Homemade air fryer chips are crispy and golden on the outside, fluffy in the middle and completely irresistible! Made from scratch with just a handful of easy ingredients, they are crunchy, golden and seasoned to perfection. With much less oil and fuss than “regular” fried chips, they are perfect for dunking into tomato sauce or aioli!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Easy to make – are you craving hot chips, but can’t be bothered frying on the stovetop? Or maybe you want something a little healthier? Then this recipe is for you! Making them in an air fryer is a much easier (and healthier) alternative. No need to boil the potatoes first.
- Quick – Thanks to the air fryer’s speedy cooking times, they only take around 25 minutes to cook, plus prep and soaking time (if desired).
- Healthier – using an air fryer uses much less oil compared to oven or deep-frying methods; only 1-2 tablespoons of oil are used, compared to litres of oil for deep frying.
- Mix it up – there are lots of different seasoning options, so you can customise them to suit your tastes.
- Versatile – they make a great side dish that will go with just about anything. Try them with roast chicken, cheeseburgers, crispy chicken burgers and more!
- Practical – air frying provides super-quick cooking times and easy clean up, using much less oil than a traditional deep fryer.
Ingredients you will need
** This post contains tips and instructions to achieve the best possible results. The photo above is a great guide for when you are in the supermarket, but for full ingredient quantities and methods, please scroll down to the detailed recipe card below!
- Potatoes – there are 3 main types of potatoes; starchy, waxy and all-purpose potatoes. Although they may seem similar in appearance, each type varies in terms of flavour and texture; meaning different types of potatoes suit different cooking methods. For frying and making chips, the best type of potato to use is a starchy variety. These potatoes are high in starch and low in moisture, with a floury texture and they hold their shape well when cooked. Look for starchy varieties like Russet Burbank (also known as Idaho potatoes in the US), Yukon Gold or King Edward.
When choosing your potatoes, choose firm potatoes with no wrinkles, bruises, sprouts or greenness. You can leave the peel on or remove it, depending on preference.
- Cornflour – the secret ingredient for perfectly crispy chips. Also called corn starch, cornflour is used to coat the chips and helps to absorb the moisture in the potatoes, leaving them crunchy and crisp.
- Seasoning – I use salt, pepper and a little paprika, but you can use any of your favourite seasonings. Chicken salt, garlic powder, a sprinkle of lemon zest or chilli salt are also great additions.
- Canola oil – only 1-2 tablespoons of oil are used to air fry chips. Any more will result in uneven cooking and soggy chips. Canola oil is recommended, but you can swap for any neutral-tasting frying oil like sunflower, vegetable, light olive oil or even duck fat.
Step by step instructions
Step 1 – Soak the chips;
Cut the potatoes into long strips, approximately 5mm-1cm in thickness.
Place the chips into a large bowl and cover with cold water. Soak for 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on how much time you have.
Step 2 – Dry the chips;
Drain the chips and place them onto some paper towel (or a clean, dry tea towel). Thoroughly pat-dry the chips using more paper towel, until all visible moisture is gone.
Dry the bowl so that you can re-use it.
Step 3 – Season the chips;
Return the chips to the dry bowl and add the cornflour, salt, pepper and paprika, or your choice of seasonings. Toss or stir until the chips are completely coated in the seasoning mixture.
Step 4 – Air fry;
Place the chips into the air fryer basket in a (mostly) single layer, without being too crowded. Drizzle over the oil and air fry at 180 °C for 20-25 minutes (for thinner chips) or 25-30 minutes (for 1cm thickness), or until golden and crispy. Remove the basket and toss the chips 2-3 times while they are cooking, to prevent sticking and ensure they are evenly cooked.
Full ingredient list and amounts are found in the recipe card below.
Expert tips
- Leaving the chips to soak in water for 30 minutes-2 hours removes the excess starch from the potatoes, resulting in crispier chips. If you want chips right away, you can skip this step. They will still turn out fine but won’t be quite as crispy.
- Thinner chips will turn out crispier than thicker, chunky chips. Try to keep the size of the chips between 5mm-1cm thickness.
- Be sure to thoroughly dry the chips before air-frying them. Any excess moisture left on the chips will make them soggy. Use paper towel or a clean, dry tea towel and pat them dry until there is no visible moisture left.
- Cooking times will vary depending on the size and type of the air fryer you use, as well as the size the chips have been cut. If they are not quite ready after the specified cooking time, return them to the air fryer for a further 3-4 minutes or until crisp on the outside and fluffy and cooked through in the middle.
- Don’t crowd the air fryer basket. Crowding the basket with too many chips will prolong the cooking time and stop them from cooking evenly. Keep them in a mostly single layer, with as much space as possible in between. If you have a smaller air fryer, you may need to cook in batches. An air fryer with a 7.2L capacity or higher will be able to cook them in a single batch, but be sure to toss them a few times to ensure they are evenly cooked.
- For maximum crispiness, serve the chips immediately after removing them from the air fryer. Air fried chips will soften if left to sit.
- Storage; these chips are best eaten fresh, straight from the fryer. But leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat them in the air fryer until steaming hot in the middle.
FAQs
It depends on the size the chips have been cut, as well as the type of air fryer you are using. Chips cut to 5mm-1cm thickness will generally take around 20-25 minutes at 180 °C/356 F. The thicker the chips are, the longer they will take. If the chips are crowded in the air fryer, they will take longer to cook.
Depending on the brand and size of air fryer used, the cooking time may need to be adjusted. Toss them 2-3 times while cooking and keep an eye on them at the 15-20 minute mark.
Russet, Yukon Gold, King Edward or any other starchy, floury potato variety are best for chips. This is because they are high in starch, low in moisture and hold their shape well when cooked.
While air-fried chips won’t be quite as crispy as the deep-fried version, there are a number of steps you can take (and things to avoid) to ensure they are wonderfully crispy and crunchy.
A number of factors can stop chips from crisping in the air fryer. First, if the potatoes have not been thoroughly patted dry and still hold moisture when they are placed in the air fryer, this can prevent them from crisping up. Ensure they are completely dried with paper towel or a clean, dry tea towel.
Crowding too many chips in the air fryer basket will also cause uneven cooking and soggy chips. Place the chips in a mostly single layer, or criss-cross them over each other and shake the basket a few times during the cooking process, to toss the chips and evenly cook them. Too much oil can also cause soggy chips. 1-2 tablespoons of oil is all that is required.
Soaking chips in cold water for 30 minutes – 2 hours before cooking helps to draw out some of the excess starch in the potatoes, which yields crispier chips. However, this step can be skipped if you just want some hot chips, stat! Rinsing them under a cold tap for a few minutes will also help to remove some starch, or you can skip rinsing them entirely. Just make sure they are patted completely dry before cooking.
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Air Fryer Chips
Equipment
- air fryer – larger air fryers with 7.2L capacity above are recommended, but any air fryer can be used. Smaller air fryers may need to cook in batches.
- paper towel – or a clean, dry tea towel.
- a large bowl – for soaking and then seasoning the chips.
Ingredients
- 700 grams potatoes Approx. 3-4 medium potatoes, washed. Use floury potatoes like Russet Burbank, King Edward or Yukon Gold.
- 1 heaped tablespoon cornflour corn starch.
- 1 teaspoon salt regular table salt
- black pepper ground
- ½ teaspoon paprika sweet paprika (not hot or smoked, unless you prefer that!). Or use ½ teaspoon for a stronger flavour.
- 1-2 tablespoons canola oil or any neutral tasting frying oil of choice.
Instructions
- Cut the washed potatoes into long strips, approximately 5mm-1cm in thickness (the thinner they are, the faster they will cook). *Keep the peel on, or peel them depending on your preference.
- Place the cut chips into a large bowl and cover them with cold water. Allow to sit for 30 minutes – 2 hours, depending on the time that you have.
- Drain the potatoes and thoroughly pat them dry with paper towel or a clean, dry towel. Get them as dry as possible.
- Dry the bowl and return the chips to the bowl. Add the cornflour, salt, pepper and paprika and stir until all of the chips are evenly coated.
- Place the chips into the air fryer basket in a mostly single layer. The chips should not be crowded or they will cook unevenly.
- Drizzle the oil over the top of the chips.
- Air fry at 180°C/356 F for around 20-25 minutes (for thinner chips) or 25-30 minutes (for 1cm thick chips), or until crispy and golden. Remove the basket and toss the chips 2-3 times during the cooking process, to ensure they don't stick to the basket and are evenly cooked.
- Once the chips are crisp and golden on the outside and fluffy in the middle, serve them immediately with your favourite dipping sauces or sides.
Notes
- For frying and making chips, the best type of potato to use is a starchy variety. These potatoes are high in starch and low in moisture, with a floury texture and they hold their shape well when cooked. Look for starchy varieties like Russet Burbank (also known as Idaho potatoes in the US), Yukon Gold or King Edward.
- I use salt, pepper and a little paprika, but you can use any of your favourite seasonings. Chicken salt, garlic powder, a sprinkle of lemon zest or chilli salt are also great additions.
- Leaving the chips to soak in water for 30 minutes-2 hours removes the excess starch from the potatoes, resulting in crispier chips. If you want chips right away, you can skip this step. They will still turn out fine.
- Thinner chips will be crispier than thicker, chunky chips. Keep the size of the chips between 5mm-1cm thickness.
- Be sure to thoroughly dry the chips before air-frying them. Any excess moisture left on the chips will make them soggy and limp. Use paper towel or a clean, dry tea towel and pat them dry until there is no visible moisture left.
- Cooking times will vary depending on the size and type of the air fryer you use, as well as the size the chips have been cut. If they are not quite ready after the specified cooking time, return them to the air fryer for a further 3-4 minutes.
- Don’t crowd the air fryer basket. Crowding the basket will prolong the cooking time and stop the chips from cooking evenly. Keep them in a mostly single layer, with as much space as possible in between. If you have a smaller air fryer, you may need to cook in batches. An air fryer with a 7.2L capacity or higher will be able to cook them in a single batch.
- For maximum crispiness, serve the chips immediately after removing them from the air fryer. Air fried chips will soften if left to sit.
- Storage; these chips are best eaten fresh, straight from the fryer. But leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat them in the air fryer until steaming hot in the middle.
- Please note that the nutrition information is based on the chips being divided into 4 side serves. You may choose to serve them in different portions. The nutritional information is an estimate only and does not take into account any additional toppings or sides served with the chips.
- This recipe is made using Australian cups and spoon measurements. Due to cup sizes varying from country to country, I advise adjusting if necessary.
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