Air Fryers · Buying guide

Ninja DualZone Dinners: 6 Two-Basket Air Fryer Meals

Reviewed by Mara Ellison, Kitchen-Gear Editor

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The whole point of a two-basket air fryer is a full dinner out of one machine: a protein in one basket, a side in the other. These six pairings use the temperatures and times from our own air fryer recipes, and show which basket to start first so both finish together.

Don't have one yet? Read our Ninja DualZone review or check the Ninja DualZone on Amazon. These pairings also work in any air fryer if you cook one item at a time.

Air Fryers illustration — Air Fryers guides from Kantan Prep, researched from specs and owner reviews.

How to time two baskets

Start the longer-cooking basket first, then start the shorter one so both end together. Your machine's finish or sync mode can do this for you; check the manual.
If the temperatures are close, you can often set both to the same one. Where they differ, use the separate settings.
Shake or flip as each recipe says, and check doneness at the low end of the time range.

The six meals

1. Chicken thighs and Brussels sprouts

Basket 1: chicken thighs, 380°F, 22 to 24 minutes, skin side up.
Basket 2: Brussels sprouts, 375°F, 12 to 14 minutes. Start them about 10 minutes after the chicken.

2. Chicken breast and broccoli

Basket 1: chicken breast, 375°F, 16 to 18 minutes, flip halfway.
Basket 2: broccoli, 375°F, 8 to 10 minutes. Same temperature, so just add it partway through.

3. Pork chops and asparagus

Basket 1: pork chops, 400°F, 10 to 12 minutes, flip halfway.
Basket 2: asparagus, 400°F, 7 to 9 minutes. Same temperature, so the two finish within minutes of each other.

4. Chicken tenders and sweet potato fries

Basket 1: sweet potato fries, 380°F, 15 to 18 minutes, shake every 5 minutes.
Basket 2: chicken tenders, 400°F, 10 to 12 minutes, flip halfway. Start the fries first.

5. Shrimp and crispy potatoes

Basket 1: potatoes, 400°F, 16 to 18 minutes, shake every 5 minutes.
Basket 2: shrimp, 400°F, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the shrimp for the last few minutes so they stay tender.

6. Pork chops and Brussels sprouts

Basket 1: Brussels sprouts, 375°F, 12 to 14 minutes, shake once halfway.
Basket 2: pork chops, 400°F, 10 to 12 minutes, flip halfway. The two are close in time, so start them together.

Food safety

Check meat with a thermometer rather than guessing: 165°F for chicken breast and tenders, 175°F for thighs per our recipe, and 145°F for pork, then rest for 5 minutes. Times are ranges, because air fryers differ by wattage and basket size.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use these in a single-basket air fryer?

Yes. Cook the longer item first, then add the shorter one, or cook them one after the other.

Where are the full recipes?

Each food links to its full recipe with ingredients and seasoning. See also our air fryer cooking times chart.

How we wrote these

The temperatures and times come from our own air fryer recipes. The pairings and start order are suggestions, so adjust for your model.