How to get started with an air fryer - expert tips

Still not tried an air fryer? We've got advice from a best-selling expert on simple ways to get started.

Air frying homemade chicken nuggets | Getty/Grandbrothers
Image credit: Getty/Grandbrothers
By Sam Milner | Published - 6 Oct 2024
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It's official, in the UK we love air fryers. In a 2024 poll they were the third most used kitchen appliance after toasters and microwaves - and cooked in more than conventional ovens.

But what if you've bought an air fryer; and you still haven't tried it? I've found that often when people first get an air fryer, they don’t immediately fall in love with it – until they make a few amazing recipes and then they’re hooked.  

If you’re sat reading this thinking about your air fryer in its box or gathering dust, let me share some air fryer secrets with you.  

Most air fryer recipes cook at 180c/360f and don’t require a preheat. Start first with some recipes that just cook at 180c, then venture on to other recipes as you build up your recipe knowledge and confidence.  

Whilst there are lots of air fryer accessories now available that can make air frying overwhelming, we didn’t have a single accessory for our first five years of using the air fryer.  

Most air fryer recipes follow similar principles – master one air fryer recipe with this principle and you will be amazed by how many different things you can cook.

For example, frozen food, sausages, bacon, eggs, toast, steak, pork chops and even wraps are about placing a single layer of food in the air fryer, just like how you would add the food to a baking tray or oven dish for traditional cooking.  

Get started with your air fryer: 

  • Get the air fryer out of its box or give it a quick wipe over.
  • Plug it in  
  • Try a single ingredient recipe
  • Rinse and repeat until you have done five recipes
  • Build up to cooking two things at once and grow your knowledge day-by-day.

Easy wins in your new air fryer

We've got five air fryer recipes that have only one ingredient and one temperature: 

We recommend you start using the air fryer with some frozen food. Think of it as testing your air fryer and checking how good it is.

Place a single layer of chicken nuggets, chicken goujons or a similar food in the air fryer and then see exactly how it cooks.  

Air fryer sausages

You will love sausages in the air fryer. Frozen or fresh, you can use any type from chipolatas to delicious thick pork sausages from the butchers – or even venture into hotdogs for the grandkids.

They go wonderfully golden without having to turn them over. 

Air fryer part-baked bread

This is a real gem! Once you have mastered sausages, let’s transform those sausages into a sausage sandwich.

There are so many part-baked bread types now that you will be spoilt for choice.  

Air fryer pork chops

Planning to have pork chops for dinner? You must try them in the air fryer.

You can start with a single pork chop or two side-by-side; then as your air fryer confidence grows you’ll be cooking pork chops with potatoes and veg all at the same time.  

Air fryer chicken breasts

This is one of our favourites and so easy. Season the chicken breast how you would normally and then add it in a single layer in the air fryer.

It is so juicy once cooked and then you can plan different seasonings for your next chicken fix.  

Once you master these five simple recipes you will very likely have lost your fear for the air fryer; next you can expand on these five ingredients by cooking sausages and bacon together, or adding potatoes to your pork chops.  

Just remember it’s a learning curve. I have been air frying for 12 years and if you start with simple ingredients, you won’t go wrong.   

Try more recipes from Sam's book Air Fryer Easy Every Day: 140 super-simple delicious recipes

Written by: Sam Milner

Sam Milner has been air frying for 12 years and with Dom Milner, is the co-author of three best-selling air fryer books, including their latest Air Fryer Easy Every Day: 140 super-simple delicious recipes (RRP: £20 White Lion Publishing). 
Their blog Recipethis.com was the first food blog dedicated to kitchen gadgets and is visited by more than a million people every month. 

View author page
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