Air fryer chips will be even crispier if coated in 1 ingredient before cooking

There's nothing better than a steamy, crunchy and crispy portion of chips to tuck into on a Friday night. If you don't want to fork out for a portion from the local chippy, Nicky from Kitchen Sanctuary in Devon, recently shared how you can craft the perfect chips from scratch.

She utilises the cooking power of an air fryer to achieve the perfect crispy skin and soft, fluffy texture on the inside. Using an air fryer can also help save time when cooking, especially if you're busy or in a rush. In a TikTok video from earlier this month, Nicky said: "Now we know you guys love your air fryer recipes, so I wanted to show you how to make simple chips - or fries if you're in the US - in the air fryer."

To ensure that the fries are uber crispy on the outside, Nicky makes sure the spuds are coated in one simple ingredient. Instead of regular plain flour, you want to coat the chips in cornflour.

Cornflour is good for making chips because it creates a light, crispy exterior by absorbing surface moisture, which prevents the chips from becoming soggy, resulting in a satisfying crunch. The starch in cornflour forms a delicate, crisp crust when cooked, making it a perfect ingredient for achieving the perfect texture.

Kitchen Sanctuary's video has been viewed over a massive 516,700 times, receiving 6,378 likes and 114 comments. Gaz suggested: "I microwave my chips for 2 minutes before airfrying, dries them and makes them softer and crispier."

Karl also recommended: "Par boil in water with a bit of bicarbonate soda or baking powder until soft, then drain and allow to cool.....then season and toss in light olive oil before air frying."

Emma said, "The best chip recipe Iv tried!! Perfect," while Missy replied, "Can't fault them they look perfect."

So if you want to make perfectly crispy fries at home, here's how you can replicate the recipe at home.

Ingredients

• 700 g (1 ½ lbs) of floury potatoes such as Maris Piper or Rooster
• One tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
• Two tbsp neutral tasting oil - such as rapeseed, sunflower or vegetable
• One tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp paprika

Method

Peel and slice potatoes into chips (about 1cm thick). If they're a bit grubby, then rinse in cold water, drain and pat dry, if they're not grubby you don't need to do this step.

Add the chips to a bowl and toss with the cornflour until coated.

Add oil, salt, pepper, and paprika and toss again so they're evenly coated.

Place in the air fryer and cook 190/375 for 20 minutes, shaking every five minutes.

Serve with a sprinkling of salt and pepper if you like.