Air Fryer Recipe
Fried pickles
Fried pickles make a cracking snack, with sharp, crunchy pickle slices wrapped in a crisp coating that works beautifully in the air fryer.
Ingredients
- 200g dill pickles, sliced into chips
- 125g plain flour
- 2 large free-range eggs
- 125g breadcrumbs or panko
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Cooking spray
Method
- Drain the sliced pickles, then pat them dry with kitchen paper.
- Put the flour in a shallow bowl. Beat the eggs in a second bowl. In a third bowl, mix the breadcrumbs with the garlic powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper.
- Dip each pickle slice into the flour, then into the beaten eggs, and finally coat it in the seasoned breadcrumb mixture.
- Preheat the air fryer to 200°C.
- Arrange the breaded pickles in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Spray them lightly with cooking spray.
- Cook for 8-10 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden brown and crisp.
- Remove from the air fryer and leave to cool slightly. Serve with your favourite dipping sauce.
Why this works in an air fryer
Pickles carry a lot of brine, so thorough drying lets the flour stick and stops steam blowing the crumb off. The flour-egg-crumb layers create a dry, rough surface that browns quickly in the air fryer’s fast convection, while a light oil spray helps the panko conduct heat and crisp evenly.
Equipment notes
Assumes a 4–5 litre basket holding about 200g pickle chips in one layer; in a single-drawer model cook in batches if pieces touch, while dual-zone fryers usually need 1–2 minutes extra per drawer and the trays swapped or shaken well because airflow is weaker at the inner edges.
Common pitfalls
- Coating sliding off in sheets after 2–3 minutes means the pickles were still wet or skipped flour patches; pat them drier and press the flour on before egging.
- Pale, dusty breadcrumbs at minute 8 mean too little surface oil; mist again lightly and cook 1–2 minutes more, avoiding heavy spray that makes clumps.
- Crisp tops but soggy undersides show the slices were too close or not turned; leave visible gaps and flip with tongs halfway so steam can escape.
- Very dark edges with a soft centre usually means thick pickle slices or sugary crumbs; cut chips about 5mm thick or drop to 190°C and extend by 2 minutes.
Variations & substitutions
- Use panko instead of fine breadcrumbs for a craggier crunch; it browns a little faster, so check from 7 minutes.
- Swap paprika for smoked paprika to add barbecue-style depth without changing the cooking time.
- Use cornflour for half the plain flour for a lighter, snappier crust; the coating is more delicate, so turn gently.
- Add finely grated Parmesan to the crumb mixture for a savoury crust, but reduce added salt and watch browning as the cheese colours quickly.
Storage & reheating
Keep cooked fried pickles in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheat in a single layer at 180°C for 3–5 minutes until hot and crisp again.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
