I will give props to Trader Joe’s on this one… even from my first attempt cooking this sought-after TJ’s frozen find, I was blown away by the chicken’s crispiness when I prepared it in the oven. You know it, you adore it, and, get ready, because you’re about to fall in love with this Mandarin Orange Chicken all over again. Air fry them at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, shake the basket halfway through, and prepare for the best late-night snack of all time, ever. I vowed that my next encounter with these guys would be in the air fryer and, as a woman of my word, I can confirm: these TJ’s Mac & Cheese Bites are 10 times more magnificent in the air fryer. I left them in the oven longer than I should have in an attempt to allow them to get crispier, but as the time continued on, the spheres all lost their shape and looked like sad, gooey blobs. With high expectations, I followed package instructions, cooked them in the oven, and quickly realized that this was not the move. Any kind of mac and cheese is phenomenal to me on a good day, but mac and cheese encased in crispy goodness? I had to try it or I would simply perish. I saw these TJ’s Mac & Cheese Bites on TikTok towards the end of 2020 and I gasped audibly when they flashed on my screen. Just pop them in for 10 minutes at 400 degrees, flip them over halfway through, and you’re good to go. Now, I enjoy hands-free cooking that achieves a perfect crisp even Ronald McDonald would envy.
I used to whip up my TJ’s hash browns on the stovetop and, don’t get me wrong, they were good! But cooking them in the air fryer is life-changing. I’d even argue that the fact that I don’t have to endure unpredictable Chicago weather to get to them makes them-dare I say it-even better. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: these TJ’s hash browns are just as good as McDonald’s hash browns.
I cook half a bag at a time, set the timer for around 15 minutes at 400 degrees, shake the basket once halfway through, and top with my favorite Trader Joe’s Vodka Sauce. In my humble and honest opinion, this is the only way to prep your cauliflower gnocchi. When I realized that-beyond package cooking instructions-you could air fry cauliflower gnocchi, I was all ears. I didn’t get the hype, found myself disappointedly eating soggy mush for dinner, and, despite multiple attempts, I just couldn’t figure it out.
After months of trial, error, and crispy success, these are my favorite TJ’s frozen finds that I deem better in the air fryer:Īs I previously mentioned, I didn’t have the best introduction to this Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi. My cauliflower gnocchi success story inspired me to abandon standard cooking instructions and take my own liberties when preparing frozen foods. Enter: the crispiest, most sturdy gnocchi I’ve ever laid eyes on. As soon as I purchased my air fryer, it was the first food item I whipped up. It wasn’t my thing, that is, until I discovered one of my favorite life hacks of all time: air frying my cauliflower gnocchi. It was on my third, mushy attempt that I decided cauliflower gnocchi just wasn’t my thing. On my next two attempts, I tried the microwave followed by boiling but I just couldn’t get it right. When they looked done, I popped them in a bowl, added my marinara, and watched helplessly as they deflated under the pressure of the sauce and nearly disappeared before my eyes. I opted for the stovetop, waited for them to brown, and heated up some marinara sauce. I returned home and read the package instructions, which encouraged pan sautéing, boiling, or microwaving. In addition to all of the hype, it boasted enough selling points for me to swiftly add it to my cart. I was told that it was a low-carb, gluten-free version of regular potato gnocchi and that it was inexpensive AF. On the very tip-top of that list sat the all-powerful TJ’s Cauliflower Gnocchi. When I first stepped foot into a Trader Joe’s, I brought with me a list of goods that the internet, my friends, and my colleagues swore I must try.