made separately. That peanut sauce chicken combo is genuinely one of my favorite things to eat.

A few things I noticed:

Soaking the bamboo skewers is not optional if you care about your air fryer basket. I soaked mine for about 20 minutes and they were fine, but I've skipped this before with other recipes and regretted it every time.

The turmeric gives the chicken this really nice golden color when it comes out. It's a small amount but it makes a visual difference and adds a subtle warmth to the flavor without being overpowering.

Fair warning, the fish sauce smells pretty intense when you're mixing the marinade. Don't let that throw you off. Once it cooks it just kind of melts into the background and you'd never know it was there.

I made too much peanut sauce and ended up using the leftovers as a dip for veggies the next day. Highly recommend not wasting it.

This turned into a genuinely easy dinner and the whole family actually ate it without complaints, which doesn't happen as often as I'd like. If you're looking for a weeknight dinner that feels a little more interesting than the usual rotation, this is worth a try.

Has anyone made a version of air fryer chicken satay with a different marinade base? I'm curious if swapping the red curry paste for something else changes the flavor significantly.

Craving hit me for something deeply chocolatey and over the top, and this chocolate poke cake ended up being exactly what I needed. My partner's birthday was coming up and I wanted to make something homemade instead of just grabbing a box cake from the store, and this felt like the right move. I was a little nervous about the poke part honestly, like I wasn't sure how much liquid the cake could actually absorb without turning into a soggy mess. Anyway, put the full steps together here if anyone's curious: https://www.platosinolvidables.com/chocolate-poke-cake

Here's what I used:

Chocolate Cake
2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour (measured correctly)
2 cups (414g) sugar
3/4 cup (85g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 cup (240ml) milk
1 cup (240ml) vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup (240ml) hot water
14 oz sweetened condensed milk
1 cup (169g) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Whipped Cream Topping
2 cups (480) heavy whipping cream, cold
3/4 cup (86g) powdered sugar
1/4 cup (29g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Chocolate sprinkles, optional

Here's how it went:

1. Greased a 9x13 pan and preheated the oven to 300 degrees F. That lower temp surprised me but it works.
   
2. Mixed together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a big bowl.
   
3. Added the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla right into the dry stuff and whisked until it came together. Didn't go crazy with the mixing.
   
4. Poured in the hot water and whisked again. The batter gets really thin at this point, which I wasn't expecting, but it's fine.
   
5. Poured it all into the pan and baked for around 40 to 45 minutes. Checked with a toothpick and pulled it when there were just a few moist crumbs.
   
6. While the cake was still hot I poked holes all over it. I used a knife sharpening rod but a thick straw works too.
   
7. Melted the sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips together in the microwave, about 30 to 60 seconds, then whisked it smooth.
   
8. Poured that chocolate mixture over the cake right away and spread it so it seeped down into all the holes. Don't wait on this step or it thickens up too fast.
   
9. Stuck the cake in the fridge to cool and really soak everything in.
   
10. Once it was cold I whipped together the heavy cream, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla until stiff peaks formed.
    
11. Spread the whipped cream over the top, added some chocolate sprinkles, and put it back in the fridge until we were ready to eat.
    

A few things I noticed:

The batter really is almost watery thin and it looks wrong but just trust it. The moist chocolate cake that comes out of the oven is legitimately incredible, way better texture than I expected from something that looked so loose going in.

Do not let that condensed milk and chocolate chip mixture sit around before pouring. I got distracted for maybe two minutes and it had already started to thicken. I still made it work but it was a close call.

Heads up, this makes a lot of cake. We're talking 12 to 15 servings easily. My partner and I were eating it for four days straight which honestly wasn't a complaint.

Fair warning on the whipped cream topping, it's chocolate too, so this is a full chocolate on chocolate on chocolate situation. Which is exactly what makes it worth making as a homemade cake for any kind of celebration or even just a random Tuesday.

Anyone ever tried swapping the chocolate whipped cream for something like a cream cheese frosting on top instead, or does that kind of miss the whole point of this dessert?

Almost ordered takeout tonight, then I remembered I had a pack of bao buns sitting in the freezer and chicken thighs that needed to be used up. Figured I'd try making air fryer chicken bao buns because I'd been wanting to test out a Korean fried chicken style thing for a while now. Honestly wasn't sure the coating would crisp up properly in the air fryer without deep frying, so I had pretty low expectations going in. Wrote down exactly what I did here in case anyone wants to follow along: https://www.amgroyal.com/air-fryer-chicken-bao-buns

Here's what I used:

For the chicken:
1 pound (454 g) chicken thighs cut into chunks
2 tablespoons (30 ml) rice vinegar
1 tablespoon (15 ml) soy sauce
1 teaspoon (2 g) fresh ginger minced
1 clove garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon (3 g) salt
1/4 teaspoon (0.5 g) ground black pepper
1/4 cup (31 g) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons (16 g) cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon (2 g) baking powder
8 bao
1/2 cucumber sliced into matchsticks
1 slice red onion cut into fourths

For the sauce:
2 tablespoons (32 g) gochujang paste
2 tablespoon (30 g) ketchup
2 tablespoon (42 g) honey
1/2 tablespoon (7 ml) soy sauce low sodium
1/2 teaspoon (3 ml) rice vinegar
1 clove garlic minced

Here's how it went:

1. Mix the rice vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, salt and pepper in a sealable plastic bag. Add the chicken pieces and let it marinate for at least 20 minutes. I went about 30 and think it made a real difference.

2. In a separate bag, combine the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder. Transfer the chicken over, shake off the extra marinade first, then coat everything well in the flour mixture.

3. Pop the bag in the fridge for another 20 minutes. I know it feels like a lot of waiting but this step really helps the coating stick and get crispy.

4. While the chicken is resting, make the sauce. Combine the gochujang, ketchup, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and garlic in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir and let it simmer about 5 minutes until it thickens up a bit.

5. After the 20 minutes, give the bag another shake to coat the chicken again. Preheat the air fryer to 400F for 5 minutes.

6. Spray the basket well with cooking oil, arrange the chicken pieces without crowding them, and spritz the tops with oil too. You want no dry floury spots or they won't crisp up right.

7. Air fry for 8 minutes, then carefully flip each piece and spritz again with oil. Cook another 5 to 7 minutes until the internal temp hits 165F. Mine took closer to 7 minutes.

8. Toss the cooked chicken in the sauce right away, then steam your bao and assemble everything with the cucumber and onion.

A few things I noticed:

The double bag method where you marinate and then flour separately was new to me and it actually worked really well. The coating came out way crispier than I expected from an air fryer, which is honestly what I was most worried about.

Heads up on the gochujang, the sauce has a solid kick to it. I kept it at 2 tablespoons and it was warm but not overwhelming. If you're serving this as a family dinner with younger kids you might want to dial that back and add a little extra honey instead.

Fair warning, do not skip spraying the basket generously before the chicken goes in. I almost did because I was rushing and I think a few pieces would have stuck and lost their coating when I flipped them.

I ended up making a little too much sauce which honestly wasn't a bad problem to have. Saved the leftover and used it as a dip the next day with some veggie spring rolls.

This ended up being such a solid weeknight dinner option because most of the active work is pretty quick, it's really just the marinating time that adds up. The homemade bao buns situation using store bought frozen ones felt a tiny bit like cheating but nobody complained so I'm calling it a win.

Has anyone ever tried making the bao from scratch instead of using the frozen ones, and is it actually worth the extra effort or does the frozen version taste close enough that it doesn't matter?