Last Updated on February 2, 2022 by
You just bought an air fryer like everyone else but wondering what are the best frozen foods for air fryer to air fry. This article resolves this question.
Many frozen foods can go in the air fryer. First, your orange chicken, perhaps, from Costco, you can also toss in some slices of pineapple. Battered fish and fish nuggets are also best for air fryers.
Frozen chips are predominant, you can air fry chicken nuggets, fried chicken pieces, or spring rolls. Pizza rolls are also pretty good frozen foods for your air fryer, and kids tend to love mini curried vegetable samosas.
Can you use frozen foods in an air fryer?
You can use frozen foods in an air fryer, cooking your frozen food is faster with an air fryer than using an oven, moreover, you may not have to thaw or defrost before cooking.
With an air fryer, you can eat healthier and it is easy to use, it also limits your fat intake if you are on an exercise routine.
Air fryers are generally perfect even if you are serving up snacks to friends or cooking finger foods for a party.
You want to find cook times and temperatures with a chart to make your cooking very simple.
Meanwhile, whole chickens and other large, bone-in proteins are not good for your air fryer, it will not evenly cook the food. A battered food such as the cornmeal batter on a corn dog will not cook well enough in an air fryer.
What frozen food is good in an air fryer?
In this section, we list the best frozen foods for air fryers:
Chicken nuggets
Kids and adults prefer chicken nuggets. Just make sure not to skimp on your dipping sauces. Ketchup, BBQ, honey mustard, and ranch go well with it.
French fries
French fries are truly delicious foods, season them up with your herbs or spices and pair them with a creamy dip. You can melt cheese on it.
Chicken wings
Wings are typically appetite-pleasing and we have lots of wing debates, including carrot versus celery, blue cheese versus ranch, and buffalo versus BBQ.
Alexia onion rings
You can make your opinion rings with panko bread and sea salt. Cook this food for at least 7 minutes to get the golden brown but not for too long to avoid dark brown.
Meatballs
Meatballs in the air fryer are typically crisp on the outside and really tender on the inside. Toss your meatballs with a soy-ginger glaze or marinara.
P.F. Chang’s chicken egg rolls
Chicken egg rolls crust is nice and layered and quite flaky in the air fryer. Season the inside well enough so that you forget to warm your sour sauce for dipping.
Super pretzels
Cooking super pretzels in the air fryer is interesting, it makes the crust a little crispier than when you cook it in a conventional oven. The inside will still be nice and soft.
Farm rich loaded potato skins
Potato skins can be your food weakness and, perhaps, something you do not make at home. You want to scoop those bits of bacon and shredded cheese at the bottom of the bag for it to be cheesy.
Pizza bagels
Pizza and bagels are a great combo with any toppings.
Taquitos
Eat your taquitos sour cream, guacamole, and salsa. Taquitos are indeed delicious and cook well enough in an air fryer.
How to cook frozen food in air fryer
Follow these steps to cook frozen food in the air fryer:
- Adjust the temperature. Your air fryer is a convection oven, so the cooking time recommended on the package is typically too long. Moreover, heat settings on some air fryers can reach up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Do not overcrowd the basket. Do not overstuff your air fryer basket to avoid uneven cooking which gives a less tasty snack or meal. For wrapped or breaded foods such as egg rolls or mozzarella sticks, fill the basket about midway and shake it halfway through cooking. If you cook uncoated or open-faced food such as chicken wings or potato skins, place them in a single layer down in the basket.
- Preheat your air fryer. Preheat your air fryer so that the high heat evaporates the water in the frozen food. If your air fryer has no preheating feature, use an oven-safe thermometer or estimate the temperature when you open the basket.
- Cook. Cook your frozen food for about 6-12 or 15-20 minutes on medium heat of about 180 degrees Celsius. Serve your food warm.
How long do you cook frozen food in an air fryer?
You can cook frozen food in an air fryer for up to 20 minutes, depending on the food and your type of fryer. First, preheat at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Next, spray cooking oil in the basket. You can add your frozen fries according to the size of your air fryer. Cooking should take between 12 to 20 minutes until your food gets crispy and golden.
French fries at 200 degrees Celsius can cook for 12-15 minutes, frozen burgers at 180 degrees Celsius cook between 12-15 minutes, frozen chicken breast at 200 degrees Celsius cooks between 5-8 minutes while frozen shrimps at 200 degrees Celsius may cook within 5-8 minutes. There is no clear estimate.
How to make frozen food crispy in air fryer
Your air fryer is designed to give salty and crispy fries within minutes with half the fat and calories you would expect in your traditional restaurant.
You want to preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray cooking oil in the basket and add frozen fries according to your air fryer capacity.
For a crispy finish, you may not want to exceed 20 minutes of golden. Do not cook until the food turns dark brown.
A touch of oil typically crisps up the food, especially when heating or cooking fried and breaded items. The air heats the oil on the outside of the food, cooking the food to a crispy golden brown.
Ensure to dry the outside of the food before adding cooking oil. Too much cooking oil will keep your food from being crispy, it also fattens it more. Brush poultry or meat lightly with cooking oil or marinated for the crispiest results.
What do I need to look for when buying an air fryer?
In this section, you will learn about what you need to look for when buying an air fryer:
Warranty
You need up to a year warranty for your convenience.
Cooking speed
The air fryer should have high-speed air circulation to cook at faster speeds, this also results in tastier and crispier results than when using a traditional convection oven.
Shake reminder (optional)
Get an air fryer with a shake reminder to flip or shake foods midway through cooking.
Less fat
You need an air fryer that is designed to reduce fat. Your choice must offer delicious flavors and crispy textures with up to 85% less fat.
Certification
Get an air fryer certified by the relevant agency in your location. An air fryer can be FCC listed with a recommended power rating and a temperature range. Make sure the voltage is suitable for your region.
Design
You can invest in an air fryer with a unique design, it can feature a double-layer insulated basket to protect your hands from the heat or a built-in sensor that automatically pauses and resumes heating to prevent overheating. A non-stick design is also advisable for easier cleaning after cooking.
Best air fryer for frozen food
The air fryer market is occupied by lots of cheapies that offer less value and are less reliable. Here are the best air fryers for frozen food:
New House kitchen digital 3.6 quart air fryer
[easyazon_image align=”center” height=”500″ identifier=”B07H9LM58Y” locale=”US” src=”https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/415QBSSekiL._SL500_.jpg” tag=”realkal-20″ width=”500″]
This is the air fryer to buy for your frozen foods, and below are its features:
For all cooking needs
The New House air fryer is built for your frozen cooking needs. It air fries evenly crisps and has digital temperature control and 60-minute timer combining to make your cooking seamless.
New House is also introducing you to auto cooking, thanks to this air fryer’s auto shut-off function that gives you uninterrupted and convenient cooking.
Healthy cooking
This air fryer uses 98% less oil than your traditional fryers. Its temperature can adjust from 175-400 degrees Fahrenheit to cook different foods.
Cleaning made easier
Its 3.5-liter fryer basket is removable and safe for your dishwasher. The basket is also non-stick, so you have no difficulties bringing it to clean.
Sizable
It is designed to easily fit on your counter, you can also store it in the pantry.
Warranty
Every buyer deserves protection, and New House is giving you 12 months of warranty on this product. [easyazon_link identifier=”B07H9LM58Y” locale=”US” tag=”realkal-20″]Click here to see on Amazon[/easyazon_link]
ISACCO digital air fryer 5 quart smart hot oven cooker
[easyazon_image align=”center” height=”500″ identifier=”B09HBYLGDM” locale=”US” src=”https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/31sg-i5yy9L._SL500_.jpg” tag=”realkal-20″ width=”500″]
Isacco is, without doubt, one of the best air fryer sellers, so they know how you want to serve your frozen foods.
Below are the cooking solutions this air fryer brings to your frozen foods:
Smart cooking
To encourage delicious taste, this air fryer uses an oven-grade smart temperature control system to crisp your frozen food outside and tender it inside. Foods in this fryer taste even better now, thanks to its 360 degrees hot air circulation.
Healthiness
Regarding health, this air fryer uses about 85% less oil than your traditional fryer. Nonetheless, it retains the delicious taste of your frozen food.
Design
Design matters a lot to protect the consumer. In this air fryer, we have a double-layer insulated basket that protects your hands from the heat.
Its built-in sensor can detect and automatically pauses/resume heating to avoid overheating that could lead to burns of fire.
Its non-stick design makes sure your food is not burned, and that you can clean the fryer easily.
Certification
This air fryer is fully certified. It is FCC listed with a 120V/1350W power rating and 170-400 degrees Fahrenheit temperature range.
Multi-cooking solution
With this fryer, you can switch between different cooking modes which keeps you from buying additional cooking machines. It has 16 cooking modes, and 6 presets that dry fruit, roast poultry and steak, and more. [easyazon_link identifier=”B09HBYLGDM” locale=”US” tag=”realkal-20″]Click here to see on Amazon[/easyazon_link]
Do you need to defrost before air frying?
To air fry, you have to defrost or thaw the frozen food. You can keep it at room temperature for a few hours before using the air fryer to thaw it properly. If frozen food was cooked with butter and oil, you want to use air fryer-proof dishes to defrost it.
Meanwhile, keeping your food at room temperature for too long can cause bacteria, including Salmonella Enteritidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Campylobacter, and Escherichia coli O157:H7. These bacteria cause illness and can grow rapidly in the range of temperatures between 40 °F and 140 °F, increasing in number within 20 minutes.
Is air frying frozen food healthy?
Air frying frozen food is healthier than frying in oil, it reduces calories by up to 85%. When you air fry your frozen food, you also eliminate other harmful effects of oil frying.
Preparing frozen foods such as chicken wings, French fries, and onion rings may seem like a healthy option. However, some of them are pre-fried before being frozen. Thus, cooking them in your air fryer may not still cut their unhealthy fats and calories.
How do I keep frozen food from burning in my air fryer?
To keep your frozen food from burning in your air fryer, you need an air fryer with a non-stick basket. Your air fryer should also feature a smart heating system that automatically resumes and pauses heating to prevent the fryer from overheating, which can burn your food.
It is also advisable to supervise your cooking, especially if you own an older air fryer that is not fitted with a smart cooking system.
Final thoughts on Best Frozen Foods for Air Fryer
When buying frozen foods, check the manufacturer’s label for additional information. Some manufacturers estimate the cooking time, and even the temperature levels, this is not always accurate but nearly reliable. Lastly, before you pay for an air fryer, make sure the voltage is suitable for your region. Warranty is also important, so ensure there is money-back coverage.
