You don't have to parboil chips for the air fryer, but doing so (or soaking/microwaving first) helps achieve a softer, fluffier inside and crispier outside, mimicking chip-shop style fries; otherwise, raw, coated chips cook quickly for a crispier, denser result without pre-cooking, taking about 20-30 mins. For the best texture, many chefs recommend parboiling chunky chips for a few minutes or soaking them to remove starch before air frying.
Golden crispy chips, cooked in the air fryer so they've got a nice bit of crunch, but they're soft in the middle. No need to soak the potatoes or par-boil. Just toss the potatoes in a little cornflour, oil and seasoning and they can go right in the air fryer.
The trick to making the fries perfectly is to blanch them first. I know this is an extra step, but it is worth it. Blanching the potato sticks for 4 minutes helps par-cook the fries to just the right stage so that the air fryer can crisp up the exterior, but keep the interior moist and tender.
Toss with the oil and a generous amount of salt. Air-fry for 20–30 minutes at 180C, tossing every 10 minutes or so until the chips are crisp and golden, making sure they don't stick to the bottom of the basket towards the beginning of cooking.
Just like roasties, always parboil your potatoes before they go into the oven as this will help make them fluffy and make those soft edges on the surface that will crisp up. Add the raw chips to a large pan with salted cold water and bring them to boil. Cook them for around 7-10 minutes until they are tender.
Firstly, if your potatoes are still wet before being placed into an air fryer, this can cause your potatoes not to crispen up. You can avoid this by thoroughly patting dry your potatoes before you place them in the air fryer. Secondly, you might be putting in too many potato chips so they aren't cooking evenly.
You don't have to boil potatoes before air frying, but parboiling (partially boiling) them for 5-10 minutes is a popular technique that creates exceptionally crispy exteriors and fluffy insides, mimicking traditional roast potatoes. You can cook them raw for a simpler method, but parboiling, often after soaking to remove starch and roughen the edges, gives superior texture by creating a starchy coating that crisps up beautifully in the air fryer.
Can I cook raw chips in my air fryer? Yes, you don't have to pre-cook or fry potato chips before air-frying them because they can be made with delicious and crispy results with an air fryer alone.
5 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using an Air Fryer
Trying to cook too many potatoes at one time
While it varies from one recipe to the next, perfectly cooked potatoes are typically crispy on the outside and somewhat soft and fluffy inside. However, if you overcrowd your air fryer with potatoes, achieving crispy exteriors is unlikely.
People are getting rid of air fryers due to small basket sizes limiting family meals, issues with peeling non-stick coatings, difficulty cleaning, safety concerns like melting components, the perception they're just small ovens, limitations on certain foods (like wet batters), and sometimes switching to cheaper, more efficient appliances like halogen ovens. Many find they outgrow basic models, leading to batch cooking, and eventually replace them with larger or different appliances.
The secret to a crunchy outside layer and a soft, fluffy centre is cooking your chips three times. “Boil the potato sticks in boiling water till tender, then cool and dry on paper towel,” Camillo says. “Next step is to fry them in a fryer at 150°C until lightly browned and allow to cool again.
Soaking potatoes in cold water before air frying removes excess surface starch, which is key to achieving crispier outsides, preventing sticking, and ensuring they cook evenly and stay fluffy inside, preventing a gummy texture, with the crucial final step being to dry them thoroughly before cooking to avoid steaming.
Air frying is often considered to be a healthier alternative to traditional frying. In one study, deep-fried French fries retained 10 times more oil than air-fried French fries cooked for the same amount of time. Air-fried foods also have a lower fat and calorie content than traditional fried foods.
You can't cook foods with wet batter, liquids, or loose items like leafy greens in an air fryer as they make a mess; also avoid rice, pasta, popcorn, and large roasts that need even liquid-based cooking or have too much drippings, as they won't cook properly or will burn the machine. Essentially, anything requiring boiling, stewing, or a significant amount of liquid, or very delicate items that blow around, should be avoided.
Air Fryers Reduce Taste Quality
It has numerous benefits and can cook food efficiently. However, the taste can be subpar compared to other cooking methods available at the commercial level. People traditionally enjoy the authentic taste of conventionally fried or deep-fried food items.
The "Air Fryer 20/20 Rule" is a guideline for converting conventional oven recipes, suggesting you reduce the cooking time by 20% and lower the temperature by 20°C (or about 20°F) to account for the air fryer's faster, more intense cooking. While a good starting point, it's essential to monitor your food and potentially shake or flip it halfway through for even cooking, as air fryer models and foods vary, notes this BBC article.
Do you need to parboil chips before air frying? No you do not. In this easy air fryer chips recipe you simply peel, cut, oil and season them before tossing straight into the pan. And they're still ready in just 35 minutes!
Yes, you can absolutely air fry raw potatoes to make them crispy and fluffy, but you need to prep them by washing, cutting into uniform pieces, tossing with oil and seasonings, and cooking in batches if necessary, shaking halfway through, for about 15-25 minutes at around 400°F (200°C) for best results, ensuring they are spread out in a single layer. Soaking and drying potatoes first can enhance crispiness.
Infusing oil with herbs and garlic before air frying prevents burning and imparts a robust flavor to every bite. The air fryer's rapid circulation of hot air drastically reduces cooking time and ensures even crisping without preheating the oven.