30 Days, 30 Ways: Fry Without the Fat (2024)

All throughout January we’re bringing you 30 Days, 30 Ways to Good Health, a series of easy strategies for overall wellness (and because we love food, it’s focuses on the foods and cooking techniques to add into your life instead of what to take away.) Our latest eat well strategy: Make sure you know how to fry without the fat.

Get ready to challenge everything you know about frying foods. Our Philips Air Fryer can fry your favorite foods to crispy, golden brown perfection (yes, French fries and potato chips!) using little or no oil. The machine uses patented technology to circulate hot air, yielding crunchy, satisfying results. Now you can enjoy all the fried foods you love—without the guilt.

The Williams-Sonoma Test Kitchen recently used the Philips Air Fryer to make these crave-worthy fries. For more ideas, we turned to the team at Philips, who shared some of their best recipes and tips. Read on!

Tips

Shake it. Be sure to open the Air Fryer and shake foods around as they fry in the machine’s basket—smaller foods like French fries and chips can compress. For best results, rotate them every five to 10 minutes.

Don’t overcrowd. Give foods plenty of space so that the air can circulate effectively; that’s what gives you crispy results. Our Test Kitchen cooks swear by the Air Fryer for snacks and small batches.

Give foods a spray. Lightly spray foods with cooking spray or add just a bit of oil to ensure they don’t stick to the basket.

Keep it dry. Pat foods dry before cooking (if they are marinated, for example) to avoid splattering and excess smoke. Similarly, when cooking high-fat foods like chicken wings, make sure to empty the fat from the bottom machine periodically.

Master other cooking methods. The Air Fryer isn’t just for frying—it’s great for other healthy cooking methods like baking, roasting and grilling, too. Our Test Kitchen loves the machine for cooking salmon!

Recipes

Try these savory appetizers and snacks from the Philips team. Bonus: using the Philips Air Fryer means you don’t have to heat up your oven in the hot summer months!

Crispy Potato Skin Wedges

4 medium russet potatoes 1 cup water

3 tablespoons canola oil

1 teaspoon paprika

1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper

1⁄4 teaspoon salt

Scrub the potatoes under running water to clean. Boil potatoes in salted water for 40 minutes or until fork tender. Cool completely (approximately 30 minutes) in the refrigerator.

In a mixing bowl combine canola oil, paprika, salt and black pepper. Cut cooled potatoes into quarters and lightly toss in the mixture of oil and spices. Preheat the Air Fryer to 390°F. Add half of the potato wedges to the cooking basket and place skin side down, being careful not to overcrowd. Cook each batch for 13-15 minutes or until golden brown. Serves 4.

Feta Triangles

1 egg yolk

4 ounces feta cheese

2 tablespoons flat-leafed parsley, finely chopped

1 scallion, finely chopped

5 sheets of frozen filo pastry, defrosted

2 tablespoons olive oil

Ground black pepper to taste

Beat the egg yolk in a bowl and mix in the feta, parsley and scallion; season with pepper to taste. Cut each sheet of filo dough into three strips. Scoop a full teaspoon of the feta mixture on the underside of a strip of pastry. Fold the tip of the pastry over the filling to form a triangle, folding the strip in a zigzag manner until the filling is wrapped in a triangle. Repeat until all the filo and feta has been used.

Preheat the Air Fryer to 390°F. Brush the filo with a little oil and place five triangles in the cooking basket. Slide the basket into the Air Fryer and cook for 3 minutes or until golden brown. Repeat the process with the remaining feta triangles and serve. Serves 5.

Jerk Chicken Wings

4 pounds chicken wings

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

6 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 habanero pepper, seeds and ribs removed, finely chopped

1 tablespoon allspice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon white pepper

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

4 scallions, finely chopped

5 tablespoons lime juice

1⁄2 cup red wine vinegar

In a large mixing bowl combine all the ingredients, covering the chicken thoroughly with the seasonings and marinade.Transfer to a 1 gallon re-sealable bag and refrigerate for 2 hours up to 24 hours.

Preheat the Air Fryer to 390°F. Remove the wings from the bag and drain all liquid. Pat wings completely dry with a paper towel. Place half the wings in the cooking basket and cook each batch for 14-16 minutes, shaking halfway through. Serve with blue cheese dipping sauce or ranch dressing. Serves 6.

Cajun Shrimp

1⁄2 pound tiger shrimp (16-20 count)

1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1⁄2 teaspoon old bay seasoning

1⁄4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 pinch of salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

Cheddar Bacon Croquettes

For the filling:

1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, block

1 pound bacon, thinly sliced, room temperature

For the breading:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 eggs, beaten

1⁄2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

Cut the cheddar cheese block into 6 equally- sized portions, approximately 1-inch x 13⁄4- inch each.Take two pieces of bacon and wrap them around each piece of cheddar, fully enclosing the cheese.Trim any excess fat. Place the cheddar bacon bites in the freezer for 5 minutes to firm. Do not freeze.

Preheat the Air Fryer to 390°F. Mix the oil and breadcrumbs and stir until the mixture becomes loose and crumbly. Place each cheddar block into the flour, then the eggs and then the breadcrumbs. Press coating to croquettes to ensure it adheres. Place the croquettes in the cooking basket and cook for 7-8 minutes or until golden brown. Serves 6.