Air-Fryer Jacket Potatoes: Quick, Easy, And Delicious

Yes, you can cook jacket potatoes in an air fryer! This method will give you a soft inside and a nice crisp skin. It's also quicker and more energy-efficient than using an oven.

How to prepare a jacket potato in an air fryer

Ingredients

• Baking potatoes (Maris Piper, King Edward, Russet, or sweet potatoes)
• Oil (avocado, olive, sunflower, or any other neutral high smoke-point oil)
• Salt
• Pepper
• Toppings of your choice (e.g. butter, cheese, baked beans, tuna mayonnaise, chilli, vegan cream, herbs, peppers, or olives)

Method

• Prick the potatoes several times with a fork or skewer.
• Coat the potatoes in oil, salt, and pepper. Rub the oil and seasonings into the skins using your hands to ensure the potatoes are well-coated.
• Place the potatoes in the air fryer basket. Make sure to leave room around each potato for the air to flow.
• Set the air fryer to 200°C and cook for 40-50 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes and the model of the air fryer. Turn the potatoes over halfway through cooking to ensure an even crisp on the skin.
• Check the potatoes after 20 minutes. If they are browning too quickly on one side, turn them over using tongs.
• To speed up the cooking time, you can microwave the potatoes on high for 8-10 minutes before air frying.
• When ready, the skin should be crisp and the inside tender and fluffy. Split and serve immediately with your chosen toppings.

The best toppings for jacket potatoes

Yes, you can cook jacket potatoes in an air fryer. The air fryer method results in a crisp skin and a fluffy middle, and it's quicker and more energy-efficient than using an oven.

Now, for the toppings. The beauty of a jacket potato is that it's a low-effort, low-cost meal that can be filled with your favourite toppings. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Baked Beans

A classic, budget-friendly option. You can use canned baked beans or make your own. For a twist, try making vegan three-bean chilli or masala beans.

Cheese

A popular choice to add some extra flavour and crispiness to your jacket potato. Go for cheddar, Gruyere, or blue cheese like Dolcelatte.

Tuna

Tuna is a great budget-friendly option that's high in protein and low in fat. Jazz it up with lime and coriander, or stick to a classic and pair it with cheese.

Chicken

Chicken is a lean protein option that pairs well with the fluffy potato and crispy skin. Try a chicken Caesar jacket potato or chicken and tomato jacket.

Chilli

Spice up your jacket potato with chilli con carne or turkey chilli. For a vegetarian option, try a vegan chickpea curry.

Bacon

Add a slight saltiness to your potato with streaky bacon. Or, for a meat-free alternative, try crispy fried halloumi.

Sour Cream

Sour cream can be used as a topping on its own or as a base for other toppings. Try adding spring onions and smoked paprika for a spicy kick.

Vegetables

Load up on veggies with options like spinach, sweetcorn, mushrooms, or guacamole. For an extra vitamin boost, swap your regular potato for a sweet potato.

Pulled Chicken

Shred some leftover cooked chicken and mix it with pesto and soft cheese. Top it off with pine nuts and fresh basil.

Minced Beef

A comforting option for cold, rainy days. Top it off with a golden, crunchy layer of cheddar cheese.

Prawns

Give your jacket potato a Tex-Mex twist with prawns, lemon, mayonnaise, and dill, or spice it up with prawns, jalapeño, and coriander butter.

There you have it! These are just a few ideas to get you started on your jacket potato journey. Get creative, experiment with different combinations, and most importantly, enjoy your delicious and versatile spuds!

How to store jacket potatoes

Yes, you can cook jacket potatoes in an air fryer. To achieve a crisp skin with a fluffy centre, scrub the potatoes, then pat them dry with kitchen paper. Drizzle over some oil, season with salt and pepper, and rub it into the skins. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook at 200°C for 40-50 minutes.

Now, for storing jacket potatoes:

Storing raw potatoes

To keep raw potatoes fresh for longer, store them in the fridge. Potatoes stored in the fridge can last more than three times as long compared to room-temperature storage.

Storing cooked jacket potatoes

Store leftover jacket potatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze cooked potatoes for up to 3 months. To freeze, let the potatoes cool, then place them in an airtight bag or container. To defrost, either leave them in the fridge for 24 hours or use a microwave on the defrost setting before reheating.

If you want to use your leftover jacket potatoes, you can slice them into wedges, add spices, and oven-bake them. Alternatively, scoop out the insides, mix with bacon, cheese, sour cream, herbs, or dip, then restuff and oven-bake.

The benefits of cooking jacket potatoes in an air fryer

Faster cooking

Air fryers can cook jacket potatoes up to 15 minutes faster than an oven. This is because you don't have to wait for the air fryer to preheat, and the air fryer doesn't need to heat up as much space as a conventional oven.

Crispy skin, fluffy middle

Air fryers are ideal for achieving a crispy skin and a fluffy middle. The circulating hot air of the air fryer crisps up the skin, while the inside is cooked more gently, retaining moisture and becoming light and fluffy.

Energy efficiency

Air fryers are more energy efficient than ovens. They use less energy to heat up, and because of the shorter cooking time, they use less energy overall. This is better for the environment and your energy bills!

Less heat, less clean

Air fryers don't heat up the whole kitchen like an oven does, which is a real bonus during the warmer months. They also don't require the use of aluminium foil, so there's less mess and waste.

Versatile and customisable

Air fryer jacket potatoes are a versatile dish that can be customised with a wide variety of toppings to suit all tastes and dietary requirements. You can keep it simple with butter and cheese, or load it up with chilli, beans, herbs, peppers, olives, or vegetables.

Easy and hands-off

Air fryer jacket potatoes are very easy to make, with almost no prep or hands-on cooking time. You simply scrub the potatoes, coat them in oil, season, and place in the air fryer. You don't need to keep an eye on them, just turn them over halfway through cooking.

What to serve with jacket potatoes

Jacket potatoes, also known as baked potatoes, are a versatile dish that can be served with a variety of toppings and sides. Here are some ideas for what to serve with jacket potatoes:

Toppings

Jacket potatoes are often served with a variety of toppings. In the US, common toppings include shredded cheese, sour cream, butter, and vegetables such as chives, green onions, and dill. In the UK, jacket potatoes are often served with cheddar cheese, baked beans, and green peas. Other toppings to consider include:

• Tuna mayo
• Crispy bacon
• Chili
• Pulled pork
• Shredded BBQ chicken
• Buffalo chicken
• Seeds (such as hemp seeds or sunflower seeds)
• Mozzarella cheese
• Greek yoghurt ranch dressing
• Crispy prosciutto
• Herbed garlic butter

Sides

Jacket potatoes can also be served as a side dish alongside a variety of main courses. Some ideas for main courses that pair well with jacket potatoes include:

• BBQ baked chicken thighs
• Bavette steak (broiled garlic flank steak)
• Buttery fish with crispy skin
• Cast iron chicken breast with garlic butter
• Cast iron skillet burger
• Thick and healthy turkey chilli
• Baked Furikake salmon with Kewpie mayo
• BBQ pulled chicken burgers
• Chicken Katsu (Japanese chicken cutlet)
• Broiled miso-glazed salmon
• Casseroles
• Soups
• Salads

Frequently asked questions