These air fryer potato chips are so crispy crunchy, you’ll fool yourself into thinking you just cracked open a fresh bag from the store. With a fraction of the fat and all the flavor, you won’t feel guilty about enjoying a bowl (or two).
Love cooking potatoes of all kinds in the air fryer? Try our easy air fryer baked potatoes.
Air fryer potato chips are one of my go-to recipes as a busy mom. Trust me when I say I understand the hardship of feeding picky eaters who actively resist anything remotely healthy. My boys (husband included) sing their praises over these chips, and I never feel bad about serving them. That’s a win-win.
Whether you’re seasoned with the air fryer or just beginning to tap into its powers, this recipe is going to find its way into your weekly rotation. Instead of buying fatty, preservative-heavy potato chips from the grocery store, you can whip up a batch of homemade whenever a craving hits.
The best part? You’ll have so much fun customizing the seasoning. Let’s get started!
Shopping around for a new air fryer? There are undoubtedly so many air fryers on the market, with new models popping up each day. If you’re looking for a good recommendation, the COSORI Air Fryer XL is my latest obsession. It has 13 different presets and a tray big enough to feed a family of four.
How to Make Air Fryer Potato Chips
Making air fryer potato chips only requires a handful of wholesome ingredients and a few simple steps. Below, find a high-level overview of the recipe before you dive in.
- Thinly Slice the Potatoes: Using a sharp knife or mandolin slicer (recommended!), cut your potatoes into thin slices.
- Soak the Potatoes: Place the potato slices in cold water to remove excess starch. Soak the potatoes for around 20 minutes.
- Drain and Season the Potatoes: Drain the water from the potato slices with a colander. Using paper towels, pat the potatoes dry of any excess moisture. Season them generously with sea salt and a tiny bit of olive oil.
- Air Fry the Potatoes: Place potato slices into the air fryer basket in one or two layers. Air fry them at 200°F for 20 minutes. Toss the potato chips and turn up the heat to 400°F. Air fry for an additional 5 minutes.
- Serve and Enjoy: Remove the potato chips from the air fryer and place them into a large bowl. Allow the chips to cool to room temperature. Enjoy!
Should I air fryer my chips in a single layer? Typically, it’s recommended that you never stack food in an air fryer. However, since the potato chips are so thin, you can get away with air frying two layers at once. Just make sure to give them a good toss during the cooking process!
Tips for Making the Best Air Fryer Potato Chips
Below, find a collection of tips and tricks to help you make the best air-fried potato chips.
- Use Yukon Gold potatoes. Yukon Gold potatoes are the best option for chips. They have slightly waxy skin and an ultra-creamy flavor.
- Use a mandolin to cut slices as thin as possible. A mandolin slicer is a surefire way to ensure the potato chips are uniform and thin enough to get crispy.
- Adjust the cooking time depending on the thickness. The overall cooking time for your chips may vary in either direction depending on their thickness. The first time you make this recipe, keep a close eye on the chips to ensure they don’t burn.
- Be sure to soak sliced potatoes in cold water before air frying. Always soak potato chips in cold water before air frying to remove excess starch. This will help them crisp up nicely.
- Remove the chips once they turn slightly brown. Don’t try to air fry your chips until they appear golden brown – they will just taste burnt. Once they turn the slightest bit of brown, remove them from the air fryer immediately.
- Have fun and experiment with different seasonings. While chips taste great with a sprinkle of salt, they can be up-leveled with any seasoning of your choice. From BBQ to sea salt and vinegar, the possibilities are endless!
Serving Air Fryer Potato Chips
Serve air fryer potato chips as a snack all on their own for your next movie night. You can also pack them in school lunches. If you’re planning to serve them for dinner, pair them with some cheeseburger sliders or a Philly cheesesteak. If you’re looking for something to dip them into, whip up a batch of light ranch or avocado hummus.
Storing Air Fryer Potato Chips
- Room Temperature: Store leftover potato chips in an airtight container or plastic storage bag. You can pop them in your pantry or leave them on the counter. They should stay fresh for up to two weeks.
- Freezer: If you have leftover chips you want to freeze, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Pop the entire baking sheet in the freezer. Once the chips are completely frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe plastic storage bag. To reheat them, pop them in the air fryer for a couple of minutes until crispy. Cool to room temperature and enjoy!
FAQ
Why do you soak potato chips in cold water before air frying?
Soaking potato chips in cold water removes excess potato starch and makes the chips more crispy.
Why are my air fryer chips soggy?
Your air fryer chips might be soggy if you didn’t blot the potatoes after soaking and draining them. Air fry them for longer to dry them out and crisp them up.
Do I need to preheat the air fryer first?
You do not need to preheat the air fryer first. Simply set the temperature and pop the tray in.
Can I substitute russets for sweet potatoes?
You can substitute russets for sweet potatoes, but you’ll likely have to increase the cooking time to compensate.
How many servings does this recipe make?
This recipe makes four total servings.
Other Air Fryer Recipes to Try:
- Easy Air Fryer Chicken Wings – No-guilt chicken wings
- Easy Air Fryer Pork Chops – Juicy pork chops on-demand
- 15-Minute Air Fryer French Fries – Fries without all the oil
- Air Fryer Bacon (Perfectly Crispy) – No-mess bacon
Recipe
Instructions
- Cut potatoes into thin slices using a mandolin slicer or a sharp knife. Place potatoes into a bowl with cold water and soak them for at least 20 minutes.Â
- Drain potatoes of water using a colander. Thoroughly pat them dry using paper towels. The more moisture you remove, the crispier they will get.
- Season the potato chips with sea salt and olive oil. Place two layers of potatoes in the air fryer tray and cook for 20 minutes at 200°F.Â
- Toss the potato chips. Turn up the heat to 400°F and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Made chips per directions & I had to increase the temperature as well as the time,I found that it is best not to layer rhem,takes a bit longer but with better results
Hi Suz, Thanks for sharing your feedback! Enjoy!
Does this recipe work with sweet potatoes? Same method?
Hi Adam, I have not tried this recipe with sweet potatoes, but if you do experiment, let us know how it works out!
These were absolutely incredible! Slicing them thin is key... as well as REALLY drying them before putting in the air fryer. Ps: i did preheat the airfryer as im used to doing
Hi Benedetta, Those are all great tips - thanks for sharing them!
This recipe did not work for me at all. I tried it more than once to make sure it wasnt user error, it's not. It makes no sense unless you have some professional grade air fryer ?? I mean, I have the top of the line, it doesn't go to 200. I'm not buying a whole new "chip rack" when there's a way for an air fryer to work without these additions. I'd like to actually see these made in an uncut video, because I have 0 faith its real
I have a feeling you're not using an actual air fryer. Most air fryers go to 400.
I have a cheaper air fryer Innsky and it goes to 200.
Hi there- What type of air fryer are you using? I use a Cosori Pro 2 and the temperature range is from 170°-400°F. I'm sorry to hear that the recipe didn't turn out for you! Another tip is to make sure you are slicing the potato really thinly, using a mandoline slicer is advised. Hope these tips help 🙂
Made these for the first time. We had potatoes from our garden. Used the mandolin at thinest setting. Sprayed a bit of evoo,salt. And the chips came out so yum. Thanks for the recipe
Hey Beny, You're welcome. Thanks for sharing how much you liked the chips!
It would be really helpful if recipe cooking temperatures were also given in Celsius 🤔
Hi Beryl, Thanks for sharing this feedback. All of our setting at home are at fahrenheit but you can google for a calculator and you can get conversions pretty quickly. Hope this helps. Have a wonderful weekend.
I cut them by hand, and made them thicker. Turned out perfect!
Bonnie, I am so happy they turned out great for you. Thanks for sharing!
Hey, great recipe! About how long do they take to dry on the colander? Thanks!
Hi Person, just a few minutes. If you are using a paper towel, it should be a pretty quick process. Hope you love this recipe.
I am sorry to say this did not work for me. Tried twice. Chips like rubber. The dog was challenged to chew them. Don't know what went wrong.
Hi there Ellen, I am wondering what could have gone wrong here.. A few important things to ensure crispy-ness are, to make sure the potatoes are thin enough and that you soak them in cold water and pat them dry before air-frying.
I love salt and vinegar potato chips. After drying out potatoes after their water bath, should I just sprinkle on the vinegar?
Hi Dolly, a little sprinkle would work well. Enjoy!
My first attempt and I realized my air fryer only goes down to 300 not 200 so I am hoping they will still be okay.
Hi Phyllis, Let me know how they turn out! Hoping it goes well! Good luck.
Made these today for lunch because right now it's cheaper than buying. I have nice slicer and got them the proper thickness. Dried as best I could and followed directions. They're yum. I don't think a mandolin is needed. Depends on the size of the tater. Mine came out regular sized. Only a few had soft middles but that's okay. I love them. When they cool they can crisp a tiny more. I haven't been able to just stand in the kitchen doing stuff bc I'm so busy now but I made time for these.
Hey Ashley- thank you so much for taking the time not only to try our recipe but to leave feedback as well! I'm so glad you had good results with these potato chips. Enjoy!
Yummy recipe! Any suggestions on the best way to store them and for how long?
Hey Macie! They'll stay fresh for up to two weeks if kept in an airtight container!
You really do need a mandolin for this, unfortunately. Try to use the potato peeler and thought I was onto some thing but they shrivel up and are very bite-size chips like baby bite-size LOL. Also five minutes in the air fryer at 400 is way too long for that last bit of cooking. Mine were too brown sad face. Three minutes would’ve been much better. Good recipe otherwise, thanks!
Hi Pam - Thanks for sharing your feedback here. The time should definitely be adjusted depending on the thickness of the chips. It's best to watch them closely the first time you make this recipe. Hope you try it again and it works out well for you!
When I make potato chips, they fly all around in the air fryer. Is there a solution for that?
If you're using an oven type and don't have a chip basket, lay them on the wire shelf and place another shelf on top of them so they're sandwiched between the 2 wire racks. Both racks are on one shelf.
Hey Cookie, I think this would depend on the air fryer. Because the potatoes are sliced pretty thin and air fryers basically work off the fan, they may shift a bit in the basket.
The instant pot air fryer lid will go to 200°F if it is on bake, not air fry setting.
My instant pot sir fryer lid temp will lower to 300°F then beeps twice and returns to 400°F. This happens both when I hold button down or when I tap the 5°increments. Anyone know why,?
Hi Noah- I'm sorry, i'm not sure why that could be. Wish I could be of more help!
I have an oven type air fryer and don't have a basket. Do I just layer them on the screen? If so, does the time cooking change?
Hey Terry- I'm not sure actually, as I haven't tried using that type of air fryer. I'm assuming that yes, you would just lay them on the screen or whatever the cooking surface is, but I don't know how much you would have to adjust the cooking time.
Threw away. Followed to the T. I have Nij** Air Fryer. Maybe it’s not meant for a multi rack. Edges were overly cooked while the center was still soft.
Hi, Molly! I'm sorry to hear you didn't get the results you'd hoped for. The only tips I can think of is to make sure the potatoes are very thinly sliced, and to make sure the potatoes are patted dry very well so they can get as crispy as possible. Hope you get the results you're looking for next time if you decide to give this recipe another go!
Can you use a basket to make the potato chips? I have a hard time flipping things and getting them all.
Yes you can pull them out and toss them in the seasoning if that's easier, Debi. Thanks for reaching out!
This did not work for me at all. I made one potato (there are only two of us) sliced with a mandolin and followed the other steps. I ended up with one big stuck together potato "pancake" that was uncooked with a few that weren't stuck burnt to a crisp. Went directly in the garbage. Not sure where I went wrong.
Same for me, i soaked them first, blotted and cooked. The ones that cooked were burnt the others soggy. Disappointed.....
Hi Miriam, I am sorry that the recipe didn't work out for you. I have not had that issue. I am wondering what could have gone wrong?
after putting in the colander,I put my in the air fryer,( oven type) on dehydrate setting for 5 minutes then followed your directions,seasoned with just oliveiol and seasalt.
came out just like Lays baked !!Very crisp !
Next time I am going to soak in vinegar or picle juice after the cold water.
Hi Amy, Yum! This got me craving potato chips. Thanks for sharing your feedback.
Hi Lee - Sorry to hear that! A couple of things could have went wrong. Did you soak your potatoes before air frying them? This process helps to remove excess starch. Also, did you shake the basket before turning up the heat to separate the potatoes? Hopefully we can figure out what went wrong.
How long should you soak the potatoes?
Lisa, soak the potatoes for about 20 minutes. Enjoy!
Absolutely awesome! I sprinkled powdered cayenne pepper and salt - turned out great! Thank you!!
OH YES! Love that. A nice kick of heat never hurt anybody. 🙂 Thank you for the kind words and hop you have a wonderful holiday!
How much is one serving size ?
Hi, this recipe makes 4 servings, 1 medium potato would be 1 serving.
Thanks for the recipe... In my air fryer I needed a little more time on 400 degrees but this is the perfect base recipe. Just a question, why do we need to soak the potatoes first? What does that actually do?
Hey Melanie, it makes them extra crispy by removing potato starch. Enjoy
My air fryer has as it’s lowest setting 300 degrees
Any suggestion on cooking time?
Hi, Carolyn, I would suggest cooking for a shorter time and checking in on the potato chips every 5-7 minutes. Enjoy 🙂
Mine only goes as low as 300 also. I set it for 20 min. Stirred at 10 min. And again at 5 min left. Found they were done at around 18 min. One batch I left in for 19 min. These are so yummy. Will make again
Thank you for your detailed feedback, Dawn, this will be helpful to others!
I'm brand new to air frying. Am I supposed to put the potatoes in and then set the fryer to 200 as opposed to adding them when the unit preheats to 200 and do I leave them in and set it to 400 after 20 minutes?
Hey Lesley, You can preheat the air fryer to 400F but personally, I don't preheat it. Its up to you
Do you peel the potatoes
Usually, I don't. I wash them really good and dry them off with a paper towel.
How do you keep them from moving around in the air fryer? Mine blow around.
My air fryer doesn’t blow them around. I think it would depend on your air fryer.
I noticed that you said 4 medium-sized potatoes and in the first picture there was about the same amount of potatoes slices I had. And then the next few photos had only about twenty potatoes. Do I season all of them or 20 at a time.
Hey Willaim, usually I make a double batch and let it soak in water until they are ready to be air fried. You want to season only when they are ready to go in the air fryer.
My air fryer only has the 3 racks. Do you know if there would be a time or temp change?
Hey Robbie, I don't have enough experience with air fryers with 3 racks. I would test the recommended temperature and of from there to see if you need to adjust anything.