HOW TO USE YOUR CONVECTION OVEN AS AN AIR FRYER

Properly prepping each ingredient before you air fry in the oven can help you achieve golden brown results. Cut vegetables into small, bite-sized pieces and pat dry wet pieces of meat or fish. If you’re air frying foods with breading, opt for a breadcrumb or shredded cheese coating rather than a wet batter.

Cookware designed for air frying can help you achieve crisp, fried results no matter what type of oven you use. A perforated tray or basket allows the hot air to properly circulate around the food’s surface area to crisp up every side—just like deep frying, but without all the extra oil.

If you don’t have a perforated baking tray, a dark, nonstick pan with low sides can be a useful alternative. Be sure to place an additional baking tray on the rack below your food to catch any crumbs or drippings.

Overcrowding an oven cavity can reduce airflow and lead to soggy results. To promote proper circulation, avoid overcrowding the oven racks with baking dishes so the hot air can reach the entire surface of your food.

Because convection ovens often take longer to cook food than an air fryer would, you may have to adjust the cook times of your recipes. Air fryers also tend to cook using higher temperatures, so you may also have to convert the baking temperature when air frying in a convection oven. 

You can reference your convection oven owner’s manual for instructions on cook times and temperatures—in addition to the general instructions on your food packaging—to get a better idea of how to adjust timing.

Halfway through the cooking time, flip or gently shake your food like you would with a countertop air fryer. This can increase the air distribution to your food during cooking, yielding crispier results. You can promote crisping even further by drizzling a little extra oil on your food or spraying it with cooking spray.

This herbaceous and crispy chicken dinner is perfect for air frying in a convection oven because it utilizes a dry outer coating of breadcrumbs and cheese rather than a wet batter.

You can make crispy french fries without the mess of a deep fryer by air frying them in your convection oven. Toss your fry-cut potatoes in a little oil and salt, then evenly space them on your perforated baking tray and pop them in the oven.

You may actually start craving vegetables after you try air fried roasted veggies. Air frying produce like broccoli, cauliflower and squash helps give it a crisp and golden-brown crust that will keep you coming back, bite after bite.

You may be surprised by the tender and juicy results you can achieve when you air fry pork chops in a convection oven. The heat circulation crisps the outside of the meat while the inside stays moist.

Avoid making a mess with the deep fryer and air fry your chicken wings instead. You can easily make crispy chicken wings coated with your favorite sauce or seasoning when you air fry them in your convection oven.