What Can You Put In Air Fryer? | Safe Foods And Trays

What Can You Put In Air Fryer? Core Food Groups

When you buy an air fryer, the first question is simple: what can you put in air fryer and actually get a crisp, tasty result. The good news is that most everyday foods work well for home cooks, as long as you match time, temperature, and size.

Food Group	Great In Air Fryer	Best For
Frozen Snacks	Fries, nuggets, tenders, fish sticks	Fast weeknight meals and kid-friendly plates
Fresh Potatoes	Fries, wedges, chips, baked potatoes	Crispy sides with very little added oil
Poultry	Chicken wings, thighs, drumsticks, breasts	Juicy main dishes with crisp skin
Other Meats	Pork chops, meatballs, sausages	Quick dinners without heating the full oven
Fish And Seafood	Salmon fillets, shrimp, fish fillets	Moist fish with browned edges
Vegetables	Carrots, sprouts, cauliflower, peppers	Roasted style sides with crisp spots
Plant Proteins	Tofu, tempeh, chickpeas	Crunchy toppings, salads, and snack bowls
Baked Treats	Small cookies, hand pies, cinnamon rolls	Small batch baking without preheating a big oven
Leftovers	Pizza, roast potatoes, fried chicken, wings	Reheating for crisp textures instead of soggy results

How To Think About What Can Go In The Air Fryer Basket

Before you decide what can you put in air fryer on any given night, look at three things: moisture, structure, and size. Food that already has a solid coating or natural skin usually air fries well. Very wet, saucy, or runny items do not.

Moisture matters because air fryers cook by blowing hot air around the food. If liquid is loose, it can splatter, burn on the heating element, or blow around the chamber. That is why frozen breaded nuggets are fine while a bowl of stew is not.

Structure is next. Nuggets, vegetables, or meat pieces keep their shape, so air can reach many sides at once. Loose greens or grated cheese move around under the fan and brown unevenly.

Size is the last filter. Pieces should be small enough so air can reach the center, so large roasts often cook unevenly near the bone.

Frozen Foods You Can Put In An Air Fryer

Frozen convenience food is the easiest place to start. If something is sold as an oven ready snack, it almost always works inside an air fryer.

Think about items like fries, waffle fries, onion rings, fish fingers, chicken nuggets, chicken strips, mini pies, or frozen vegetable bites. Spread them in a single layer, shake the basket once or twice, and check for even color near the end of the time.

Most packages list oven temperatures around 200°C or 400°F. Because air moves more efficiently in an air fryer, you can often cook at that temperature but shorten the time slightly. Always rely on color and texture more than the minutes on the box.

Fresh Potatoes And Homemade Fries

Fresh potatoes are a classic test for any new air fryer. Cut potatoes into similar sized sticks or wedges, soak in water for twenty to thirty minutes to remove excess starch, then dry them very well.

Toss the dry potatoes with a little neutral oil and your favorite seasonings. Lay them in a shallow layer and give them time. Good fries need enough space so air can move freely. Crowded potatoes steam instead of crisp.

Chicken, Pork, And Other Meats

Boneless or small bone in cuts do well in the basket as long as you leave room around each piece. Coated chicken tenders, drumsticks, thighs, pork chops, meatballs, and sausages all brown nicely in the circulating heat.

For safety, always check the center of the thickest piece with a thermometer. The safe minimum internal temperature chart on FoodSafety.gov lists 165°F, or 74°C, for poultry and 145°F, or 63°C, with a short rest for whole cuts of pork and beef. That rule still applies when you cook those foods in an air fryer.

Fish, Shrimp, And Seafood

Many people hesitate to cook fish at home because it sticks or dries out. The air fryer helps with both problems. Firm fillets, shrimp, or breaded fish portions turn crisp on the outside while staying moist inside.

Line the basket with a perforated parchment sheet or a thin layer of oil if your model allows it. Space fillets so air can reach the sides. Most fish is ready when it flakes easily and reaches about 145°F, or 63°C, in the thickest area.

Crispy Vegetables You Can Put In Air Fryer

Root vegetables and sturdy pieces love hot circulating air. Think of carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes, cauliflower florets, Brussels sprouts, green beans, and bell pepper strips. They roast quickly and pick up browned edges that carry a lot of flavor.

Cut vegetables into similar sized pieces, pat them dry, then toss with a spoonful of oil, salt, and spices. Spread them in a single layer and shake once halfway through.

Leafy vegetables such as spinach or loose kale are a different story. Strong airflow can blow them around and push them into the heating element, which can scorch them or trigger a safety shutoff. Many kitchen testers point home cooks toward pan cooking or oven roasting for loose greens instead.

Plant Proteins, Tofu, And Chickpeas

Air fryers also handle plant based protein well. Cubes of extra firm tofu, slices of tempeh, or canned chickpeas turn crisp on the outside with a soft center.

Press tofu first so extra liquid drains away. For chickpeas, drain and dry them thoroughly, then toss with oil and seasoning. Spread in a shallow layer, then cook until the edges crackle and the centers feel dry, not chalky.

Baked Treats And Small Batch Desserts

An air fryer works like a small convection oven, so you can bake small treats in it too. Cookie dough portions, brownie bites in silicone cups, hand pies, or cinnamon rolls from a can all work well.

Use oven safe dishes that fit inside the basket. Thin metal pans, silicone molds, and some glass dishes rated for oven use are common choices. Always check your appliance manual so you know which materials are safe for your model.

Reheating Leftovers In The Air Fryer

Leftovers are where the air fryer really shines. Pizza slices, roasted potatoes, cooked vegetables, wings, or fried chicken often come out better than they went in.

Set the temperature a bit lower than you would for raw food and shorten the time. You only need to warm the center and refresh the crust or coating. Two to five minutes at 160–180°C is enough for most leftovers, though thick pieces of meat may need longer.

Foods You Should Not Put In An Air Fryer

Some foods either cook poorly or raise safety concerns when they sit in a fast stream of hot air. Many test kitchens and safety experts point out a similar list.

Food Type	Why It Struggles	Better Method
Wet Batters	Batter drips, burns on the base, and never sets	Pan fry in enough oil or bake on a tray
Loose Leafy Greens	Pieces blow into the heater and burn	Sauté in a pan or roast with heavier vegetables
Soups And Stews	Liquid splatters and heats unevenly	Use a pot on the stove or a slow cooker
Raw Rice And Dry Grains	Need water to hydrate, which air fryers do not provide	Cook on the stove or in a rice cooker
Large Bone In Roasts	Thick cuts stay undercooked near the bone	Roast in a regular oven at controlled heat
Uncoated Cheese	Melts through the basket and sticks	Bake cheese inside bread, pastry, or a dish
Overly Greasy Meats	Dripping fat may smoke or reach the heater	Trim fat or use a grill, skillet, or oven tray

The FSIS air fryer safety page notes that air fryers do not always cook as evenly as full sized ovens. They remind home cooks to avoid overcrowding, arrange items in a single layer, and check internal temperature with a food thermometer so every piece reaches a safe level.

Safe Temperatures And Food Safety Basics

Any time you cook meat, seafood, or eggs in an air fryer, normal food safety rules still apply.

Food safety charts list 165°F, or 74°C, for poultry and stuffed dishes, 160°F, or 71°C, for ground meats, and 145°F, or 63°C, with a short rest for whole cuts of beef, pork, veal, and lamb. Fish is safe at 145°F as well. Use a thermometer in the thickest part of the food to check each batch.

Basic handling still matters. Wash hands before and after handling raw meat, keep raw juices away from cooked foods, and chill leftovers within two hours. The air fryer may feel like a gadget, yet it is still an oven that needs the same respect any high heat appliance deserves.

Containers, Foil, And Liners In The Air Fryer

Many home cooks also wonder what can go inside the basket besides food. You can often use oven safe metal, silicone, and some types of tempered glass, as long as air can still circulate.

Perforated parchment liners keep sticky sauces from bonding to the basket and can reduce cleanup. Avoid blocking every hole, since that slows airflow. If you use foil, keep it flat and weighted with food so it does not blow around and touch the heating element.

Never place plastic containers or plastic wrap in an air fryer, even if the label says microwave safe. High air fryer temperatures can warp plastic and create fumes. Check your appliance manual for a list of approved materials and follow that guidance first.

Simple Rules For What You Can Put In Air Fryer

When you step back, a few simple habits answer the question what can you put in air fryer every time. Choose foods that are dry on the surface, sturdy enough to hold shape, and cut so hot air can reach the center. Think small chicken pieces instead of a whole bird, or potato wedges instead of a whole bag stacked on top of itself.

Keep foods in a loose single layer, preheat when the manual suggests it, and shake or flip midway through the cook time. Reach for your thermometer when you cook meat or fish so you know you hit the safe zone. Use the powerful fan to your advantage for crisp, browned results, and lean on the stove or oven for soups, wet batters, and very large cuts.

With those habits in place, your air fryer becomes a steady weeknight helper. You will have a clear sense of what belongs in the basket, what belongs in a pan or pot instead, and how to keep meals both tasty and safe for everyone at the table.