'Batch after batch': I've finally found the best way to air-fry potato chips

Because even the seagulls don’t want them!

I have now made more batches of air fryer chips than I care to admit, in the hope of achieving one thing: chips that are genuinely crispy on the outside and fluffy in the middle. And it’s been a lot harder than I thought it would be.

But I needn’t have worried, because our food director, Michelle Southan, was already in the Taste Test Kitchen testing batch after batch in her quest to perfect the crispiest air fryer chips that would rival any takeaway food chain.

After all that testing, Michelle discovered something important straight away

“Air-fryer chips become wrinkly and soft very quickly, with the exterior then turning tough,” she explains. “It is crucial to serve them immediately while they are hot, as they need to be eaten fast.”

Honestly, I’m not all that worried about this fact. Air fryer chips may not be the kind of chips you casually leave sitting around while everyone argues over which condiment to put on them. But that’s okay. When they’re fresh and hot, they’re excellent, and so they will disappear super fast anyway!

I was more interested in how Michelle got the air fryer chips uber crispy in the first place, so I cornered her for a chat to uncover her secrets.

Michelle spills her secrets to achieving the crispiest air fryer chips ever

I must say, Michelle thought of EVERYTHING when testing this recipe – from the type of spuds used to how they were prepped and the temp and cooking time needed. I’m sure this took her hours, which is time most of us don’t have. And so I’m very glad that her ‘job’ requires her to share her findings with us! 😜

It all starts by choosing the right spuds for the job

Michelle uses the ‘dirty’ brushed potatoes you find at the supermarket – and there’s a very good reason for it.

“These potatoes, often the sebago variety, are floury potatoes and result in the chips staying light and extra fluffy on the inside,” she says.

“Peeling brushed potatoes can be a bit messy, but a little running water in the sink is all it takes to clean them up.”

Then all you need to do is cut the potatoes into 1.5cm-thick chips, ready for the next step.

Next, soaking the chips gives extra crunch

During her research, Michelle discovered that if she soaked the cut potatoes in cold water for 30 minutes, the air-fried chips would turn out crunchier.

“This process helps remove any sticky starch on the exterior, which, in turn, eliminates moisture and promotes a crispier outer texture when cooked,” she explains.

After soaking, it’s worth noting that the potatoes need to be dried really well. Michelle pats them completely dry with paper towel because any lingering moisture is basically the enemy of crispness.

Coating the chips turned out to be a major ‘crispiness’ hack

Michelle’s testing process was impressively thorough. At the beginning, she tried frying the cut chips as they were, but found the outsides were tough to bite into and the chips shrivelled quickly.

Not ideal. (Seagulls don’t want these ones, either.)

Then came her cornflour experiment – it works for schnitzel, so why not chips? Tossing the chips with just one teaspoon of this pantry staple before cooking turned out to be a major breakthrough.

“Coating in cornflour was a significant improvement and delivered a crisp exterior,” Michelle says. “But it is vital to rub the cornflour into the potatoes thoroughly so it is a very light coating.”

Too much cornflour and the chips end up tasting dusty and floury instead of crisp, so the key is an almost invisible coating rather than thick white patches.

The heating and timing are everything

One of the more surprising discoveries was just how long air-fryer chips actually take to cook properly. Michelle even tested a two-stage cooking method – starting low and finishing hot – after noticing some recipes used gentler temperatures.

“The chips did not shrivel as fast and were not as tough,” she says. “But the cooking time was well over 20 minutes.”

Better texture, but not exactly weeknight-efficient.

Then she decided to preheat the air fryer, before cooking her chips in batches (overcrowding the basket is the quickest way to soggy town).

“This really helped with the overall colour and crispiness and reduced the cooking time,” she says.

She’d done it! That combination ended up delivering the best result overall: golden chips with a crunchy exterior, fluffy centres and a far better colour – all in about 15 minutes.

And here is the FINAL recipe for…

Super crispy air fryer hand-cut chips

Prep time: 15 minutes (or longer if you’re a slow peeler), plus 30 minutes soaking
Cooking time: 15-20 minutes

500g brushed (sebago) potatoes, peeled and cut into 1.5cm-thick chips

1 tsp cornflour

Olive oil spray, to grease

Sea salt flakes, to serve

Tomato sauce, to serve (optional)

Step 1: Place raw potato chips in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Set aside for 30 minutes to soak.

Step 2: Line a large tray with paper towel. Drain the chips and arrange on the lined tray. Pat dry with paper towel (the chips need to be very dry).

Step 3: Place the chips in a bowl and sprinkle with cornflour. Use your hands to rub the chips until the cornflour is lightly coating the outside. Preheat an air fryer at 200°C for 3 minutes. In batches, place the chips in a single layer in the basket. Spray with oil spray. Reduce the air fryer temperature to 190°C and cook, shaking the basket every 5 minutes, for 15-20 minutes or until golden.

Step 4: Sprinkle your crispy chips with sea salt and serve immediately with tomato sauce, if desired.

The final recipe is surprisingly simple: soak the chips, dry them thoroughly, lightly coat them in cornflour (THE best hack in a long time), preheat the air fryer, then cook them in batches so they aren’t overcrowded.

And, of course, eat them immediately.

Preferably standing over the kitchen bench with too much tomato sauce and zero patience.

High five, Michelle!

‘Batch after batch’: I’ve finally found the best way to air-fry potato chips

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