Air Fryer Chips: The Definitive Guide to Crispy, Delicious Chips Every Time

If you're anything like me, the prospect of making air fryer chips was one of the primary motivators for purchasing an air fryer.

Chips were undoubtedly the first recipe I tried in my air fryer.

There are several ways to make chips in an air fryer, and today I'm going to share with you the quickest, easiest, and tastiest method of them all.  

Aside: I've tried a lot of air fryers; see my air fryer review for my favorite models and top air fryer recipes.

Making Air Fryer Chips

What you'll need in terms of ingredients and equipment:

• (Air fryer) ) - I've made these chips in three different air fryers: a Philips air fryer, a Power Air Fryer (High Street TV), and, most recently, a Ninja Foodi. Although each of these air fryer models is unique, this method of making chips worked well in each of them. Depending on your air fryer, you may need to adjust the time slightly; just keep an eye on them during the cooking process.
• Potatoes - There are a few potato varieties that are ideal for making chips. Use Maris Piper, King Edward, or Rooster. How many you use will be determined by a) the size of your air fryer and b) the number of people you are cooking for.

• Oil - Although you can air fry chips without using any oil, I believe they taste much better with at least a few sprays. You don't need much, especially if you use a spray bottle to distribute it. You can use a low-calorie oil spray (such as Frylight) or make your own with a little oil diluted with water.
• Seasoning - After spraying the chips with oil, sprinkle with your favorite spices - I like to use smoked paprika or Schwartz's chip seasoning.  
• Bowl/saucepan/colander - Many recipes recommend soaking the chopped potatoes in cold water for at least 30 minutes to help remove excess starch. I've made air fryer chips both ways, soaking them in water and simply rinsing them. I couldn't tell much of a difference between the two methods, so I just use the latter and rinse them - it's a much faster process.
• After washing the potatoes, you'll need something to pat dry them with. A clean tea towel or some kitchen roll will suffice.  

Air Fryer Chips Made Easy

1. Make the potatoes

Depending on how you like your chips, you can either peel or scrub the potatoes and leave the skin on. You can slice the potatoes thinly, like french fries, or thickly, like regular chips. If you peel the potatoes, don't throw away the peel; instead, save it to make these delicious air fryer potato peel snacks.  

If you have a vegetable slicer/chipper, you can slice them up.

You can also use a sharp knife.

Alternatively, you can make them into crinkle cut chips.

If you're making thinner chips (French fries), you'll need to check on them more frequently than if you're making thicker cut chips to ensure they don't burn.

To slice them, use a sharp knife or a potato chipper.

Place them in a bowl, saucepan, or colander to be washed.

2. Warm up the air fryer.

I don't always remember to do this step, and it's not a big deal if you do, but preheating the air fryer for a faster cook time can help. Preheat the air fryer to 200 degrees Celsius (400 degrees Fahrenheit).

2. Clean them

You don't have to soak the potatoes; simply give them a good wash in cold water. This will remove any remaining starch from the potatoes.  

After you've finished washing them, pat them dry with kitchen paper or a clean tea towel.

3. Apply oil spray

You can go oil-free, but I prefer to use a small amount of oil. Use the Frylight or create your own oil spray. Toss the potatoes in the spray to coat them completely.  

4. Season

Season the potatoes with your favorite seasoning. Experiment with various spices and herbs, such as paprika, curry powder, season-all, or simply salt and pepper.

5. Place in air fryer

Put the cooked chips in the air fryer basket. Set the timer for 20 to 25 minutes. After 10 minutes, check on them and give them a good shake. If you want them to crisp up even more, spray them with a little more oil. If they are not crisp enough after 25 minutes, simply return them to the oven for a few minutes longer until ready.

That's it; you should now have the ideal air fryer chips. Let me know in the comments if you enjoy air-fried chips.

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