Air Fryer Conversion Chart: Oven Times to Air Fryer Times
An air fryer is a small convection oven with excellent marketing — which is good news, because it means every oven recipe you own converts with one rule and no faith required.
The rule
Drop the temperature 25°F and cut the time by about 20%, then check early. A 400°F / 20-minute oven recipe becomes 375°F / 15–16 minutes in the basket. The fan is closer and the chamber smaller; that is the entire mystery.
The chart for the greatest hits
| Food | Temp | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Frozen fries | 400°F | 12–15 min, shake at 8 |
| Chicken tenders / chicken fries | 400°F | 10–12 min |
| Chicken thighs (boneless) | 380°F | 16–18 min to 175°F |
| Smashed potatoes | 400°F | 15 min — the salad base, accelerated |
| Bacon | 350°F | 8–10 min, no splatter wall |
| Reheating fried food | 375°F | 3–5 min — better than day one |
The two non-negotiables
One layer, always. Crowding turns an air fryer into a steamer; crisp needs airflow on every side, so two small batches beat one pile every time — the physics behind properly loaded fries starting from properly crisped fries. Doneness by thermometer, not clock: baskets vary wildly between brands, and the 165°F rule does not care what the dial said. New machine under the tree? Start with the first five recipes.
