Air Fryer Potato Chips: Quick, Easy, And Crispy!

Making potato chips in an air fryer is a healthier alternative to frying them in oil. The air fryer chips are crispy, crunchy, and addictive. They are also easy to make and require minimal ingredients.

To make potato chips in an air fryer, start by thinly slicing potatoes. Soak the slices in cold water to remove excess starch and prevent them from sticking together. Drain and pat the potatoes dry. Season them with salt and a tiny bit of olive oil. Place the potatoes in the air fryer basket in one or two layers. Air fry them at 200°F for 20 minutes. Toss the chips and turn up the heat to 400°F. Air fry for an additional 5 minutes.

You can experiment with different seasonings like BBQ, sea salt and vinegar, or ranch dressing. Enjoy your crispy, healthy, homemade potato chips!

Choosing the right potatoes

Potato Variety

The ideal potatoes for air fryer chips are those with high starch content, such as Idaho and Russet potatoes. These varieties have a lower moisture content, making them perfect for achieving that desired crispiness. Russet potatoes are also larger in size, making them easier to slice into uniform, thin pieces.

Another good option is Yukon Gold potatoes, which have a creamy flavour and crisp up well. They are a good balance between starchy and waxy, making them a versatile choice.

If you're in the UK, you might want to go for Maris Piper or Rooster potatoes, which are floury and ensure a fluffier chip interior and a crispier exterior.

Potato Texture

When selecting your potatoes, look for those that are firm and smooth-skinned, without any wrinkles, sprouts, or soft spots. Avoid potatoes that feel lightweight for their size, as this may indicate a higher moisture content, which can lead to soggy chips.

Potato Size

For air fryer potato chips, it's best to choose potatoes that are on the larger side. This is because they will be easier to slice into thin, even pieces, which is key to ensuring they cook evenly and become crispy.

Preparation

Before slicing, make sure your potatoes are well-scrubbed and clean. You can leave the peels on, or peel them for a more uniform appearance.

Once sliced, it's recommended to soak the potatoes in cold water to remove excess starch, which can cause them to stick together and affect crispiness. Soak them for around 15-20 minutes, changing the water once or twice during that time.

After soaking, make sure to dry the potatoes thoroughly. Blot them with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel to remove as much moisture as possible.

Slicing

To get the perfect chip, it's crucial to slice the potatoes as thinly and evenly as possible. A mandoline slicer is the best tool for this job, as it ensures uniformity and thinness. If you don't have a mandoline, a sharp knife or vegetable peeler can be used, but it may be more challenging to achieve the desired thinness and consistency.

Oil and Seasoning

Once your potatoes are sliced, toss them with a small amount of oil and your desired seasoning. You can keep it simple with just salt, or experiment with different flavours like BBQ, ranch, garlic salt, or even cayenne pepper for a kick.

Storage

If you're not planning to eat your chips right away, you can store them in an airtight container or plastic bag at room temperature for up to one week.

Now that you've chosen the right potatoes and know how to prepare them, you're well on your way to making delicious, crispy air fryer potato chips!

Slicing the potatoes

Firstly, select the right type of potatoes. Russet potatoes are recommended due to their high starch content, which helps them crisp up perfectly in the air fryer. However, Yukon Gold potatoes are also a great option as they have a creamy flavour and crisp up well. Alternatively, if you are in the UK, you could use floury potatoes such as Maris Piper or Rooster, as the edges crisp up a little more.

Next, it is important to use a sharp knife or, preferably, a mandoline slicer to cut the potatoes into very thin slices. The recommended thickness is 1/16 of an inch (or 2 mm). This ensures that the potato chips cook evenly and become nice and crispy. If you are using a mandoline, it is advisable to wear a cut-resistant glove to protect your fingers.

Once you have your thinly sliced potatoes, it is time to soak them in cold water. Soaking removes excess starch from the potatoes, which helps them to crisp up and prevents them from sticking together in the air fryer. Add the potato slices to a large bowl and cover them with cold water. You can also add ice to the water. Soak the potatoes for around 15-20 minutes, then drain the water. If you have the time, you can repeat this process for even crispier chips.

After soaking, it is crucial to dry the potatoes thoroughly. Place them on paper towels or clean kitchen towels and pat them dry. This step is essential, as removing the excess moisture is key to achieving crunchy potato chips.

Now your potatoes are sliced, soaked, and dried, it's time to season them! You can keep it simple with just salt, or experiment with different seasonings. Here are some ideas:

• Olive oil: helps the chips become crispy and prevents burning.
• Black pepper: adds a kick of heat.
• Sea salt and vinegar: sprinkle the chips with distilled white vinegar powder or lightly spritz them with vinegar after cooking.
• BBQ seasoning: gives the chips a smoky, spicy flavour.
• Ranch seasoning: adds a tangy, herby taste.
• Sour cream and onion: dust the chips with a mixture of buttermilk powder and onion powder.
• Dill: swap the parsley for fresh dill to give the chips a pickle flavour.
• Cheese: use a Microplane grater to add finely grated Parmesan, or nutritional yeast to keep the recipe vegan.

Finally, it's time to air fry your perfectly sliced and seasoned potatoes! But before you do, make sure not to overcrowd the air fryer basket. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer, or at most two layers, to ensure they cook evenly and get nice and crispy. Depending on your air fryer and the thickness of your potato slices, you will need to air fry them at around 325-400°F for 15-20 minutes, tossing them regularly to prevent burning.

And that's it! You now have a batch of delicious, crispy, and (mostly) healthy homemade potato chips. Enjoy!

Soaking the potatoes

To soak the potatoes, start by slicing them into thin, even slices using a mandoline slicer or a sharp knife. The even slices will ensure that all the chips cook evenly. Place the potato slices in a large bowl and cover them with cold water or ice water. Soak the potatoes for around 15 to 20 minutes.

After soaking, drain the water from the potatoes using a colander. It is important to remove as much excess moisture as possible, as this will help the potatoes crisp up in the air fryer. You can also add more ice water and soak the potatoes for an additional 15 minutes if desired.

Once the potatoes have been soaked and drained, spread them out on paper towels or clean kitchen towels and pat them dry. It is crucial to ensure that the potatoes are completely dry before placing them in the air fryer.

Drying the potatoes

After slicing the potatoes, use a colander to drain them. Then, place the potatoes on towels and pat them dry. Make sure to remove as much moisture as possible. The potatoes should be completely dry before you start cooking. This step is key to achieving crunchy potato chips.

If you are using a paper towel, the drying process should only take a few minutes. However, it is important to note that the drying time may vary depending on the air fryer and the thickness of the potato slices.

Seasoning the potatoes

The first step is to pat the potatoes dry with paper towels. The potatoes should be as dry as possible to ensure they get crispy in the air fryer.

Next, you can season the potatoes with salt and a tiny bit of olive oil. You can also add black pepper for a little kick. You can also try other seasonings like BBQ seasoning, sea salt and vinegar, ranch seasoning, truffle salt, garlic salt, Cajun spice, garlic salt, chilli flakes, or curry powder. If you want to make salt and vinegar chips, spritz them with white vinegar before air frying. For BBQ chips, toss the potatoes in BBQ seasoning, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, brown sugar, salt, and chilli powder. For ranch chips, sprinkle dry ranch seasoning over the potatoes. For a simple yet classic flavour, season with coarsely ground black pepper and salt.

Frequently asked questions