Air Fryer Onion Chips: A Quick, Crispy Treat

Making onion chips in an air fryer is a healthier alternative to deep-frying them in oil. The air fryer uses a fraction of the oil and time to make crispy and flavourful onion chips. The process is simple: thinly slice a large onion, coat the slices in a mixture of your choice, and air-fry them for 10-20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.

Choosing the right onion

Type of Onion: Different types of onions will give your chips a distinct flavour and texture. Sweet onions, such as Vidalia, Walla Walla, or sweet red onions, are often favoured for onion chip recipes because of their mild and sweet taste. Yellow onions are also a great choice and will give your chips a golden brown colour. You can also use red onions, but keep in mind that they may result in a darker colour after frying.

Size of Onion: Look for onions that are medium to large in size. This will make it easier to slice them into uniform rings, which is important for even cooking in the air fryer.

Freshness: Choose firm onions with tight, dry skins. Avoid onions that feel soft or show signs of sprouting, as they may not yield the best results.

Taste: Consider your personal preference for onion flavour. Some people prefer a milder onion taste, while others enjoy a more pungent variety. You can also experiment with different types of onions to find the flavour you like best.

Quantity: Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to adjust the quantity of onions you use. As a general guideline, aim for around 1-2 pounds of onions for a standard-sized air fryer.

Remember, the key to making great onion chips is to slice the onions thinly and evenly. A mandolin slicer can be a helpful tool to achieve uniform slices. By choosing the right type of onion and following these tips, you'll be well on your way to creating delicious and crispy onion chips in your air fryer!

Preparing the onion

Firstly, select your onion of choice. Yellow onions are a popular option, but red onions can also be used. The type of onion you choose may affect the colour of the final product, with red onions resulting in a darker shade of fried onion.

Next, peel the onion and trim one end, leaving the other end intact to provide something to hold on to. Then, using a mandolin, slice the onion into thin, even slices. If you don't have a mandolin, a sharp knife will also work; just be sure to cut the slices as evenly as possible. The slices should be around 3mm thick. This will help ensure even cooking and a consistent texture and colour in the final product.

Once you have your onion slices, gently separate the rings. If you are making onion rings, you can save the innermost rings for another recipe, as they are usually too small for this purpose.

At this point, you can choose to drizzle the onion slices with oil before separating the rings, as this will help distribute the oil evenly. However, this step is optional, and you can simply coat the onion rings with oil later in the process.

If you are making onion rings, you will need to prepare a breading station. Set out three shallow bowls. In the first bowl, place some flour. You can also add other dry ingredients to this bowl, such as cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. In the second bowl, stir together milk and egg. In the third bowl, place some breadcrumbs. You can use regular breadcrumbs or panko breadcrumbs, which will result in a crispier texture. You can also add seasonings to the breadcrumbs, such as smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, or salt.

Now, it's time to bread the onion rings. Dip the onion rings into the flour mixture, making sure they are fully coated. Then, dip them into the egg mixture, turning them a few times to ensure they are completely coated. Finally, dip them into the breadcrumb mixture, using your fingers to press the breadcrumbs onto the rings and ensure they are thoroughly coated.

Once all your onion rings are breaded, place them on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. This step is important and should not be skipped, as it helps the breading stick to the onion rings.

And that's it! Your onions are now ready to be cooked in the air fryer. Simply follow the remaining steps in your chosen recipe to cook and serve your delicious, crispy onion chips or rings!

Choosing a cooking oil

When choosing a cooking oil for your air fryer, there are a few factors to consider: the smoke point of the oil, the type of food you're cooking, and the temperature you're cooking at.

Smoke Point

The smoke point of an oil is the temperature at which it begins to break down and emit smoke. If an oil reaches its smoke point, it will develop an undesirable burnt flavour, which can affect the taste of your food. Therefore, it's important to choose an oil with a higher smoke point than the temperature you are cooking at.

Type of Food

Not all foods require oil when cooking in an air fryer. Frozen foods like chicken nuggets, French fries, and pizza rolls already contain oil, so additional oil is not necessary. However, most recipes will benefit from a small amount of oil, as it gives a nice golden colour to certain foods and keeps them moist.

Temperature

When cooking at high temperatures, it's important to choose an oil with a high smoke point. Oils with high smoke points include avocado oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, and light olive oil. Oils with low smoke points, such as flaxseed oil, walnut oil, and butter, are better suited for drizzling or low-temperature cooking.

Best Oils for Air Fryers

• Avocado oil: It has a very high smoke point, a neutral flavour, and is rich in heart-healthy unsaturated fats.
• Light olive oil: Refined olive oil has a higher smoke point than extra virgin olive oil and a lighter colour and neutral flavour.
• Clarified butter (ghee): Commonly used in French and Indian cuisine, ghee has a high smoke point and is a great option for air frying.
• Sunflower oil: Rich in vitamin E and unsaturated fats, sunflower oil has a light flavour and a high smoke point.
• Peanut oil: Peanut oil has a pleasant nutty flavour and a high smoke point, making it suitable for stir-frying and deep frying.
• Grapeseed oil: A byproduct of winemaking, grapeseed oil has a high smoke point, a clean taste, and is a good source of vitamin E and unsaturated fats.
• Refined coconut oil: Choose refined coconut oil over unrefined coconut oil, as it has a higher smoke point.

How Much Oil to Use

When air frying, you only need a fraction of the amount of oil that you would use for deep frying or sautéing. You can brush or spray the air fryer basket and food with a small amount of oil.

Battering and breading the onion

Preparing the Onion:

Start by peeling and cutting the onion into thin slices. You can use a mandolin or a sharp knife to get even slices, which is important for even cooking. For onion rings, cut the onion crosswise into thick slices, then separate the slices into rings. For onion strings, gently separate the rings before adding them to the air fryer.

Battering and Breading Process:

You will need three shallow bowls for dipping and coating the onion. The first bowl contains a mixture of dry ingredients like flour, baking powder (optional), and seasonings such as salt, garlic powder, onion powder, or paprika. You can also add a pinch of cornstarch to the flour mixture for a crispier texture. The second bowl is for wet ingredients like beaten eggs and a small amount of milk. You can also add some vinegar to this mixture. The third bowl contains breadcrumbs, preferably panko breadcrumbs, for a crispier texture.

Now, it's time to dip and coat the onion! For onion rings, follow this sequence: dip in the flour mixture, then the egg mixture, and finally, coat generously with the breadcrumb mixture. For onion strings, you may need to work in batches. Remove the onions from the milk mixture and toss them with the flour mixture to get an even coating.

Freezing and Frying:

After coating, place the battered onion rings or strings on a metal baking sheet and put them in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. This step is essential and helps the coating adhere better during frying.

Once frozen, remove the onion from the freezer. Lightly spray the onion rings or strings with cooking spray to help achieve a nice golden brown colour. Place them in the air fryer basket in a single layer, making sure they don't overlap.

Now, you're ready to air fry! Follow the temperature and timing guidelines provided in the previous paragraphs, flipping the onion rings or strings halfway through the cooking process.

Enjoy your delicious, crispy onion rings or strings!

Cooking the onion

Now that your air fryer is preheated, it's time to cook the onions! Place the coated onion rings in the air fryer basket, making sure they are in a single layer and not overlapping. Spray the onions lightly with cooking spray, and then flip them over.

Place the basket into the air fryer and set the temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. The cooking time will vary depending on your air fryer, but on average, the onions will take around 2 to 3 minutes to cook, flipping them once halfway through. You'll know they're done when they turn a golden brown colour.

Once they're done, take the basket out of the air fryer and drain the onions on paper towels. Now, it's time to season them! Sprinkle the onion rings with garlic powder and paprika. You can also add some salt to taste.

Give them a final toss, and your crispy, golden onion chips are ready to be devoured! Serve them as a side or snack, and enjoy the delicious crunch without the grease of deep-frying.

If you're making a large batch, you may need to cook the onions in multiple batches to avoid overcrowding the air fryer. Don't be tempted to stack the onions; they need room to cook evenly.

Frequently asked questions