You get home hungry, short on time, and with zero desire to wash three different pots. The air fryer isn't magic, but it does solve a lot of weeknight dinners if you know what to put in and in what order. Here's how I work: short ingredient lists, steps you can read at a glance, and approximate times that you adjust for your own machine.

Before we go on, the important bit: every air fryer heats differently. A small model with a compact basket cooks faster than a big air fryer oven, and a full tray needs more time than a single portion. Treat the minutes I give here as a starting point, not a precision timer.

The key to a quick dinner isn't the recipe, it's having the basics on hand so you don't have to improvise. My minimum list:

• A fast protein: eggs, thinly sliced chicken strips, fresh sausages, frozen fish fillets, canned chickpeas.
• A sturdy vegetable: bell pepper, onion, zucchini, frozen broccoli, baby potatoes or frozen fries.
• Something to tie it together: olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, lemon, yogurt sauce or tomato sauce.
• Bread or a base: flour tortillas, pita bread, slices of bread.

With this you can put together almost any dinner. And yes, frozen foods almost always go in straight from the freezer: if the package doesn't say otherwise, there's no need to thaw first. When the manufacturer gives cooking instructions, those come before mine.

The trick to finishing in 15 minutes isn't rushing, it's overlapping: while one thing cooks, you prepare the next.

1. Whatever takes longest goes in first. Frozen fries, frozen broccoli or thick-cut vegetables. Spread them in a single layer, with gaps between them if you can, and add a drizzle of oil. Approximate time: about 12-18 minutes at 190-200 °C (375-400 °F), shaking halfway through. It depends on the thickness of the pieces, whether they're frozen, and how much you've put in.

2. The protein, at the same time or afterward. If your basket is large, put everything in together with the vegetables. If it's small, cook the slower item first and the protein after. Thin chicken strips or a thin fish fillet are usually done in 8-12 minutes at 180-190 °C (350-375 °F). Thickness rules: a thick cut needs more, a thin one less.

3. The finishing touch. Salt, paprika, lemon, a bit of sauce. And dinner is served.

• Frozen fries (a thin layer) at 200 °C (400 °F), about 15 minutes, shaking halfway.
• At the 5-minute mark, add thin chicken strips with paprika and a little oil, at 190 °C (375 °F), for 8-10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, warm a flour tortilla for 30-40 seconds in the air fryer (or in the toaster) and make a quick yogurt sauce with lemon and salt.

The exact minutes vary with your model and the amount of food. Try it, look, and adjust: it's the only way to get to know your air fryer.

Frozen food is your ally. Vegetables, potatoes, fish and some doughs go straight in. The only thing I usually take out beforehand is a big block of meat, because the outside cooks before the centre is done. When you're unsure about a specific product, read the package: the manufacturer's instructions are the reference.

For reheating leftovers, the air fryer works well with pizza, turnovers, croquettes, roast chicken or fried rice. Raise the temperature (around 180 °C / 350 °F) and keep an eye on it: reheated food overcooks quickly. Leftover stews with a lot of liquid don't do well in the basket; those are better in a pan or the microwave.

• Don't fill the basket to the top. The air needs to circulate. If you pile food up, the outside browns and the centre stays raw.
• Dry what you can. Moisture slows browning. Pat steaks or wet vegetables with a paper towel.
• Preheat when you want even browning. It isn't mandatory, but it helps.
• Oil: a little, well spread. A drizzle and a toss is worth more than drenching in oil.
• Don't trust the clock blindly. Open it, look, and decide for yourself.
• Shake halfway through cooking. It's the move that changes the result the most.

All times and temperatures in this article are approximate. They depend on the air fryer model, the amount of food and the thickness of the ingredients. Always adjust according to what you see in your basket and, when a product's package includes cooking instructions, follow them before these guidelines. No nutritional or health data is included because no public source has been consulted for it.

• Air Fryer Guides: How to Choose, Use and Maintain Yours
• Frozen Food in the Air Fryer: Cooking Times Without Thawing
• Reheating in an Air Fryer: Crispy Leftovers, Not Soggy Ones
• Air Fryer Recipes: Easy, Quick and with Approximate Times