Make Crispy Chips In Your Air Fryer: Every Time!

Air fryers are a fantastic way to make crispy, crunchy, and addictive potato chips with less oil, making them a healthier alternative to deep-fried chips. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you make crispy chips in your air fryer.

First, select the right type of potatoes. Floury potatoes like King Edward, Russet, Maris Piper, or Rooster are ideal for achieving crispy results. Then, peel and cut the potatoes into thin, even-sized chips. Rinse the chips in cold water to remove excess starch, and pat them dry with a clean towel.

Next, toss the chips with a small amount of olive oil or another cooking oil of your choice. You can also add seasonings like salt, pepper, garlic granules, paprika, or other spices to enhance the flavour.

Preheat your air fryer to the desired temperature, typically between 160°C to 200°C. Place the coated chips in the air fryer basket, ensuring they are in a single or staggered layer for even cooking. Air fry for 15-20 minutes, tossing or shaking the chips every 5 minutes to ensure even cooking and prevent sticking.

Finally, serve your crispy chips immediately for maximum crispiness. Enjoy them as a side dish or snack, and don't forget to dip them in your favourite sauces!

Use the right type of potatoes

Using the right type of potatoes is crucial for achieving the perfect crispy texture in your air fryer chips. Here are some tips to help you select the best potatoes and prepare them for cooking:

Selecting the Right Potato Variety

The ideal potatoes for air fryer chips are those with a floury texture, such as King Edward, Russet, Maris Piper, or Rooster. These varieties tend to result in crispier chips compared to other types. If you can't find these specific varieties, look for potatoes with a floury texture, as they will yield fluffier interiors and crispier exteriors.

Preparing the Potatoes

Before cutting your potatoes into chips, it's a good idea to peel them first. However, leaving the skin on is also an option and can add a nice crispy texture to your chips. If you do decide to peel them, use a potato chipper or a sharp knife to cut them into uniform-sized chips. The ideal thickness for air fryer chips is about 1cm (0.5 inches).

Rinsing and Drying

Once your potatoes are cut into chips, it's essential to rinse them thoroughly in cold water. This step helps remove excess starch, which can interfere with the crispiness of your chips. After rinsing, make sure to pat the potatoes dry with a clean tea towel or kitchen paper. This step is crucial, as any remaining moisture can affect the final texture of your chips.

Oil and Seasoning

After drying the potatoes, you can add a small amount of oil, such as olive oil or sunflower oil, and your desired seasonings. Toss the potatoes to ensure they are evenly coated. You can also add a little cornflour at this stage for extra crispness. However, some people find that cornflour alters the flavour slightly.

Cooking

Preheat your air fryer, and then cook the chips for the recommended time, usually around 20 minutes, at a temperature between 190°C and 200°C. Shake the basket regularly during cooking to ensure even cooking and prevent sticking. The exact cooking time may vary depending on your air fryer and the thickness of your chips, so keep an eye on them to avoid overcooking or burning.

Rinse and dry the potatoes

Rinsing and drying the potatoes is an important step in the process of making crispy chips in an air fryer. Here is a detailed, step-by-step guide:

Firstly, if your potatoes are dirty, give them a good rinse under cold water. This will help remove any dirt or residue. If your potatoes are already clean, you can skip this step. It is worth noting that some recipes recommend peeling the potatoes before rinsing, while others suggest peeling after. Choose the method that suits you best.

Next, drain the water from the potatoes. It is important to ensure that they are thoroughly dried before proceeding. Use a clean tea towel or kitchen paper to pat them dry. This step is crucial as any remaining water or moisture can affect the crispiness of the final product.

Some recipes suggest that you can stop here and proceed to the next step of coating the potatoes. However, others recommend an additional step of soaking the potatoes in water for a few minutes to remove excess starch. If you decide to soak the potatoes, be sure to pat them dry again before moving on.

Once your potatoes are clean, dry, and prepared, you can then proceed to cut them into your desired shape and size. Some people prefer thin, straight chips, while others might opt for thicker, chunkier chips. It is recommended to cut them into similar sizes to ensure even cooking.

After cutting, it is a good idea to rinse the potatoes again, especially if you have peeled them after cutting. Rinsing helps to remove any excess starch, which can hinder the crispiness of your chips. Repeat the process of draining and drying the potatoes to ensure they are ready for the next step.

Now your potatoes are ready to be seasoned and cooked in your air fryer!

Use a small amount of oil

Using a small amount of oil is key to achieving crispy chips in your air fryer. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you get the perfect results:

Step 1: Prepare the Potatoes

Start by peeling your potatoes. You can use a potato chipper to speed up the process. Cut the potatoes into thin fries or chips, leaving the skin on if preferred. Soaking or parboiling the potatoes is not necessary, but if you want to, simply prick the potatoes all over and microwave them for around 3 minutes, or parboil in salted water for about 6 minutes.

Step 2: Rinse and Dry

Rinse the cut potatoes in cold water to remove excess starch. This step will help ensure crispy chips. Pat the potatoes dry with a clean towel or kitchen paper. Make sure they are thoroughly dried before proceeding to the next step.

Step 3: Add Oil and Seasonings

Add a small amount of oil to the potatoes. You can use olive oil, avocado oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, or sunflower oil. Toss the potatoes to ensure they are evenly coated. You can also add seasonings like salt, pepper, garlic granules, paprika, or other spices of your choice.

Step 4: Air Fry

Preheat your air fryer to the desired temperature. Place the potatoes in the air fryer basket, spreading them evenly in a single or two layers. Avoid overcrowding the basket as this can affect crispness. Air fry the potatoes at the recommended temperature for 15-20 minutes, tossing or shaking them every 5 minutes to ensure even cooking.

Step 5: Serve Crispy Chips

Your crispy air-fried chips are now ready to be served! For maximum crispiness, serve them immediately. You can also sprinkle some grated cheese on top and air fry for a few more minutes until the cheese melts. Enjoy your homemade crispy chips as a side dish or snack.

Add seasoning

Seasoning options

You can add seasoning to your chips either at the start or halfway through the cooking process. Here are some seasoning options:

• Salt and pepper
• Garlic granules, powder or salt
• Paprika (for a gorgeous golden colour)
• Grated parmesan (add this towards the end)
• Dried herbs (e.g. rosemary)
• Cajun spice
• Chilli flakes
• Curry powder
• Ranch seasoning mix
• Smoked paprika
• Cayenne
• Onion powder
• Brown sugar
• Chinese 5 spice
• Italian seasoning
• Mexican seasoning

How to add seasoning

Toss the chips with the oil and seasonings so they are evenly coated before placing them in the air fryer. If you are using chilli flakes or dried herbs, add them halfway through cooking so they don't burn.

Shake the air fryer regularly during cooking

Shaking the air fryer basket during the cooking process is a crucial step in ensuring your chips turn out crispy and evenly cooked. By giving the basket a good shake every so often, you can prevent the chips from sticking to the basket or to each other. This also helps to distribute the oil and seasonings evenly across the chips, enhancing the crispiness and flavour.

Most recipes recommend shaking the air fryer basket at regular intervals, such as every 5 minutes or so. However, it's important to note that cooking times and temperatures may vary depending on the type of air fryer, the size and thickness of the chips, and the type of potato used. As such, it's always a good idea to keep a close eye on your chips during the cooking process to prevent overcooking or burning.

If you're using an air fryer with a paddle, like the Tefal ActiFry, you may not need to shake the basket as frequently, as the paddle helps to move the chips around and prevent them from sticking. However, it's still a good idea to give the basket a shake once or twice during cooking to ensure even cooking.

For maximum crispiness, it's also important to ensure that your chips are properly dried before placing them in the air fryer. Excess moisture can lead to soggy chips, so be sure to pat them dry with a clean towel or paper towels after rinsing or soaking. Additionally, avoid using too much oil, as this can also impact the crispiness of your chips. A light coating of oil is usually sufficient, and you can always add more during the cooking process if needed.

Frequently asked questions