How to cook fish and chips in an air fryer from a chef

By now it seems the entire country owns the trendy kitchen gadget - and if they don't, they know someone who does. 

Air fryers have recently grown in popularity since they are typically cheaper to run than conventional ovens and you can cook almost anything in them.

And now one chef is bringing our two foodie passions together by revealing the 'secret' to mastering the classic British dish in an air fryer.

Chef Martin Senders has shared his recipes for homemade fish and chips, vegan fish and chips and more. ( Credit: Phillips) (Image: Phillips)

Philips air fryer Chef Martin Senders has divulged his advice for reheating alongside his best recipes for cooking homemade fish and chips from frozen.

The culinary expert said: "The beauty of fish and chips is that anyone can recreate the classic, no matter their cooking expertise.

“Whether you’re after a quick, easy meal or want to make it from scratch, an Airfryer creates delicious results with both frozen and fresh ingredients.

“Our patented Rapid Air Technology is the secret to the ultimate crunch as well as the best way to breathe new life into a takeaway that’s gone cold.”

Top tips for cooking fish and chips in an air fryer 

Best way to reheat your fish and chips

When getting fish and chips from the chippy, there’s little worse than discovering it’s gone cold by the time you get home. 

But an Airfryer offers the secret to restoring it to its piping hot and golden crispiness.

To reheat, let your fish sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes. Lightly brush both the fish and chips with a bit of oil, pop them into the Airfryer and cook at 180 degrees for around 4-5 minutes, ensuring the fish is heated all the way through.

Most importantly, remember not to add your salt and vinegar at the shop, wait until you're at home to avoid any dreaded sogginess. 

Keep things consistent 

When making fish and chips from scratch consistency is key to perfecting both parts of the dish. For the fish, select fillets of similar thickness to avoid undercooking or overcooking. 

Uniformly cut the potatoes to ensure they are the same length, thickness and shape. This helps achieve that perfect texture: fluffy on the inside, and crispy on the outside.

Avoid overfilling your Airfryer 

Chips are all about texture, so to avoid any floppy fries, spread them out evenly and avoid packing the basket to the brim.

Overcrowding can stop the air circulating properly, resulting in an uneven cook.

Pimp your Chips

A classic fish and chips is hard to beat, but if you fancy spicing things up a bit, there are plenty of ways to elevate your dish.

For many, Curry sauce is a must-have topping, but why not add an oriental twist with Chinese-style salt and pepper chips?

Or melt some cheese on top for a more indulgent treat. You can also take your sauces to the next level by mixing sriracha with mayo for a spicy kick of whipping up a batch of homemade tartar sauce.

From elite reheating hacks to the secret to unrivalled crunch, Philips Airfryer Chef Martin Senders reveals his ultimate advice alongside his best recipes. ( Phillips) (Image: Phillips)

Frozen fish and chips recipe

• Serves: 2
• Preparation Time: 5 mins
• Cooking Time: 26 mins
• (please note you will need a dual basket Airfryer for this recipe)

Ingredients:

• 240g of breaded fish fillets, frozen
• 2tbsp of vegetable oil
• 600g of frozen chunky potatoes

Method: 

Brush or spray the frozen fish with the oil and place it in the left pan. Cook for 20 minutes at 200 degrees. 

Arrange the potatoes in an even layer in the right pan. Cook for 26 minutes at 180 degrees. (Shake this pan two times during cooking).

Remove from the device, season with salt to taste and serve.

Homemade fish and chips recipe

• Serves: 4
• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

• Regular frozen fries
• 2 decilitres of beer
• 2tbsp of olive oil 
• 1tsp of baking powder 
• ¼ tsp of black pepper, freshly ground 
• 1 pinch of cayenne pepper
• 2tsp of cornstarch 
• 1tsp of salt 
• 4 codfish fillets 
• 2 eggs 
• 200g of all purpose flour 
• 200g of cornflakes
• 1 lemon
• 2tbsp of parsley
• 6 tablespoons of mayonnaise
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 pinch of pepper
• 1 avocado 
• ¼ white cabbage 
• 2 carrots 
• 1 lollo rosso lettuce 
• 150g of Greek yoghurt, 0% fat

Method:

Make a thick beer batter for the fish by mixing beer, olive oil, baking powder, pepper, cayenne pepper, cornstarch and salt.

Cut the fish into chunky pieces but make sure they are not too big.

Whisk the eggs and pass the fish through some flour, then through some egg, then through the batter and then through the ground cornflakes.

Preheat the Airfryer and prepare the fish on the left side of the Airfryer basket and the fries on the right side of the Airfryer basket for 15-18mins at 200 degrees.

Recommended reading

• Why you should never cook bacon in an air fryer as expert urges for 'caution'
• Air fryer expert exposes mistake that sends energy bills soaring by 30 per cent
• How to cook a Sunday roast in an air fryer as seen on TikTok

In the meantime, peel the avocado, smash it and mix with mayonnaise, salt and pepper using a hand blender or chopper.

Make the salad by cutting the white cabbage into thin strips and the carrots into Julienne. Wash the red lettuce and also cut it into strips and mix everything with Greek yoghurt. 

When the fish is ready, serve it with avocado mayonnaise and the salad. Alongside that add a wedge of lemon on the side and sprinkle with chopped parsley.