professional kitchen with a commercial air fryer open, revealing wet-battered fish and a whole raw chicken inside, with smoke and oil splatter illustrating cooking issues

February 13, 2025 Lisa Santorelli

Surprising Things You Can't Cook in an Air Fryer

Think you can toss anything into your air fryer? Think again! While this gadget works wonders, some foods just don’t belong—like wet batters and whole roasts. Even a commercial air fryer has its limits. Want to avoid kitchen disasters? Stick around to learn what not to cook and why!

colourful kitchen countertop displaying foods that should not be cooked in an air fryer, including wet-battered fish, a whole raw chicken, delicate leafy greens, and loose spices

Foods to Avoid in an Air Fryer

Not everything is air fryer-friendly. While these handy appliances can crisp up fries and cook meats to perfection, some foods simply don’t work well. From messy spills to uneven cooking, here’s what should stay out of your air fryer:

Foods coated in wet batter
Large roasts or whole chickens
Delicate foods that can fall apart
Loose spices and small ingredients

commercial air fryer struggling to cook foods that should be avoided, with smoke and oil splatter showing why wet-battered fish, a whole chicken, and loose spices don't work well

Why These Foods Are Problematic

Wet Batters

Picture this: you’re craving crispy tempura shrimp. You dunk them in batter, toss them in the air fryer, and eagerly wait. But instead of golden, crunchy perfection, you open the basket to find a sticky mess dripping through the grates. Unlike deep frying, air fryers don’t instantly set wet batter. If you want crunch, go for a breadcrumb coating instead.

Large Roasts or Whole Chickens

A perfectly roasted chicken sounds great in theory. But in an air fryer? Not so much. The air fryer’s rapid circulation works best on smaller cuts of meat. When you stuff in a whole chicken, the outside crisps up while the inside stays raw. If you're after an evenly cooked roast, your oven or slow cooker is the way to go.

Delicate Foods

Some foods just can’t handle the wind tunnel that is an air fryer. Think flaky fish fillets, shredded cheese, or anything too light. Instead of cooking, they get blown around like confetti in a windstorm. If you don’t want to spend dinner picking up tiny food scraps, it’s best to use gentler cooking methods like pan-frying or baking.

Loose Spices

Seasoning is everything, but tossing loose spices into an air fryer is asking for trouble. The strong airflow sends them flying, leaving some bites over-seasoned and others bland. Worse, those burnt bits of spice can stick to the heating element, creating a smoky mess. The fix? Coat your food with oil and seasoning before it goes in.

Cooking with an air fryer is all about knowing what works—and what doesn’t. Avoid these common pitfalls, and you’ll keep your air fryer clean, your food delicious, and your dinner stress-free!