An air fryer temperature chart gives you a quick reference for common foods so you can skip the trial and error. As a general guide, frozen fries and nuggets crisp well around 380–400°F, fresh chicken wings and drumsticks around 380–400°F, roasted vegetables around 375–400°F, and reheating leftovers around 350°F. Most everyday cooking lands between 350°F and 400°F, with higher temperatures for crispy items and lower ones for gentle reheating or delicate foods.
Treat any chart as a starting point, because basket size and model wattage change how fast food cooks. Preheat for two to three minutes when a recipe calls for it, arrange food in a single layer, and shake or flip partway through. For thicker cuts, a slightly lower temperature with a few extra minutes cooks the center without burning the surface. Pair these temperatures with the conversion tool above to turn any oven recipe into reliable air fryer settings.
How to convert oven recipes to the air fryer
An air fryer is a small convection oven, so food cooks faster and a touch cooler. The simple
conversion is to reduce the temperature by about 25°F and cut the cook time by roughly 20%. Because models vary, check early and shake or flip halfway through.
Air fryer cooking times for common foods
| Food | Temp | Time | Notes |
|---|
| Frozen french fries | 400°F | 15 min | Shake halfway |
| Tater tots | 400°F | 12 min | |
| Chicken wings | 380°F | 25 min | Flip halfway |
| Chicken breast (boneless) | 375°F | 18 min | To 165°F |
| Frozen chicken nuggets | 400°F | 10 min | |
| Bacon | 350°F | 9 min | |
| Salmon fillet | 400°F | 10 min | |
| Shrimp | 400°F | 8 min | |
| Steak (1 inch) | 400°F | 12 min | Medium; flip halfway |
| Brussels sprouts | 375°F | 15 min | Shake halfway |
| Frozen mozzarella sticks | 380°F | 7 min | |
| Cookies (from dough) | 320°F | 8 min | |
Air fryer tips
- Don’t overcrowd the basket, air needs to circulate for crispiness.
- Shake or flip food halfway through for even browning.
- Preheat 2–3 minutes for the best sear on meats.
- Lightly oil fresh (non-breaded) foods so they crisp instead of dry out.