The Trick To Making Air-Fried Foods Taste And Feel Like They're Deep-Fried

The popular rise of the air fryer is easy to understand. In compact countertop form, an air fryer works like a convection oven, crisping and cooking foods with hot air circulation. Often best suited for preparing smaller portions (unless you have an extra-large model like the 11-quart Ninja Foodi), the device can prepare mostly hands-off meals with minimal cleanup. As opposed to a deep fryer, though, an air fryer doesn't cook foods in oil — a win for ease and health, but not so much for attaining the beloved crunchiness.

Thankfully, with a few culinary techniques in hand, it is possible to achieve that signature texture and flavor — especially with advice from Rachel Buck, a senior demo chef at Ninja Test Kitchen. Chowhound spoke to her exclusively about how making air-fried food comparable to deep-fried fare all comes down to just a few nuances, with small shifts in technique making a big difference. 

For starters, she recommends using a little of deep-frying's essential component. "Make sure to lightly coat the food with oil or use an oil spray," Buck advises. To attain a crunchy exterior, you'll need a breading; either cornstarch or panko breadcrumbs are her top choices. And lastly, you should make sure to space out your selections before they cook. "Overcrowding results in soggy food," Buck notes. Keep these tips in mind, and you'll be closer to bridging the gap between the two cooking styles

To avoid disappointment when air-frying food rather than deep-frying it, note that there are some physical constraints to employing the two styles. Oil cooks food more rapidly than air, forcing surface moisture to quickly evaporate, thereby imparting uniform, delicious crispiness. Achieving such an effect with exclusively air is more difficult. In terms of heat application, air frying is closer to baking than a deep fryer. However, it's important to note that oil only penetrates the surface of food during frying, not deep into its interior, making similar sensations possible.

Such an effect is where Rachel Buck's culinary advice comes into play. By covering foods with a starchy coating and later of oil, the crispness-induced effects amplify. The chef recommends using panko breadcrumbs as they create a light, crispy texture. And if your food already has an exterior coating — or won't meld well with the crumbly breading — then settle for cornstarch instead. "[It] can be sprinkled on foods like chicken or fries before cooking to enhance crunchiness," she notes. And finally, you'll want the convective flow of air to hit the food as much as possible, which is why Buck points out it's necessary to give your food enough space during cooking.

Although this won't work for all ingredients, one route to make your air fryer potatoes taste deep fried is by altering their alkalinity. So, add these expert-approved techniques to your culinary repertoire, and combined with other air fryer hacks, receive culinary delights from the appliance's basket as a result.