c/air-fryer-recipes

Hot take: I think frozen fries are a waste of the air fryer

Last week, I made my own potato wedges from scratch in the air fryer for a cookout in Austin... they were crispy outside, soft inside, and everyone loved them. But my friend swears by the frozen bag stuff, says it's faster and just as good. I tried his way last month and it was fine, but not the same. So, what's the better use of the machine: the quick frozen stuff or taking the time for fresh?

Changed my mind about frozen fries in the air fryer

Always thought you had to buy the fancy brand, the ones in the yellow bag. My neighbor gave me her store brand bag from Aldi. Cooked them at 400 for 15 minutes, shaking halfway. They came out way crispier than my usual ones. Anyone have a different cheap brand that works great?

Just compared frozen fries to fresh potatoes in my air fryer

I had a bag of store brand frozen fries and some russet potatoes sitting around. I cooked the frozen ones at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, shaking halfway, like the bag said. They were fine, a bit soft. Then I cut a potato into sticks, soaked them in cold water for 30 minutes, dried them really well, and tossed them with a little oil and salt. I did those at 400 for about 20 minutes, shaking a few times. The fresh ones came out so much crispier on the outside and fluffier inside. The frozen ones just tasted like the bag. I'm never going back to the frozen kind for a real fry. Has anyone else found a big difference with fresh potatoes, or is there a trick to making frozen ones better?

Update: My sister said my air fryer chicken was too dry

She tried a piece last weekend and was nice about it, but she said it felt like eating a sponge. I always just put chicken breasts in for 20 minutes at 400 degrees, no matter what. So this time, I tried brining them in salt water for an hour first and then cooked them for 16 minutes instead. The difference was huge, it was actually juicy. Has anyone else had a tip that totally fixed a basic recipe for them?

Shoutout to the frozen french fry bag that lied about cook time

The bag said 12 minutes at 400 degrees, so I set it and walked away. Came back to pale, soggy fries that were nowhere near done. I ended up having to shake them and run them for another 15 minutes, which felt like forever. The whole thing took almost half an hour when it should have been quick. Has anyone else found that frozen fries need way longer in the air fryer than the package says?

Had to choose between air frying my leftover pizza or reheating it in the oven. Went with the air fryer at 375 for 4 minutes.

It was a total game changer! The crust got super crispy again and the cheese melted perfectly, no more soggy slices. I used my Cosori basket model. What's your go-to method for reviving leftover pizza?

TIL my air fryer has been on for over 1,000 hours

I checked the usage timer out of curiosity and it made me realize how much I've stopped using my actual oven. Anyone else find a specific stat that surprised them about their cooking habits?

Bought a $40 air fryer cookbook and it's just basic recipes

Spent the money thinking I'd get advanced techniques or unique meals. Every recipe is just 'put frozen fries in' or 'cook chicken for 20 minutes'. Feels like a total scam. Anyone have a good free website for actual creative air fryer ideas?

Just realized my air fryer chicken went from soggy to perfect after I stopped overcrowding the basket.

For the first six months, I'd cram a whole pack of drumsticks in there, and they'd come out pale and wet. Last Tuesday, I tried just five pieces with space between them, and the skin got crispy and brown in about 22 minutes. The difference was just giving the hot air room to move around the food. Has anyone else found a specific number of pieces that works best for their model?

My frozen fries came out limp until I read a tip about shaking the basket halfway through.

The article on Cook's Illustrated said to give the basket a good shake at the 8-minute mark to expose all sides to the hot air, which finally gave me the crispy results I wanted.

Pro tip: My air fryer just hit 1,000 uses and the basket is a different color now

I checked the manual and it says the non-stick coating can degrade from high heat over time, which is a safety thing. Anyone else had to replace their basket after heavy use?

My air fryer basket handle snapped clean off yesterday.

Was pulling out a batch of frozen fries and the plastic just gave way. Had to use tongs to get everything out, which was a mess. Anyone know a good replacement basket for a 5 quart Bella model?

I finally tried the 'air fryer' chicken wings at The Rusty Bucket in Dayton, and I'm not convinced.

Tried air frying a whole chicken for the first time and it actually worked

Last Thursday, I was feeling brave. Had a 4 pound chicken in the fridge and decided to just go for it. Seasoned it with salt, pepper, and some garlic powder. Put it in the basket at 360 degrees. I checked it every 20 minutes. After about an hour and 15 minutes, the skin was super crispy and the meat was totally done. I used a meat thermometer to be sure, it read 165. Couldn't believe how juicy it stayed. Way easier than using the big oven. Has anyone else tried a whole bird? What temp and time do you use?

Warning: my frozen fries turned into a smoky disaster last night

Honestly, I was just trying to make a quick snack in my apartment in Portland. I put a full bag of frozen fries in the air fryer basket, not thinking about the grease. After about 8 minutes, the whole thing started smoking like crazy and set off my smoke alarm. I had to unplug it and open all the windows in the cold. Has anyone else had this happen with frozen foods that are super oily? What's the trick to avoid it?

Stop putting raw chicken wings straight in the basket

I see so many people just dumping raw wings in the basket and then complaining they're greasy or the skin is rubbery. You have to pat them bone dry with paper towels first, then toss them in a bowl with a tablespoon of baking powder and your spices. The baking powder pulls moisture out and makes the skin crisp up like crazy. I learned this after a batch of soggy wings for a game night last month. What's your go-to trick for getting that perfect crispy skin?

Just realized you can cook a whole chicken in the air fryer without it drying out

I saw a video saying to cook a 4 pound chicken at 360 degrees for 50 minutes. I was sure the breast meat would be like rubber. I put it in breast side down for the first 30 minutes, then flipped it. The skin got super crispy and the inside was actually juicy. Has anyone else tried a whole bird, and what temp do you use?

Hot take: I think frozen fries beat fresh potatoes in the air fryer

Everyone says to cut your own russets, but after testing both side by side, the frozen bag from the store came out way crispier every time. I think the pre-blanching they do is the key. Has anyone else had this happen?

My sister swears you should never spray oil directly on food in the air fryer, only on the basket.

She says it gunks up the heating element, but I think a quick spritz on the chicken wings makes them crispier. Who's actually right here?

Just realized I was totally wrong about cooking bacon in the air fryer after my brother-in-law in Boise showed me his method

I spent $40 on a set of those silicone air fryer liners. Total game changer or a complete waste?

Appreciation post: My air fryer saved my week when my oven broke down

My oven's heating element gave out on a Monday, and the repair guy couldn't come until Friday. I had to make dinner for my family of four every night with just my air fryer. We did chicken thighs, frozen fries, and even a small frozen pizza, all in batches. It got a bit hectic, but everything turned out crispy and cooked through. Has anyone else had to rely on their air fryer as a main cooking tool for a few days straight?

My air fryer smoked out my kitchen trying to cook a whole chicken

I tried to roast a 4 pound chicken in my air fryer last Tuesday, following a recipe that said it would take an hour. About 40 minutes in, the thing started billowing smoke like a campfire. I had to pull it out, open all the windows, and wave a towel around. The chicken was only half cooked and dripping fat all over the basket. I think the recipe was wrong about the size or the fat just had nowhere to go. Has anyone else had a big meat fail like this, and did you ever try again or just stick to smaller cuts?

Bought a cheap silicone basket liner for my air fryer and it was a total waste

Spent about $12 on one of those flimsy silicone mats that's supposed to fit in the basket. Tried it with some frozen fries and it blocked all the air flow, so they came out soggy and pale. I had to take the whole thing out and cook the fries directly on the rack anyway, which just made more dishes to clean. Anyone have a better liner they actually like, or should I just skip them?

My friend in Phoenix said she never preheats her air fryer

I was at her place and she just put frozen chicken strips straight in from the freezer. She said it saves time and the results are the same. I tried it with some Ore-Ida fries for 12 minutes at 400 degrees and they came out perfectly crispy. Does skipping the preheat actually work for everything, or just certain frozen foods?