Can You Stack Food In An Air Fryer?

You can cook only a limited quantity in an air fryer. Therefore, the issue of stacking food such as chicken wings or fries often arises.

But anyone who uses an air fryer frequently knows the golden rule of never overfilling the air fryer basket.

There is no harm in exploring more about stacking food in an air fryer instead of ruining the meal or the appliance.

Yes, you can stack food in an air fryer using a wire rack and ensure there is no interruption of the airflow. Stacking without wire rack is not recommend because it will result in uneven cooking results.

How To Stack Food In An Air Fryer

The issue with stacking food in an air fryer is that it cancels the working mechanism of an air fryer that cooks food with the help of hot air. Food needs a lot of hot air on all sides for proper cooking.

When stacking wings in an air fryer, you get some margin due to its irregular shape. You can pile fresh or frozen foods in an air fryer in two ways.

Stacking Food With Rack

An alternative to stacking food over one another in an air fryer is the use of wire racks. Using racks in an air fryer helps you add more floors of space above the basket.

Using racks is the best way to pile wings in layers. You can arrange one layer of chicken wings on the floor of the air fryer basket. The other layer can be organized on the wire rack. This way, you can cook more food without impeding airflow.

Without A Wire Rack

When you layer wings one over the other, it will block the airflow. As a result, air won’t reach food from all sides. The part of the meat exposed to air will cook much better than the blocked parts.

One of the ways to promote even cooking after layering food is to shake the contents multiple times through the timer.

This way, all spots on the food items will be exposed to hot air for some time. Besides, wings have an uneven surface and shape, which makes pockets for the air to reach the meaty parts of the wings.

What Foods Can You Stack In The Air Fryer

Food	Basket style air fryer	Basket style air fryer	Air fryer oven
	Stacking with racks	Stacking without racks	With racks
Burgers	Yes	No	Yes
Pork Chops	Yes	No	Yes
Ribs	Yes	No	Yes
Chicken Tenders	Yes	No	Yes
Steak	Yes	No	Yes
Chicken Nuggets	Yes	Yes	Yes
Fish Filets	Yes	No	Yes
Fish Fingers	Yes	Yes	Yes
Tater Tots	Yes	No	Yes
Chicken Breast	Yes	No	Yes
Chicken Wings	Yes	Yes	Yes
Chicken Cutlets	Yes	No	Yes
Chicken Legs	Yes	No	Yes
Drumsticks	Yes	No	Yes
Potatoe Fries	Yes	Yes	Yes
Chips	Yes	Yes	Yes
Meat	Yes	No	Yes
Donuts	Yes	No	Yes
Vegetables	Yes	No	Yes

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FAQs

Can you stack potatoes in an air fryer?

It is not advised to stack potatoes in an air fryer. Stacking potatoes in an air fryer will prevent hot air from crisping their exteriors. Therefore, always arrange thicker foods, such as potatoes, in a single layer in an air fryer. The same goes for stacking ribs in the air fryer.

Can you double-layer wings in the air fryer?

Yes, you can double-layer wings in air fryers only if you have shelves or a wire rack that fits inside. The rack can fit more wings, let the hot air move around, and cook the food evenly. If you stack wings in double layers without a rack, don’t forget to shake the contents multiple times throughout the cooking.

How many chicken wings can you put in an air fryer at once?

It generally depends on the size of the air fryer. The higher the capacity of an air fryer, the more wings you can accommodate. The rough idea is that if you have a two to three quarts air fryer, you can add about six chicken wings in one batch.

Can you layer in an air fryer?

Yes, you can. But generally, overcrowding and layering the air fryer are not preferred. The best way to organize food in an air fryer is to arrange it in a single layer. This ensures that cooked food is juicy, succulent, and crispy.

Do wings have to be a single layer in an air fryer?

Though cooking wings in a single layer cooks them much better, if necessary, you can put them in a double layer. Wings might touch each other during cooking, but they can still give you good, if not perfect, results. Also, flip them at various points throughout the cooking process. The same goes for frozen wings.

How long does it take to cook wings in an air fryer?

The total time for cooking buffalo wings in an air fryer is twenty-four minutes. Organize the chicken wings in the air fryer basket and cook for 12 minutes at 360F. Open the air fryer basket, shake the chicken wings and cook for another 12 minutes.

Final Words

The article extensively discusses “Can you stack wings in an air fryer.” Whether you have the Best air fryer for wings or an average unit, there is only one way to stack food without blocking air: by using an air fryer stacking rack. Pilling food without racks does not give you the surety of perfectly crispy results. Therefore, cook your chicken wings in batches if you don't have racks.