10 Mistakes Everyone Makes Cooking Frozen Food In The Air Fryer

Cooking frozen food in the air fryer has become a go-to for many, both as a way to eat healthier and save time. However, using one can seem intimidating if you don't know what you're doing. The good news is that if you can bake or grill a dish, you can likely adapt it for your air fryer — sometimes, it can be prepared in a fraction of the time and with even crispier results.

As a professional cook and recipe developer with over 11 years of experience and author of the blog At The Immigrant's Table, I've seen the air fryer evolve into an indispensable appliance. I love developing complex recipes for gourmet dishes using the air fryer, but with two toddlers at home, I have come to rely on it almost daily for cooking frozen food. Yet even with its ease of use, people still often make mistakes when using an air fryer for this purpose. 

To help you navigate these pitfalls and achieve the best results, we've reached out to Cathy Yoder, a renowned air fryer expert with nearly 730,000 followers across social media and the author of a highly popular air fryer cookbook, "Air Fryer Recipes." Yoder has shared her top 10 mistakes to avoid when cooking frozen food in an air fryer. With a little practice and by following our expert's advice, you'll soon be creating perfectly cooked, crispy, and delicious frozen food in your air fryer.

Avoid using aerosol cooking sprays in and around your air fryer. "These are full of propellants and chemicals that you not only don't want to consume, but it's not good for the air fryer basket coating," Cathy Yoder said. The sprays can damage the non-stick surface of your air fryer basket, causing it to flake and potentially release harmful substances into your food.

To avoid putting the integrity of your appliance (and your health) at risk, Yoder recommends investing in an oil sprayer and filling it with pure avocado oil. Avocado oil is a healthier alternative to other oils as it has a high smoke point and is tasteless, which means it'll allow the flavors of your frozen food to shine. By using a sprayer with pure avocado oil, you can attain the desired crispiness you're looking for in your meals, without exposing yourself to harmful chemicals or damaging your air fryer.

When cooking frozen food in your air fryer, it's crucial to use the right kitchen tools to protect the non-stick coating of the basket. Metal utensils like tongs, spatulas, or even forks and knives can scratch and chip the surface, leading to flaking, potential contamination of your food, and damage to the air fryer basket. Without a working basket, your air fryer won't be useful for long, so this is something to pay particular attention to.

To prevent this issue, Cathy Yoder recommends using silicone-coated tools that are specifically designed for use with non-stick surfaces. These utensils are gentle on the air fryer basket and won't cause any scratches or damage. "I also like to use air fryer parchment paper liners which protect the basket and make cleaning the air fryer so much easier," Yoder said. By using the appropriate tools and accessories, you can ensure that your frozen food cooks evenly and safely while maintaining the quality of your air fryer for years to come.

When cooking frozen food in your air fryer, one of the most common mistakes everyone makes is overcrowding the basket. Filling the basket with too much food can hinder proper airflow, giving you food that is unevenly cooked and subpar in taste. To achieve the best possible texture and flavor, leave enough room in between your pieces of food for hot air to circulate around them.

"Depending on what you're making, you want to allow room for airflow around the food you're cooking," Cathy Yoder said. "If you're doing a mix of veggies with protein for example, the food does not need to be in a single layer, but you also don't want to fill the basket up so much that the food has a hard time cooking."

As a general rule, Yoder recommends keeping the basket no more than ⅓ full to ensure optimal cooking conditions. She also suggests stirring the food around during the cooking process to promote even cooking and prevent any areas from becoming overcooked or undercooked.

Many of us have heard that the air fryer uses convection heat like a little oven, but this doesn't mean the two are strictly interchangeable. Just like there are differences between convection ovens and conventional ovens, so does an air fryer differ from the latter. When cooking frozen food in your air fryer, don't be tempted to simply follow the instructions meant for a conventional oven.

"Since the air fryer is essentially a mini convection oven, foods cook faster since the heat is contained in a smaller space and the airflow is more powerful," Cathy Yoder said. This means that to adapt oven instructions to the air fryer, you'll need to do some math, or maybe even pull out the old trusted calculator. "A good rule of thumb is to reduce the temperature by 25 degrees Fahrenheit and cut the cooking time in half," Yoder said. If your food is not ready, continue checking on it in several-minute intervals until it's done.

Even if you don't have air fryer-specific instructions, the road doesn't have to end. Use our guideline as a starting point, keep an eye on your food during the cooking process, and make adjustments as needed, rather than relying solely on the instructions provided for a different appliance.

An instant-read thermometer is one of the best, most reliable, and most accurate ways to check food for doneness. When inserted into the thickest part of the food, this small tool quickly and accurately checks the internal temperature of the food, ensuring that it reaches the appropriate temperature for safe consumption. This is particularly important when cooking frozen meats or dishes that contain raw ingredients.

Without a thermometer, it can be challenging to determine when your food is cooked through, even if you think your grandmother's approach is the best. Cathy Yoder always has one on hand in her kitchen. "You stay safe by not undercooking foods and your food tastes better because it won't dry out because you're overcooking," she said.

As Yoder noted, rather than just focusing on food safety, using an instant-read thermometer also helps you prevent overcooking. This is common in the concentrated heat of the air fryer and can lead to dry, tough, or less flavorful results. So don't skimp on this little gadget that could.

When cooking frozen foods in your air fryer, it's a common mistake to assume that every dish needs a touch of extra oil. However, this is not always the case, and adding too much oil can lead to greasy, unhealthy meals, which defeats the purpose of owning an air fryer in the first place.

"First, you likely do not even need to use oil because the protein already has fat," Cathy Yoder said. Many frozen foods, such as meat-based items, already contain enough fat to achieve a crispy texture without the need to add oil. Moreover, a lot of other frozen foods, like french fries and breaded items, already have oils incorporated during the manufacturing process. These may not need any oil, and if they do, it's usually just a touch, Yoder noted. She recommends using avocado oil in these instances. If you do desire an extra crispy result, Yoder suggests spritzing a small amount of oil and increasing the cooking temperature slightly, by about 10 degrees.

When cooking fatty foods in your air fryer, grease can drip through the basket and onto the tray below. Depending on your air fryer model, this grease accumulation might cause the appliance to start smoking, set off alarms, and make your food smell generally smoky and unappetizing.

"The fattier the food, the more grease that will drip through the tray," Cathy Yoder said. This can also happen if you add too much additional oil to the basket, especially if it isn't necessary. To prevent this problem, you can use an air fryer silicone or parchment paper insert. But Yoder has another simple yet effective tip: "Place a piece of bread between the basket and the tray of the air fryer to catch greasy drippings." The bread acts as a makeshift grease absorber, saving you grief and a lot of elbow-cleaning power in the process. Just don't forget to throw out the piece of bread when you're done cooking, or you'll end up making our next common mistake.

One of the most common — and gross — mistakes people make when using an air fryer is not cleaning the basket between cooking sessions. This oversight can lead to a build-up of grease and food residue, making it much harder to clean later on.

To avoid this issue, Cathy Yoder recommends letting the air fryer cool slightly after use and then wiping up any grease or food drippings with a paper towel. Then, spray on some Dawn Powerwash and let it sit for a few minutes, which helps the detergent fight through tough grease. Wipe up any remaining grease and then wash it down with some hot water, and you've got yourself a shiny air fryer basket. "That usually cleans it all up with minimal effort," Yoder said.

In addition to cleaning the basket, don't forget to wipe the inside of the air fryer and around the heating element with a damp cloth. As noted above, for particularly messy foods, Yoder suggests using air fryer parchment liners to minimize any large messes in the first place. And if you've got some old air fryer grime that's accumulated over time, try adding some fresh lemon power to the mix.

"Just because the button for fish or chicken has a set time and temperature, doesn't mean you should follow that exact time and temp," Cathy Yoder said. For many people cooking frozen food in the air fryer, the preset functions for cooking may seem like a lifesaver, but they can often be a curse. These presets, calculated for very specific serving sizes and thickness of proteins, can often lead to overcooked or undercooked food.

Instead, Yoder recommends starting with an air fryer-specific recipe and using a food thermometer to determine when your food is actually done. If you simply push the preset button and walk away, you run the risk of coming back to a lump of coal rather than the air fryer parmesan chicken you dreamed of. The actual cooking time of your dish will vary depending on the size and thickness of the food, among other things.

Additionally, the labels "Roast," "Broil," and "Bake" on your air fryer may not necessarily change the function of what is happening inside the appliance. Instead, this just further adjusts the cooking time and temperature of the air fryer. For the best results, use the preset functions as a starting point, but always check the internal temperature of your food with a thermometer to guarantee it's cooked to perfection.

While air fryers have become popular for their ability to create crispy, delicious food with less oil, don't expect them to perform exactly like a deep fryer. "This means battered foods will not turn out well in the air fryer," Cathy Yoder said.

The air fryer's cooking method relies on hot air circulation to crisp up the exterior of the food, while a deep fryer submerges the food in hot oil, resulting in a different texture and flavor. Battered foods, which rely on hot oil to create a crispy, golden coating, will not get the same results in an air fryer, even if you try some of our favorite tricks.

This doesn't mean that air fryers are inferior to deep fryers. "Yes, some things do just taste better deep fried, but in many cases, air frying is a close second and the health benefits of way less oil in your food make using an air fryer worth it," Yoder said. By understanding the strengths and limitations of your air fryer, you can choose recipes that play to its advantages rather than setting yourself up for failure.

If you're new to air frying, start simple. "Experiment with inexpensive foods like frozen fries," Yoder said, "so you won't be disappointed if something doesn't turn out perfectly." This approach allows you to familiarize yourself with the appliance and its settings without the risk of wasting pricey ingredients.

Always keep in mind though that while frozen foods are convenient and easy to prepare, the air fryer is capable of so much more. From roasting vegetables to cooking proteins like chicken or fatty fish, the air fryer can be used to create a wide variety of healthy and delicious meals.

As you become more comfortable with the interface and techniques of your air fryer brand, branch out and explore more recipes. The air fryer can cook everything from appetizers to entrees and even desserts. With a little practice and by following our expert's advice, you'll soon be creating perfectly cooked, crispy, and delicious food in your air fryer.