I’m James Wilson, the home cook and recipe tester behind every recipe you see here. I’m not a trained chef — I’m a dad of two in Columbus, Ohio who bought a Ninja Foodi in 2020 and got tired of dry chicken and soggy fries.
Since then, I’ve tested over 140 air fryer and quick dinner recipes in my home kitchen, using two air fryers — a Ninja Foodi 8-qt and a Cosori 6-qt — so I can tell you what actually works in real American kitchens.
Why I Started Posting Recipes in This Blog
Like a lot of busy families, we needed dinners that were fast, didn’t need a lot of oil, and used ingredients we could find at Walmart, Costco, and Kroger.
My first air fryer chicken breast burned at 400°F. The second batch was raw inside. The third time at 375°F with a meat thermometer was finally juicy. I started writing down what worked — times, temps, and the mistakes — so other families didn’t have to waste food.
That notebook became this blog.
My Approach to Cooking
I focus on practical recipes for everyday American kitchens:
1. I test each recipe at least twice in two different air fryers and note what happens if your chicken is thicker or your air fryer runs hot.
2. No hard-to-find items. I shop where you shop — Walmart, Target, Costco, Kroger — and I list both US and metric where helpful.
3. Every chicken, beef, and pork recipe includes the USDA safe internal temperature. For chicken breast, that’s 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part, checked with an instant-read thermometer.
4. What to do if you only have frozen chicken, how to avoid overcrowding the basket, and how to store leftovers safely per USDA guidelines.
How We Develop Recipes at Usgoodtime
- We check ingredient amounts and cook times in our own kitchen
- We note equipment differences — basket vs. oven-style air fryers cook differently
- When a recipe is kitchen-tested, I say which air fryer I used and what I learned. When it’s based on reliable cooking methods and not yet tested in our kitchen, I don’t claim it was personally tested.
- Results vary by air fryer model, chicken size, and starting temperature, so I give ranges and tell you when to start checking.
My Kitchen Setup
- Air Fryers: Ninja Foodi 8-qt DualZone, Cosori Pro 6-qt
- Thermometer: ThermoPro instant-read — I never cook chicken without it
- Focus: Air fryer chicken, quick weeknight dinners, high-protein meal prep, and budget-friendly family meals
Let’s Connect
I read every comment and email. If you try a recipe, let me know which air fryer you used — it helps me improve the timing charts.
Email: james@usgoodtime.com