Crispy Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries with Chipotle Mayo
Cornstarch-tossed fries that come out shatter-crisp on the edges without a deep-fryer or a sheet pan.
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Written
Method
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Soak the cut fries in a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes, then drain and pat completely dry with a towel.
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Toss the dry fries with the cornstarch until no dry powder remains, then toss again with the olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon salt.
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Arrange in the air fryer basket in a single layer without overlapping, working in batches if needed.
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Cook at 380°F for 10 minutes, then shake or flip the basket.
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Continue cooking until the fries are deeply browned at the edges and crisp to the touch, another 8 to 10 minutes.
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While they cook, stir together the mayonnaise, adobo sauce, and lime juice.
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Salt the fries again the moment they come out of the basket and serve hot with the chipotle mayo.
Notes
The cornstarch coat is what gets you a crisp edge without a deep fryer — sweet potatoes have less starch than russets to begin with, so skipping it leaves you with fries that brown but never actually crisp. Dry the soaked fries thoroughly before tossing; any surface water turns the cornstarch gummy instead of dusty.
Salt twice: once before cooking so it seasons through, and again right out of the basket while the surface is still hot enough for it to stick. The chipotle mayo comes together in the time the fries cook, so there’s no reason to skip it for plain ketchup.