Air fried chips are 'perfect every time' with chef's three tips

Air fried chips are 'perfect every time' with chef's three tips


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Michelin-trained chef Poppy O'Toole, who's famously passionate about potatoes, has shared a 'foolproof' recipe for making the best chips at home in an air fryer. She says


her method guarantees a crispy and tasty result 'every time'. The 31-year-old culinary expert and best-selling cookbook author took to TikTok to share her simple yet effective


method with her impressive following of 4.8 million fans. She claimed it is "one of the easiest recipes to do in an air fryer", using just three key ingredients: potatoes, oil, and


salt. To start, Poppy peeled the potatoes and cut them into batons. In the video, she opted for a thicker cut to make chunky chips, but it's just as easy to make slimmer versions for


fries. This will affect the cooking time, before tossing them in a bowl for even seasoning. Seasoning is an important step that cannot be missed out if you want to transform humble spuds


into chips that can complement a variety of dishes or be savoured solo as a treat. In her go-to recipe, Poppy uses a tablespoon of vegetable oil and "a good sprinkling of salt" to


achieve a classic flavour, though you can experiment with different seasonings for a twist depending on your meal. Whether you fancy a Chinese Five Spice kick for a salt-and-pepper snack, a


sprinkle of Italian herbs for a fragrant side dish or your own custom mix of herbs and spices, there are countless ways to add a unique touch to your air-fried chips, reports the Express.


Applying a thin layer of oil to chips before seasoning or cooking, particularly when using an air fryer, can enhance how well the potato ends up with a crisper finish. The oil serves as a


binding agent, allowing the seasoning to fully coat the chips instead of staying stuck to the bottom of your air fryer basket.. Oil also helps achieve a uniform cooking process, providing a


perfectly crispy outside. Moving back onto Poppy's chips, she pops them into the air fryer at 180C for 15 minutes. After that initial cook, Poppy shakes the basket and continues air


frying the chips for an additional 15 minutes. She remarked: "It's half an hour, all in, for golden, crispy, delicious, fresh potato chips or fries." WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF


USING AN AIR FRYER FOR CHIPS? In 2025, it's estimated that roughly two-thirds of adults own an air fryer, with many using them at least weekly. This works out to an estimated 20 million


air fryers in homes, according to Sky News. Air fryers are becoming one of the most used kitchen appliances due to their method of circulating hot air, which usually necessitates little or


no oil, thereby cutting back on fat and calorie content compared to traditional deep-frying. A 2015 study found that meals prepared with an air fryer had significantly less fat content. As


per a report by BBC Good Food, this "healthier approach" is more beneficial for our well-being than standard frying techniques, which have been associated with weight gain and


heart problems. Additional research claimed that air fryers may also reduce acrylamide levels, a known carcinogen that develops when starch-rich foods like potatoes are cooked at


temperatures above 120C.