Homemade Air Fryer Chips: Crispy Chips from Fresh Potatoes

Frozen oven chips are convenient, but homemade chips from a bag of potatoes are cheaper per portion and you control exactly what goes on them. In an air fryer they need only a spoonful of oil.

The secret to crisp results is in three steps: soaking, drying and not overcrowding. Here's the full method.

Pick the right potato

Floury potatoes such as Maris Piper and King Edward give the classic fluffy-inside, crisp-outside chip. Many UK supermarkets sell bags labelled for chips or roasting. Waxy potatoes stay dense and won't crisp as well.

Cutting and soaking

Even sizes matter more than peeling — skin-on chips are fine if scrubbed.

1. Cut potatoes lengthways into 1 cm slices, then into 1 cm chips.
2. Put the chips in a bowl of cold water and leave for at least 30 minutes, or up to a few hours in the fridge.
3. Drain and rinse until the water runs clearer.
4. Spread on a clean tea towel and pat completely dry.

Tip: Soaking draws surface starch out of the potato. Less starch on the outside means chips that crisp instead of sticking together and going gummy.

Oil and seasoning

Toss the dry chips in a bowl with about 1 tablespoon of vegetable, sunflower or rapeseed oil per 500 g of potatoes. Every chip should look lightly glossy. Too little oil gives dry, leathery chips; too much makes them greasy.

Add salt after cooking — salting raw chips draws out moisture and can stop them crisping.

Timings by cut

Shake the basket every 5–7 minutes so they brown evenly. Check from the lower time.

• Skinny fries (5–6 mm): 14–18 minutes at 200°C
• Standard chips (1 cm): 20–25 minutes at 200°C
• Chunky chips (1.5–2 cm): 25–30 minutes at 200°C
• Wedges (skin-on): 20–25 minutes at 200°C
• Sweet potato fries (1 cm): 12–16 minutes at 190°C

The two-stage method for extra crunch

Chip shops often cook chips twice: once at a lower temperature to soften the inside, then hot to crisp the outside. You can copy this in an air fryer. Cook at 160°C for 12–15 minutes until soft but pale, take the basket out and rest for 5 minutes, then cook at 200°C for 8–10 minutes until golden.

It takes a little longer overall, but gives fluffier middles and a firmer crust, especially for chunky chips.

Common problems

If chips don't turn out right, the cause is usually one of these:

• Soggy chips: basket too full, or chips not dried well. Cook in smaller batches.
• Burnt outside, raw middle: chips cut too thick for the temperature. Lower to 180°C and cook longer, or use the two-stage method.
• Chips sticking together: too much starch. Soak for longer and rinse well.
• Uneven browning: shake more often and cut chips to the same size.

A note on acrylamide

UK food safety guidance suggests aiming for a golden yellow colour or lighter when cooking starchy foods such as chips, rather than dark brown, to reduce acrylamide, a chemical that forms when starchy foods are cooked at high temperatures. Soaking potatoes before cooking can also help.

General information only. Check product labels and manufacturer instructions before you start.