I don’t have to tell you that air fryers are arguably the must-have kitchen appliance – you should have one if you don’t. One good reason to purchase an air fryer is its convenience of cooking frozen foods to a delectable crisp in hardly any time at all!
Today, I’ll share with you a collection of air-frying temperatures and times to turn your frozen ingredients into awesome appetizers, breakfasts, entrées, and sides for your family!
Air Fryer Frozen Food Cooking Chart
Breakfast
| Food | Air Fryer Temperature | Cooking Time |
| Bagels | 350°F or 176°C | 4 to 5 minutes |
| Breakfast burritos | 350°F or 176°C | 15 minutes |
| Breakfast sandwiches | 375°F or 190°C | 5 to 7 minutes |
| Cinnamon rolls | 330°F or 165°C | 8 to 10 minutes |
| Crescent rolls | 330°F or 165°C | 8 minutes |
| Hash browns | 370°F or 187°C | 15 minutes |
| Homefries | 390°F or 199°C | 15 to 20 minutes |
| Oatmeal | 300°F or 148°C | 15 minutes |
| Quiches | 350°F or 176°C | 15 to 20 minutes |
| Pop Tarts | 350°F or 176°C | 7 minutes |
| Sausage links | 400°F or 204°C | 5 to 6 minutes |
| Sausage patties | 400°F or 204°C | 10 minutes |
| Stuffed bagels | 350°F or 176°C | 3 to 4 minutes |
| Toaster Strudels | 350°F or 176°C | 7 minutes |
| Tofu scramble | 375°F or 187°C | 3 to 5 minutes |
| Waffles | 350°F or 176°C | 6 minutes |
Appetizers
| Food | Air Fryer Temperature | Cooking Time |
| Bacon-wrapped scallops | 400°F or 204°C | 6 minutes |
| Battered cauliflower | 400°F or 204°C | 15 minutes |
| Chicken wings | 390°F or 199°C | 12 minutes |
| Dumplings | 390°F or 199°C | 8 minutes |
| Egg rolls | 390°F or 199°C | 12 minutes |
| Empanadas | 400°F or 204°C | 8 minutes |
| Fried ravioli | 400°F or 204°C | 3 to 4 minutes |
| Jalapeño poppers | 340°F or 171°C | 8 minutes |
| Mac and cheese bites | 360°F or 182°C | 8 to 10 minutes |
| Meatballs | 250°F or 121°C | 5 minutes |
| Mozzarella sticks | 380°F or 180°C | 7 minutes |
| Pigs in a blanket | 350°F or 176°C | 8 to 10 minutes |
| Pizza rolls | 380°F or 180°C | 7 minutes |
| Popcorn chicken | 400°F or 204°C | 10 minutes |
| Potato skins | 370°F or 187°C | 5 minutes |
| Potstickers | 390°F or 199°C | 8 minutes |
| Samosas | 355°F or 180°C | 4 minutes |
| Soft pretzels | 400°F or 204°C | 5 to 7 minutes |
| Spring rolls | 390°F or 199°C | 8 minutes |
| Stuffed peppers | 350°F or 176°C | 7 to 9 minutes |
| Sweet potato fries | 370°F or 187°C | 35 to 45 minutes |
| Taquitos | 400°F or 204°C | 7 minutes |
Entrées
| Food | Air Fryer Temperature | Cooking Time |
| Beef lo mein | 350°F or 176°C | 4 to 5 minutes |
| Boneless wings | 360°F or 182°C | 14 minutes |
| Burrito bowls | 350°F or 176°C | 10 to 15 minutes |
| Burritos | 380°F or 180°C | 12 minutes |
| Chicken alfredo | 375°F or 190°C | 10 to 20 minutes |
| Chicken fajitas | 400°F or 204°C | 7 minutes |
| Chicken fries | 390°F or 199°C | 8 minutes |
| Chicken nuggets | 390°F or 199°C | 12 minutes |
| Chicken pot pies | 380°F or 193°C | 8 to 15 minutes |
| Chicken strips | 390°F or 199°C | 12 minutes |
| Chicken tenders | 390°F or 199°C | 12 minutes |
| Chicken wings | 350°F or 176°C | 2 to 3 minutes |
| Chili | 375°F or 190°C | 2 to 5 minutes |
| Corn dogs | 390°F or 199°C | 8 to 10 minutes |
| Enchiladas | 350°F or 176°C | 3 to 4 minutes |
| Fish sticks | 360°F or 182°C | 8 to 12 minutes |
| Glazed chicken | 380°F or 193°C | 8 to 10 minutes |
| Hoagie patties | 400°F or 204°C | 6 to 7 minutes |
| Hot pockets | 390°F or 199°C | 13 minutes |
| Lasagna | 375°F or 190°C | 10 minutes |
| Macaroni and cheese | 350°F or 176°C | 4 to 5 minutes |
| Pizza | 400°F or 204°C | 10 to 15 minutes |
| Ravioli | 375°F or 190°C | 2 to 3 minutes |
| Rice and beans | 200°F or 93°C | 10 minutes |
| Salisbury steak | 325°F or 162°C | 30 minutes |
| Salmon fillets | 400°F or 204°C | 10 minutes |
| Sausages | 400°F or 204°C | 5 to 10 minutes |
| Shrimp | 390°F or 199°C | 10 minutes |
| Stir fry | 350°F or 176°C | 3 to 4 minutes |
| Tamales | 325°F or 162°C | 3 to 5 minutes |
| Tikka masala | 350°F or 176°C | 3 to 5 minutes |
| Turkey fillets | 370°F or 187°C | 25 minutes |
| Veggie burgers | 350°F or 176°C | 10 minutes |
Raw Frozen Meats
| Food | Air Fryer Temperature | Cooking Time |
| Bacon | 400°F or 204°C | 10 to 12 minutes |
| Bone-in chicken thighs | 400°F or 204°C | 25 to 30 minutes |
| Boneless chicken breasts | 400°F or 204°C | 25 minutes |
| Boneless chicken thighs | 400°F or 204°C | 30 to 35 minutes |
| Breaded chicken | 400°F or 204°C | 15 minutes |
| Burgers | 350°F or 176°C | 15 to 18 minutes |
| Chicken drumstick | 400°F or 204°C | 25 to 30 minutes |
| Chicken tenders | 400°F or 204°C | 12 to 15 minutes |
| Chicken wings | 400°F or 204°C | 20 to 25 minutes |
| Meatballs | 400°F or 204°C | 10 to 12 minutes |
| Pork chops | 400°F or 204°C | 15 to 18 minutes |
| Ribs | 400°F or 204°C | 25 to 30 minutes |
| Steak | 400°F or 204°C | 15 to 18 minutes |
| Turkey burgers | 380°F or 193°C | 10 to 12 minutes |
Raw Frozen Seafood
| Food | Air Fryer Temperature | Cooking Time |
| Battered fish | 400°F or 204°C | 10 to 12 minutes |
| Crab cakes | 400°F or 204°C | 10 to 12 minutes |
| Fish fillets | 400°F or 204°C | 12 minutes |
| Fish sticks | 400°F or 204°C | 10 to 12 minutes |
| Popcorn shrimp | 400°F or 204°C | 8 to 10 minutes |
| Salmon | 400°F or 204°C | 12 to 15 minutes |
| Shrimp | 400°F or 204°C | 10 to 15 minutes |
Raw Frozen Vegetables
| Food | Air Fryer Temperature | Cooking Time |
| Broccoli | 400°F or 204°C | 8 to 10 minutes |
| Brussel sprouts | 400°F or 204°C | 10 to 12 minutes |
| Carrots | 400°F or 204°C | 10 to 12 minutes |
| Cauliflower | 400°F or 204°C | 8 to 10 minutes |
| Corn on the cob | 400°F or 204°C | 12 to 14 minutes |
| French fries | 400°F or 204°C | 12 to 15 minutes |
| Green beans | 400°F or 204°C | 8 to 10 minutes |
| Mushrooms | 400°F or 204°C | 8 to 10 minutes |
| Plantains | 400°F or 204°C | 6 to 8 minutes |
| Steak potatoes | 400°F or 204°C | 12 to 15 minutes |
| Sweet potato fries | 400°F or 204°C | 12 to 15 minutes |
| Tater tots | 400°F or 204°C | 12 to 15 minutes |
Do I Need to Thaw Food Before Putting It in an Air Fryer?
Most of us are so used to defrosting food prior to stuffing them in the oven that we do it before using our air fryer. But is it necessary? Absolutely not!
However, there is a caveat to this: you cannot place a whole frozen chicken inside an air fryer. You will have to break it down to several small chunks in order for the air fryer’s heat to penetrate every inch of the bird. Air fryers work a lot like convection ovens, and even the top-performing convection ovens will not cook the center of frozen chickens at the same time as its exterior.
However, when it comes to vegetables and bite-sized chunks of meat, by all means, toss them in the air fryer’s food basket, set it to the temperature provided in the chart above, and you’ll be dining of finger-lickin’-good food in a matter of minutes! No defrosting is required at all!
Do I Need to Add Oil or Butter When Air-Frying?
You’ve probably heard that you don’t have to add fats to air-fried food. This is true if your goal is to drop a few pounds. However, because fat can improve flavor, you can enhance the flavor of your meals by drizzling a bit of olive oil or dropping a few knobs of butter in your dish.
How to Keep Food from Sticking to an Air Fryer
One of the largest griefs I had with my air fryer is keeping food from sticking to the basket. An air fryer’s basket isn’t lined with Teflon, meaning that any glazes or meats that cook on the basket will undoubtedly stick to it.
Luckily, you can solve the problem by greasing the basket with oil. You can limit how much oil you add to your air-fried foods by using spray oil. However, if you don’t want added fats, you should think about picking up a few silicone liners for your air fryer’s food basket. These liners are easy to use, easy to wash, and they’re good for several years!
Tips for Cooking Frozen Food in an Air Fryer
- Flip the food at the halfway point. Although your air fryer’s fan will distribute heat within the food basket, it doesn’t hurt to flip your food halfway through. That way, you ensure that each side gets an equal amount of exposure to heated air and the heated basket. This is a must-do if you lined the food basket with a silicone mat.
- Start low, then crank the temperature at the end. For the most part, frozen foods are pre-cooked. There’s a fine line between perfectly cooked frozen food and overcooked frozen food. You can avoid overcooking frozen foods by starting at a lower temperature (around 200°F or 93°C) and then cranking it up to the suggested cooking temperature (based on the chart above) for the final 1 or 2 minutes.
- Remove crumbs in between batches. Air fryers are great and all, but if you have a smaller model, you’ll have to prepare a feast in batches. Make sure you remove as much of the leftovers from the previous batch before putting new food in the food basket. That way, you won’t have to deal with burned crumbs when plating your food in the end.
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