7 foods that cook better in an air fryer
Find out which foods the Good Food team believe cook better in the air fryer, and learn the science behind why
Air fryers have become a staple in British kitchens, and here at Good Food we're also fond of this mod-con. Why? Air frying results in a lovely crisp, ‘fried’ finish, using far less oil than deep-frying by circulating hot air efficiently. Plus, using less oil makes them a far healthier alternative to deep-frying.
What's more, air fryers heat up quicker than a traditional oven, and for smaller quantities and specific ingredients they'll be switched on for considerably less time, which should mean less electricity consumption.
We'd even go so far to say that certain foods actually taste better if they've been cooked in the air fryer, which we see as a budget cooking win. But which foods pass the air fryer litmus test? Find out below which seven foods really shine in the air fryer and why the results are so satisfying.
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1. Chips
Chips are one of the most popular foods to cook in an air fryer, and for good reason. Though it may feel like second nature to whack a tray of frozen chips in the oven, an air fryer will do a far better job, turning them golden and crunchy on the outside, soft in the middle, and significantly lower in fat than their deep-fried counterparts.
Anna Glover, Good Food's food director, is an air fryer convert, and often cooks frozen chips in them: "frozen chips cook a lot more evenly in an air fryer than on a baking tray in the oven, due to the even, consistent high temperatures, but also by shaking the basket regularly," she says. "On a baking tray in the oven, the middle ones tend to steam, and the outer ones overcook, no matter how many times you toss them around!"
Rustle up a plate of fluffy chips with our recipe for air fryer chips.
2. Tofu
Do you often struggle with getting perfectly fried, crunchy tofu? Tofu can be tricky to get right, often turning out soggy or bland when pan-fried or baked. In the air fryer, however, tofu cubes or batons become crisp on the outside while staying tender within.
Anna also believes that the air fryer is the way to go. "Tofu can often stick to baking trays, and due to its high water content, doesn’t crisp up very easily in the oven before it goes rubbery," she says. "Air fryers are a great option to add extra crispiness to your tofu, without having to add lots of oil by frying."
Add extra crispiness to your tofu with our air fryer popcorn nuggets.
3. Chicken thighs
Looking for a speedy way to get juicy meat with a delicious crispy skin? Chicken thighs benefit greatly from air frying, producing succulent chicken with a crackling skin — something that can be difficult to achieve in a conventional oven without drying out the meat.
"The high temperatures of air fryers ensure you get proper crispy chicken skin," says Anna. "If you cook in the air fryer basket, the juices released from the chicken don’t pool around the base of the chicken as they are captured below and can be added to sauces and gravies, but without steaming around the chicken pieces stopping the skin from crisping up."
Turn your hand to air frying chicken thighs with our air fryer chicken thighs.
4. Roasted veggies
If you're left with a few leftover veggies from a previous meal — think peppers, courgettes and tomatoes — it can sometimes feel like a waste to turn the oven on just to heat a few scraps. But a quick go in the air fryer will transform your leftovers, resulting in a crisp texture which is slightly charred on the edges yet tender inside. The even heat also means you don’t need to keep turning the veg for uniform results.
"Whacking any small batches of veggie leftovers in the air fryer means I waste less food as I'm more tempted to use things up, and save energy, without turning on the oven," says Anna.
5. Salmon
Quicker and easier to cook, salmon fillets can be ready in under 10 minutes in the air fryer, developing a perfectly crisp skin and a moist interior. Air frying also reduces the risk of overcooking, a common issue with pan-frying or baking, resulting in salmon that is both succulent and flavourful. Talk about a midweek meal game-changer.
"There’s no need to preheat the air fryer, meaning your meal is cooked faster, rather than waiting for the oven to heat up," says Anna.
Make cooking salmon a hassle-free job with our easy recipe for air fryer salmon.
6. Halloumi
Famed for its squeaky texture, halloumi can often become rubbery or oily when pan-fried. Halloumi fries in particular are delicious to eat but often quite tricky to cook – this is because you need to cook in small batches in a pan to make sure you have space around each one for crispy edges, as well as enough time to flip them to ensure they don’t burn. It's for this reason that halloumi is best cooked in the trusty air fryer, achieving a golden, crisp exterior with a soft centre. "You can cook them all together in an air fryer, and heat from all sides means less flipping and turning," says Anna.
Air fry your halloumi to perfection with our air fryer halloumi recipe.
7. Pork belly
Pork belly is prized for its combination of succulent, tender meat and crispy crackling, making it perfect for a Christmas centrepiece as well as next-level Boxing Day leftovers. Food content producer Helena Busiakiewicz believes that the air fryer excels at creating this contrast, achieved more quickly and with less mess than oven roasting. "It makes really crispy crackling – I start it at 200c and then reduce to 160c, and it means juicy meat and really crispy crackling really fast!"
Swap the oven for the air fryer with our recipe for air fryer pork belly.
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