Chicken fries are one of the quickest dishes to cook if you are hungry, but you don’t have time to cook dinner from scratch. Especially if we are talking about the frozen fries. All you need to do if you want to have a snack is to take them out of your freezer and cook them.
But this is exactly the point where many of us begin to wonder how tong to cook chicken fries if we are going to use an air fryer for that purpose. Eating undercooked, as well as overcooked chicken fries is not the best experience for sure!
So in this article, we are going to tell you more on this subject. You are going to learn how to air fry your frozen chicken fries correctly, and how long to air fry chicken fries. In addition, we will share a few handy cooking tips with you.
We are sure that you are perfectly aware of most of them (or even all!), but still, we find it useful to remind you about the nuances you should keep in mind when going to cook some tasty chicken fries to enjoy for lunch!
How Long to Air Fry Chicken Fries?
We mostly prefer cooking chicken fries for ourselves and for our children because this dish is so simple to get ready to eat! You don’t have to go shopping to buy all the ingredients needed for the recipe.
And also, you don’t need to spend an hour or two at the stove or with the cutting board later in order to make these delicious chicken yummies. And all the parents will agree that this is great and it is a huge advantage of this dish since we are so much busy every day!
However, people still tend to wonder how much time is needed for chicken fries to be cooked in the air fryer. See, typically, the total cooking time for chicken fries (if you are cooking them in the air fryer) is usually around thirteen minutes.
However, note that this time frame may vary! The major cooking process for the frozen chicken fries takes from 9 to 11 minutes until they are fully heated through and crispy on the outside.
Nevertheless, once done, it is often recommended that you remove the chicken fries from the air fryer’s basket and let them sit for another two minutes. That means the total cooking time will be around thirteen minutes.
Except for the varying cooking time, frozen chicken fries also have other cooking nuances that you should be aware of. This is why we suggest you read on in order to learn more about how to cook this simple dish correctly.
Air Frying Frozen Chicken Fries. Cooking Tips And Life Hacks
Of course, everyone knows that air frying frozen chicken fries is pretty easy, and even a child can do that. But we would still recommend you read through the tips we have prepared for you below in order to make sure that you are all ready to get air frying! Even with the simplest to cook meals, it is always good to refresh the basic cooking recommendations just in case you forgot something.
- You don’t need to thaw the chicken fries before cooking. Just add the frozen chicken fries to the air fryer.
- Your cooking time may vary depending on the brand of frozen chicken fries. How hot your air fryer cooks also matters, so use the times we provided you with as guidelines only.
- Some frozen chicken fries are pre-cooked while others may be raw. Make sure that you know exactly which kind of chicken fries you have and cook/heat them through accordingly.
- Remember that chicken should have an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit when being cooked!
- Be sure to clean the air fryer after each use because food does get caked on over time. However, breaded frozen chicken fries don’t typically make much mess in the air fryer basket.
With these life hacks and tips, you will be able to make sure that your frozen chicken fries will be cooked correctly, and you will get a delicious and healthy meal that both looks and tastes great.
Frozen Chicken Fries In Air Fryer. How to Cook Them Step By Step
After we have shared a few tips with you on the subject of air frying frozen chicken fries, you might be interested in learning the entire cooking process in detail now. Well, even though this process is basically very simple, being aware of how to air fry chicken fries is always a good thing to keep in mind!
- First of all, start with preheating the air fryer to 380 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Then spritz your favorite oil in the bottom of your air fryer basket. We would suggest you use a high heat cooking oil (like avocado oil) since high heat oils prevent any smoke at high temperatures.
- Once the air fryer is hot, add the frozen chicken fries.
- Make sure there is a little bit of space between them. Like this, your chicken fries will get crispy and heat evenly.
- Cook the frozen chicken fries for 9-11 minutes. Cook them until they are fully heated through and crispy on the outside.
- Once done, remove the chicken fries and let them sit for a couple of minutes more to cool down.
When cooking your chicken fries, you don’t have to flip them, keep that in mind. Why is that? See, they are already pretty thin, so they will cook through very well on their own. If you flip them, you may end up with the chicken fries with one side cooking faster than the other! Half-cooked, half-burned…not the best combination, and definitely not the most delicious!
Also, the size of your air fryer matters. If you have a very large air fryer, you might be able to fit more than twelve chicken fries into the basket. However, if your air fryer is small, chances are that you might not fit them all in one batch.
Consider this when cooking for many people, since you might need to spend a bit more time on the air frying. Also, the cooking time may vary depending on the air fryer and its capacity, as well as on the brand of chicken fries that you are using.
When your chicken fries are ready to enjoy, you can serve them with your favorite dipping sauce, for example, a plum sauce, sweet-and-sour sauce, or even regular ketchup! In addition, chicken fries go well with different side dishes such as waffle fries, curly fries, tater tots, or frozen potato wedges.
Frozen Chicken Fries Storage Tips
We are pretty sure that all of you will agree that frozen chicken fries taste the best when they are hot and fresh, just out of the air fryer! However, anything can happen: you may cook a bit too many of them, or your kids (or guests) might not eat all the fries that you have air-fried for them.
This is life! But what shall you do with the rest of the cooked chicken fries? This is the question that bothers many home chefs.
If you do have any chicken fries leftovers, they can be successfully and safely stored!
That’s a piece of good news for you for sure! You don’ have to throw them away. Simply keep them in a tightly sealed container in the fridge.
As an option, you can tightly wrap them with foil and also refrigerate them. Since chicken fries are already processed, they will be able to last for up to three days like this remaining safe to consume.
Once you are hungry and you feel that you are craving these breaded chicken yummies, you can easily enjoy them again.
It is possible to eat cooked chicken fries leftovers either cold right out of the fridge or, if you want them hot, just pop them back in the air fryer or microwave until they become heated through!
Can Chicken Fries Be Frozen?
This is the question that bothers many of us! Will this food survive the freezer? Well, in fact, it will. You can safely freeze the leftover chicken fries. Of course, it is important that you either wrap them tightly in foil or seal them in an air-tight freezer-safe container.
In addition, if you want to reheat your chicken fries if they are frozen, you have to remember to let them sit out for a while. At least one hour will usually be enough. If you don’t do this and you won’t let them sit out on the counter, your chicken fries will get soft and soggy after you reheat them.
There is another nuance we would like to mention. If you want to make chicken fries ahead, and you want to make them yourself, the only thing that can be done is to cut the chicken strips and freeze them. As an option, you can put them in an air-tight container and place them in the coldest part of the fridge, right at the back. When refrigerated like this, the chicken meat for your homemade chicken fries will last for a day or two.
Why Air Fry Instead Of Frying?
This is one of the most common and frequently asked questions that comes from the parents. Does it make sense to use an air fryer, if I can just fry these chicken fries in a frying pan? Or maybe I could even heat them up in a microwave?
Well, let’s take a closer look at this question. Of course, all of you know that these breaded and crispy chicken yummies are not innately healthy. They are pretty fat and they are considered processed food. So imagine you fry them in a frying pan with a lot of oil (which may also not be the healthiest option)! Or even worse, imagine you just microwave them which may often end up undercooked and thus not a safe meal for yourself or for your child.
However, when using your air fryer, you will be able to significantly reduce the amount of unhealthy fat and calories that you or your kid would consume.
In addition, when you air fry any food, it provides the crisp texture of deep-frying without the use of excessive unhealthy oils.
Moreover, air-fried frozen chicken fries can also be paired with a much healthier side dish than, for instance, fatty french fries or tater tots that most of us usually stick to.
It usually takes around eight minutes to air fry the chicken fries. And you can use this time to also steam a side of green beans and whip up some instant mashed potatoes on the stovetop. As a result, you get a much healthier meal for your kids that they will surely love, and besides, that complete meal will be prepared in under ten minutes!
So, now you know a lot more about such a simple process as cooking chicken air fries.
We told you how long it takes to air-fry them, and how exactly they should be cooked in the air fryer (with a step-by-step guide).
Also, you learned a few handy cooking tips and also we provided you with some useful storage life hacks. With all that, you will be able to both cook and later sore your chicken fries (in case you have any leftovers) correctly.
Frequently Asked Questions
⭐Are chicken fries the same as chicken nuggets?
They are very similar indeed, except for the shape. Chicken nuggets and chicken fries both have breaded batter and are deep-fried, air fried, or can even be baked.
⭐How can I fry chicken fries without the Air Fryer?
You can deep fry them in oil in a deep pan. Once the chicken takes on a dark golden color and crispy texture, take them out and place on paper towels to absorb the excess oil.
⭐Can I use olive oil for cooking chicken fries in air fryer?
Yes, you can use olive oil. Only make sure that it is the type of oil used for cookig specifically, not for dressing.
