Good chips are one of the best reasons to own an air fryer oven. You get a crisp, golden outside and a fluffy middle with a spoonful of oil rather than a pan of it. The method is simple, but a few small details make the difference between chips that are properly crisp and chips that are pale and bendy.
This guide covers which potatoes to buy, how to cut and soak them, how much oil to use and how long to cook chunky and skinny chips. The timings are written for a Fridja f77 Super Oven Pro or the more compact f66 Super Oven, but they work as a starting point in any air fryer oven.
Choose the right potatoes
Floury potatoes make the best air fryer chips. They have more starch and less moisture, so the outside crisps while the inside turns fluffy. In the UK, look for Maris Piper or King Edward, which are usually labelled as good for chips or roasting. Waxy potatoes, such as Charlotte, stay dense inside and suit a potato salad better than a plate of chips. Pick potatoes of a similar size so the chips come out at a similar length.
Peel or leave the skin on?
Both work. Skin-on chips have a more rustic look and save you a job; just scrub the potatoes well and cut out any green patches or eyes. Peeled chips look more like chip shop chips. The f77 even has a dedicated Skin-On Fries preset, which is a handy starting point.
Cut them evenly
Even sizing matters more than the exact size. If some chips are twice as thick as others, the thin ones will be dark before the thick ones are cooked through. As a guide:
- Chunky chips: about 1.5cm thick, cut lengthways from the potato.
- Classic chips: about 1cm thick.
- Skinny chips: about 0.5cm to 0.7cm thick.
Cut the potato into slabs first, then stack two or three slabs and cut them into batons. Trim off any very thin end pieces, as they will catch long before the rest.
Soak, then dry thoroughly
Soaking the cut chips in cold water for at least 30 minutes rinses off surface starch, which makes chips stick together and brown unevenly. You can soak them for a couple of hours in the fridge if you are prepping ahead.
Drying is the step people skip, and it matters most. Water on the surface has to steam away before the chips can crisp. Drain the chips, spread them on a clean tea towel and pat them dry.
Should you parboil?
Parboiling is optional. Simmering chunky chips for four or five minutes before air frying gives an even fluffier middle and slightly roughed-up edges that crisp beautifully, much like the method in our air fryer roast potatoes guide. For classic and skinny chips, a good soak and a thorough dry is enough. If you do parboil, let the chips steam dry fully before adding oil.
Use a little oil and season well
You do not need much oil, but a little makes a real difference to colour and crunch. Toss the dry chips in a bowl with about one tablespoon of oil per 500g of potatoes, then add a good pinch of salt. Sunflower, vegetable or rapeseed oil all cope well with high heat. Smoked paprika or garlic granules can go in now; save fresh herbs, Parmesan or vinegar for the end.
How to cook chips in an air fryer oven
- Preheat. Heat the oven to 200°C for a few minutes before the chips go in. A hot start helps the outside set quickly.
- Use the basket. Spread the chips in a single layer in the mesh air fry basket, which lets hot air reach the chips from underneath. Avoid piling them up. If you are cooking for a crowd, cook in two batches rather than one deep layer.
- Cook and shake. Cook for the time in the timings list below, then take the basket out halfway through and give the chips a shake or a turn with tongs so they colour evenly.
- Check and finish. Chips are ready when they are golden and crisp on the outside and tender when you push a knife into the middle. Season with a little more salt straight away while they are hot.
New to your oven? Our guide to using an air fryer oven explains the settings, temperatures and shelf positions in more detail.
Air fryer chips timings
- Skinny chips (0.5cm to 0.7cm): 15 to 18 minutes at 200°C.
- Classic chips (about 1cm): 18 to 22 minutes at 200°C.
- Chunky chips (about 1.5cm): 22 to 28 minutes at 200°C.
- Sweet potato chips (about 1cm): 15 to 20 minutes at 190°C, as they brown faster.
Every oven, potato and batch size is a little different, so treat these as a guide and check a few minutes before the end. On the f77, the Skin-On Fries preset runs at 180°C, and you can raise the temperature or add a few minutes for extra colour. On the f66, the Air Fry preset starts at 200°C.
Go for golden, not brown
The Food Standards Agency advises cooking starchy foods such as chips to a golden yellow colour rather than dark brown. This reduces acrylamide, a substance that forms when starchy foods are cooked at high temperatures for a long time. In practice this means checking your chips near the end of cooking and taking them out when they are golden and crisp, rather than leaving them in to darken.
Curious how air frying compares with a deep fat fryer? Our honest look at whether air fryer ovens are healthier sets out what the difference really is.
Common problems and how to fix them
- Soggy or pale chips: usually too much moisture or an overcrowded basket. Dry the chips more thoroughly and cook in a single layer.
- Chips sticking together: soak for longer to remove more starch, and shake the basket halfway.
- Burnt outside, hard middle: the chips are too thick for the temperature. Lower the heat by 10°C to 20°C and cook for a little longer, or parboil chunky chips first.
- Uneven colour: cut more evenly and turn the chips halfway through.
Batch cooking and freezing
You can prepare chips ahead and freeze them. Soak, dry and parboil them for three or four minutes, cool, then freeze on a tray before bagging. Cook straight from frozen at 200°C, adding five to eight minutes and shaking twice.
The larger 30 litre capacity of the f77 makes it easier to cook a full family portion in one go. If you need a second basket for batch cooking, a genuine f77 air fryer basket is available separately.
Keeping the basket clean
Chips leave a little oil and starch on the basket. Let it cool, then soak it in warm water with washing-up liquid before giving it a gentle scrub. The air fry basket, baking tray and grill rack on both Super Ovens are dishwasher safe on the top rack at up to 40°C, while the crumb tray should be washed by hand. Our air fryer oven cleaning guide covers the racks, trays and glass door step by step.
Ready to make chips at home more often? Have a look at the full range of Fridja digital air fryer ovens to find the size that suits your kitchen.
Frequently asked questions
How long do homemade chips take in an air fryer?
Most homemade chips take 15 to 28 minutes at 200°C, depending on thickness. Skinny chips are usually ready in about 15 to 18 minutes, classic chips in 18 to 22 minutes and chunky chips in 22 to 28 minutes. Shake the basket halfway and check a few minutes before the end, as ovens vary.
Do you need to soak potatoes before air frying chips?
Soaking is not essential, but it helps. Thirty minutes in cold water rinses away surface starch, so the chips stick together less, brown more evenly and turn out crisper. The most important step afterwards is drying them thoroughly with a clean tea towel, because surface water stops the chips from crisping.
How much oil do you need for air fryer chips?
About one tablespoon of oil per 500g of potatoes is plenty. Toss the dry chips in a bowl so each one has a thin, even coating. You can cook chips with no oil at all, but a small amount gives a better golden colour, a crunchier outside and helps the salt and seasoning stick.
Why are my air fryer chips not crispy?
The usual causes are wet chips, an overcrowded basket or the wrong potatoes. Dry the chips well, cook them in a single layer and use a floury variety such as Maris Piper or King Edward. Preheating the oven and shaking the basket halfway through also help the chips crisp evenly on every side.