Can I use an air fryer without a basket? The quick and short answer to this is…. yes….but it all depends upon which model of air fryer oven you happen to own.
The air fryer works by allowing hot air to circulate around your food to cook it.
Air fryers are a small, countertop version of a convection oven. To use it you place your food in the air fryer basket. The basket is designed to hold the food off the floor of the cooking basket so the air can circulate around it. This allows the hot air to cook the food evenly on all sides including the bottom. The food gets nice and crispy while using less oil than other cooking methods.
However, if you block the air flow, it will affect how well the food will cook by changing the air circulation.
Sometimes this happens when you use a parchment liner, an air fryer pan or a piece of aluminum foil on the crisper plate or the air frying rack. You might notice that the food needs to be turned or stirred (if cooked in a pan) in order for it to cook on all sides when you use these items. This is due to uneven cooking temperatures caused by the decreased air flow.
There are some air fryers that designed to have several trays or racks to place the food on. If you need more room you simply remove some of the trays/racks and this will allow you to put larger food items in the air fryer.
You don’t have the same option when it comes to the basket air fryers.
Why would you want to use the air fryer without a basket?
The main reason is usually so you can have more space to cook your food.
The removable basket is used when cooking small food such as french fries, mozzarella sticks, chicken tenders, chicken nuggets or chicken wings.
There are times when you want to cook a larger items such as a whole chickens or a roast. If you place it on the air fryer rack the food is too high and can come in contact with the heating element inside of the machine. This is a huge problem and can lead to the food burning and fatty foods can even catch on fire. Depending upon your air fryer’s size removing the inner basket or rack while leaving the outer basket can give you more room to cook your food.
Removing the rack allows the food to sit lower in the basket so it doesn’t touch the heating element.
Sometimes you want to use a cooking pan or air fryer accessory and it doesn’t fit well if the basket or rack is being used. Removing the basket or rack can give you the extra room you need.
How To Use An Air Fryer Without A Basket
In order to use an air fryer without a basket you need to have a model that will work without it.
Here’s an example of an air fryer in which you can remove the basket or the rack.
This is the Power XL Vortex 5 quart air fryer (this is an Amazon link to it). It’s the first air fryer that I purchased and I love it!
The outer basket pulls out of the air fryer and the inner basket (I would call it a rack) can be removed. With this type of air fryer I can slide the outer basket back into the air fryer and it will continue to run without the inner basket or rack.
Here’s an example of an air fryer in which the air fry basket or rack can not be removed. This is the Cosori air fryer max XL 5.8 quart (this is an Amazon link). Yes I have two air fryers. We use them frequently and often times have both of them running with different parts of the meal in each of them.
For this type of air fryer, the basket needs to be in place in order for the air fryer to work. The air fryer will not function without the rack being in place.
The first picture shows the outer and inner basket together in one piece.
The second picture shows the inner basket removed. When it’s removed you can see that the handle is attached to it. The inner basket is needed in order for this air fryer to function.
The last picture shows that there is a clip on the bottom of the inner basket handle that connects it to the outer basket and holds the two pieces together.
Is it safe to use an air fryer without the basket?
If your air fryer model can be used without the basket or internal rack being in place keep in mind that the cooking will be affected. Leaving the rack out will affect the air circulating. You will need to turn the food to cook well on all sides. You may also need to watch the food closely to prevent it from burning.
To help with clean up you can place foil in the bottom of the air fryer basket and then place the food on the foil. Check the food several times while cooking to make sure that it’s not burning.
Remember, for the best results use your air fryer as instructed. If you need more space to cook check to see if you have one of the basket-style air fryers with a removeable the inner basket or rack. If you use it without the inner rack always watch your cooking time and check your food while its cooking.
If your cooking for a lot of people because you have a large family you may want to look into one of the larger models of air fryers.
There are several new air fryer models that have 2 or 3 racks which allows you to cook more food at once. This might be the best thing if you find that you don’t have as much space as you need with your current air fryer.
The large capacity air fryers don’t take up much space and are perfect if you have a small kitchen. Air fryers, such as this Ninja 10 in 1 air fryer (this is an Amazon link), has several inner racks and can fit 2 pizzas (12 inch in size), a 5 pound chicken or even a 12 pound turkey.
This type of air fryer can be used to make several things at one time. Now you can cook your chicken as well as a side dish, or two, at the same time!
Looking for something delicious to make in your air fryer? Then check out some of these recipes:
Air Fryer Copycat Chipotle Chicken
Here are some other recipes you may enjoy:
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