The best food to cook first in an air fryer is a simple batch of frozen fries or potato wedges, which seasons the basket and helps you learn the controls.
Unboxing a new air fryer feels great, but the next question hits fast: what to cook first in air fryer? Do you jump straight to chicken, test some fries, or warm up leftovers? Your first few cooks do more than feed you. They help you learn how your appliance heats, how strong the fan feels, and how your basket coating behaves.
This guide walks you through smart first recipes, a clear step plan, and small safety checks so you start strong. You’ll see which foods give forgiving results, how to “season” the basket with oil, and how to avoid soggy snacks or dried-out meat on day one.
What To Cook First In Air Fryer? Starter Food Ideas
For that first run, pick food that is simple, cheap, and forgiving. Think potatoes and basic frozen snacks before moving to raw meat. These foods help coat the basket in a thin layer of oil and show you how crisp your air fryer can get without much risk.
The table below lists practical choices for what to cook first in air fryer, along with reasons and starter time ranges. Use it as a rough map, then tweak based on your model and taste.
| Food | Why It Works Well First | Starter Temp & Time |
|---|---|---|
| Frozen Fries | Cheap, forgiving, great for testing browning and shaking the basket. | 190 °C / 375 °F for 10–15 minutes |
| Frozen Potato Wedges | Thicker pieces show how your air fryer handles soft centers and crisp edges. | 195 °C / 380 °F for 15–20 minutes |
| Frozen Chicken Nuggets | Already cooked in the factory, so you mainly worry about reheating and crispness. | 190 °C / 375 °F for 8–12 minutes |
| Fresh Potato Cubes | Show how fresh food behaves and how much oil spray you prefer. | 190 °C / 375 °F for 15–20 minutes |
| Broccoli Or Cauliflower Florets | Good for testing seasoning and how the fan moves light veggies. | 180 °C / 356 °F for 8–10 minutes |
| Bacon Strips | Releases fat that helps coat the basket; teaches you about smoke and grease. | 180 °C / 356 °F for 7–10 minutes |
| Toast Or Grilled Cheese | Very fast, easy to watch, and shows hot spots across the basket. | 180 °C / 356 °F for 4–7 minutes |
| Frozen Mozzarella Sticks | Great test of timing; helps you learn when cheese starts to leak. | 190 °C / 375 °F for 6–8 minutes |
Stick to one or two items from this list on your first day. That way you can watch closely, adjust time, and learn the quirks of your model before loading it with a full dinner.
How A First Cook Helps Your New Air Fryer
Before you think about fancy recipes, your first cook should break in the appliance. Many air fryers have a faint plastic or “new appliance” smell at the start. A test batch with cheap food lets that burn off while also coating the basket with a light film of oil, which helps protect the nonstick surface.
This first round also teaches you how noisy the fan is, how the controls feel, and how honest the built-in cooking presets are. Some presets run hot; others finish underdone. When you use simple food like fries or wedges, you can add or shave off a few minutes without stress.
A gentle first cook also gives you a feel for air flow. If the front row of fries browns faster than the back, you know you need to shake more often or rotate the basket. That knowledge pays off later with chicken, fish, and veggies that cook evenly.
Step-By-Step Plan For Your First Air Fryer Cook
You don’t need a complicated routine, but a short checklist keeps your first cook safe and smooth. Here’s a simple plan you can follow with any brand.
Clean And Prep The Basket
Take the basket and tray out, wash them in warm soapy water, and dry well. Many manufacturers, and guides such as general air fryer first-use guidance, suggest this wash before the first cook to remove dust and packing residue.
Run A Short Empty Cycle
Some manuals tell you to run the air fryer empty for 5–10 minutes at a medium temperature. This off-gasses any leftover factory smell. If your manual mentions this step, follow it before you add food.
Pick One Simple Food
Choose one base food from the table above. Frozen fries, nuggets, or potato cubes are perfect. They give you a clear visual cue: golden and crisp on the outside, soft in the center.
Preheat If Your Model Needs It
Newer basket-style air fryers often heat up fast, and some models skip preheating completely. Others benefit from a short 3–5 minute preheat. Check your manual; if it suggests preheating, follow that advice before your first batch.
Oil, Season, And Load The Basket
Lightly spray or toss your food with a high-smoke-point oil such as canola or sunflower. Season lightly with salt and any other spices you enjoy. Spread the pieces in a single layer so hot air can reach every side.
Cook, Shake, And Check
Set the temperature and time from the earlier table, then watch the first run closely. Halfway through, pull out the basket and shake it so the pieces swap spots. Near the end of the time range, test one piece; add a few minutes if needed.
Use A Thermometer For Meat
Once you move on to chicken, pork, or burgers, a food thermometer becomes your best friend. Government food safety agencies share charts of safe minimum internal temperatures, such as 74 °C / 165 °F for poultry. Check the thickest part of the meat to be sure it reaches a safe level.
Cool, Clean, And Dry
After the basket cools slightly, wash it with warm soapy water, rinse, and dry. Wiping out crumbs and grease after each cook keeps smoke down and protects the coating over time.
First Things To Cook In An Air Fryer For Practice
Once your first batch goes well, you can branch out to a few more “training” recipes that answer what to cook first in air fryer for practice. Each of these teaches a different skill: timing, moisture control, or layering flavors.
Frozen Fries And Wedges As Your Baseline
Frozen potatoes are still the best baseline test. They’re cut evenly, coated in a little oil at the factory, and turn golden without much work. Use them to test how full you can make the basket before crispiness drops off, and how dark you like them.
Vegetables For Everyday Meals
Next, try broccoli, cauliflower, or carrot sticks tossed in a teaspoon of oil and seasoning. These cook fast, so watch closely. You’ll see how quickly the edges brown and how shaking changes the texture. That makes it easier to repeat the same doneness later when you want a quick side dish.
Chicken Pieces Once You Trust Your Timing
When you’re comfortable with basic timing, test bone-in chicken drumsticks or thighs. Pat them dry, season, and spray lightly with oil. Start around 190 °C / 375 °F and cook until the skin looks crisp. Then use a thermometer to confirm the center reaches a safe temperature before serving.
Simple Toasts And Sandwiches
Toast, garlic bread, or grilled cheese sandwiches are handy short cooks that show how your air fryer handles delicate items. Place bread in a single layer, set a short time, and watch. This helps you learn how quickly the top surface browns compared with the underside.
Easy Sweet Bites
Once you know your air fryer’s hot spots, you can finish your first day with something sweet such as cinnamon sugar toast fingers or ready-made cookie dough portions on parchment. These short bakes show you how baked goods spread and color in the basket.
Quick Time And Temperature Guide For First Air Fryer Foods
The table below gives a simple cheat sheet for early cooks. Always treat these as starting points and adjust based on your model and taste.
| Food | Approx. Temp | Approx. Time Range |
|---|---|---|
| Frozen Thin Fries | 190 °C / 375 °F | 10–14 minutes |
| Frozen Thick Wedges | 195 °C / 380 °F | 15–20 minutes |
| Frozen Chicken Nuggets | 190 °C / 375 °F | 8–12 minutes |
| Fresh Broccoli Florets | 180 °C / 356 °F | 8–10 minutes |
| Chicken Drumsticks (Raw) | 190 °C / 375 °F | 20–25 minutes, then check temp |
| Fish Fillets | 180 °C / 356 °F | 8–12 minutes, depending on thickness |
| Toast Or Garlic Bread | 180 °C / 356 °F | 4–7 minutes |
| Frozen Mozzarella Sticks | 190 °C / 375 °F | 6–8 minutes |
Check food early the first time you try any line from this table. Different brands and basket sizes shift timing a little, so a quick peek near the end avoids burnt edges.
Common First-Cook Mistakes With Air Fryers
New owners tend to hit the same snags. Knowing them up front helps you dodge frustration and wasted food.
Overfilling The Basket
Stuffing the basket until fries or nuggets sit in thick layers blocks air flow. The result is pale food with soft spots. For crisp results, keep the basket about half full on your first cooks. Add a second batch instead of cramming everything into one.
Skipping The Shake
Air fryers move hot air around, but the side of the food that touches the basket still needs movement. Shaking once or twice during cooking gives you more even browning. Set a timer or mental note to pull the basket halfway through and give it a quick shake.
Trusting Package Oven Times
Frozen foods list oven times, which rarely match an air fryer. Most items need less time and sometimes a slightly lower temperature. Treat the box time as a loose guide and start checking several minutes earlier when you use the air fryer.
Using Heavy Or Low-Smoke Oils
Low-smoke oils like unrefined olive oil can burn, smoke, and leave a strong taste. Lighter oils with higher smoke points, such as canola or sunflower, tend to work better for air fryers. You only need a thin spray or teaspoon to boost browning.
Skipping Meat Temperature Checks
Because air fryers brown food fast, meat can look done before the inside reaches a safe temperature. A simple instant-read thermometer removes the guesswork, especially for chicken and burgers. Aim for the safe internal temperatures shared by public food safety agencies.
Letting Grease Build Up
Leaving crumbs and grease in the basket after cooks can cause smoke, strange flavors, and wear on the coating. A quick wash or wipe after each use keeps your air fryer fresher and makes later deep cleaning much easier.
Final Thoughts On Your First Air Fryer Cook
Your first cook sets the tone for how you and your air fryer work together. Start with simple, low-stress food such as frozen fries, wedges, or nuggets. Use those early batches to learn how hot your model runs, how full you can make the basket, and how much oil spray you enjoy on different foods.
As you repeat a few basic cooks, branch out to veggies, chicken pieces, and toast. Keep a thermometer handy when you move into meat recipes, follow trusted temperature charts, and clean the basket after each use. With that approach, you’ll answer your own question about what to cook first in air fryer and build a steady set of go-to recipes that fit your taste, schedule, and kitchen routine.