Air Fryer Temperature Chart — Perfect Temps by Food

Quick answer: the best air fryer temperature is 200°C (400°F) for foods that need crisp browning, 190°C (375°F) for frozen foods and thicker cuts, 180°C (355°F) for gentler cooking, and 150–165°C (300–330°F) for baking or reheating. There is no single perfect temperature for every food—the right setting depends on thickness, moisture, sugar, coating, and the safe internal temperature you need to reach.

Most air fryer foods cook best between 180–200°C (355–400°F). Use 200°C (400°F) for chicken breast, salmon, shrimp, fries, and fast-roasting vegetables; use 180–190°C (355–375°F) for frozen items, thick cuts, and foods that need more time in the center.

This guide gives you the temperature logic behind common air fryer foods, with times aligned to the dedicated food guides on this site.

Best Air Fryer Temperature at a Glance

Air fryer temp	Best for	Why it works
150–160°C / 300–320°F	Cookies, brownies, delicate baking, gentle reheating	Prevents the outside from drying or browning before the center warms
165–180°C / 330–355°F	Whole chicken, sausages, bacon, reheated leftovers, thicker frozen foods	Gives the center time to heat before the outside gets too dark
190°C / 375°F	Frozen burgers, nuggets, mozzarella sticks, sweet potato fries	Strong browning with less burning than full 200°C heat
200°C / 400°F	Chicken breast, salmon, shrimp, fries, broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes	Fast browning and crisp edges for foods that cook quickly or benefit from high heat

If you only remember one rule: use 200°C (400°F) for crisping and 180–190°C (355–375°F) when the center needs more time.

For a dedicated leftover table with pizza, fries, fried chicken, rice, and casserole timings, use the air fryer reheating chart. Reheating needs lower temperatures and shorter check windows than cooking food from raw.

What Is the Perfect Air Fryer Temperature?

The perfect air fryer temperature is the lowest setting that cooks the center safely while still browning the outside. For most everyday foods, that means 190–200°C (375–400°F). Drop lower for baking, reheating, sugary glazes, or thick frozen foods that need time to warm through.

Goal	Best starting temp	Use it for
Maximum crisping	200°C / 400°F	Fries, chicken breast, salmon, shrimp, broccoli, cauliflower
Balanced browning	190°C / 375°F	Frozen burgers, nuggets, sweet potato fries, thicker cuts
Gentle cooking	180°C / 355°F	Bacon, sausages, whole poultry pieces, foods that brown too fast
Reheating	165–175°C / 330–350°F	Pizza, cooked chicken, steak, leftovers
Baking	150–165°C / 300–330°F	Cookies, brownies, muffins, delicate batters

If you are converting an oven recipe, start with the Oven to Air Fryer Converter, then compare the result with this chart. If your dial is in the other unit, use the °C / °F Converter before setting the basket.

Why Air Fryer Temperatures Differ from Oven Temperatures

Air fryers run hotter than ovens at the same dial setting. Hot air circulates at higher velocity in the small chamber, which means food is exposed to more aggressive heat than the number suggests. The standard adjustment is to subtract 25°F (14°C) from a convection oven recipe, or 50°F (28°C) from a conventional oven recipe.

The temperatures in the chart below are already calibrated for the air fryer — no further adjustment needed. If you're starting from an oven recipe instead, use the Oven to Air Fryer Converter to get the right starting point.

Complete Air Fryer Temperature Chart

Poultry

Food	Temp (°C)	Temp (°F)	Time	Internal temp
Chicken breast (boneless)	200°C	400°F	12–15 min	74°C / 165°F
Chicken thighs (bone-in)	190°C	375°F	22–25 min	74°C / 165°F
Chicken thighs (boneless)	200°C	400°F	14–17 min	74°C / 165°F
Chicken drumsticks	190°C	375°F	20–24 min	74°C / 165°F
Chicken wings	200°C	400°F	20–24 min	74°C / 165°F
Whole chicken (spatchcocked)	180°C	355°F	45–55 min	74°C / 165°F
Turkey breast (bone-in, ~1 kg)	180°C	355°F	50–60 min	74°C / 165°F

Beef and Pork

Food	Temp (°C)	Temp (°F)	Time	Notes
Steak (2.5 cm thick)	200°C	400°F	8–14 min	Depends on doneness; flip halfway
Burger patties	190°C	375°F	10–12 min	71°C / 160°F internal
Meatballs	190°C	375°F	10–14 min	71°C / 160°F internal
Pork chops (bone-in)	200°C	400°F	14–16 min	63°C / 145°F internal
Pork tenderloin	200°C	400°F	18–22 min	63°C / 145°F internal
Bacon (regular cut)	180°C	355°F	7–10 min	Lower heat reduces smoke
Sausages	180°C	355°F	12–15 min	71°C / 160°F internal
Hot dogs	190°C	375°F	5–7 min	—

Fish and Seafood

Food	Temp (°C)	Temp (°F)	Time	Notes
Salmon fillet	200°C	400°F	8–10 min	Skin side down; no flip needed
Cod or tilapia (fillet)	200°C	400°F	8–10 min	Flakes easily when done
Shrimp (peeled, medium)	200°C	400°F	6–8 min	Watch carefully — overcooks fast
Scallops	200°C	400°F	5–7 min	Pat dry before cooking
Fish tacos (small fillets)	200°C	400°F	8–10 min	—

Vegetables

Food	Temp (°C)	Temp (°F)	Time	Notes
Broccoli florets	200°C	400°F	8–10 min	Small florets, not too crowded
Brussels sprouts (halved)	195°C	385°F	12–15 min	Cut side down
Asparagus	200°C	400°F	7–9 min	Thin spears, 5–6 min
Zucchini (sliced)	190°C	375°F	8–10 min	—
Bell peppers (strips)	190°C	375°F	10–12 min	—
Cauliflower florets	200°C	400°F	12–15 min	Toss in oil, season well
Green beans	200°C	400°F	7–9 min	—
Corn on the cob	190°C	375°F	12–14 min	Brush with butter

Potatoes and Starchy Sides

Food	Temp (°C)	Temp (°F)	Time	Notes
Fries (fresh cut)	200°C	400°F	14–20 min	Shake at least twice
Fries (frozen)	200°C	400°F	12–16 min	No thawing needed
Cubed potatoes	200°C	400°F	15–20 min	2 cm cubes
Baked potato (whole, small)	200°C	400°F	35–40 min	Pierce before cooking
Tater tots (frozen)	200°C	400°F	12–14 min	Shake halfway
Sweet potato fries	190°C	375°F	14–18 min	Lower temp prevents burning

Frozen Food

Food	Temp (°C)	Temp (°F)	Time	Notes
Chicken nuggets	190°C	375°F	10–14 min	Check package for baseline
Fish sticks	200°C	400°F	10–12 min	—
Mozzarella sticks	190°C	375°F	6–8 min	Watch for cheese leakage
Spring rolls / egg rolls	190°C	375°F	8–12 min	—
Frozen burgers	190°C	375°F	14–18 min	71°C / 160°F internal
Pizza rolls	190°C	375°F	7–9 min	—
Onion rings (frozen)	200°C	400°F	8–10 min	—

Baked Goods

Food	Temp (°C)	Temp (°F)	Time	Notes
Muffins	160°C	320°F	12–14 min	Test with toothpick
Cupcakes	155°C	310°F	12–14 min	—
Cookies	150°C	300°F	7–9 min	—
Brownies	150°C	300°F	18–20 min	Cover top after 12 min
Dinner rolls	165°C	330°F	12–14 min	—
Biscuits	180°C	355°F	8–10 min	—

Reheating

Food	Temp (°C)	Temp (°F)	Time
Pizza	175°C	350°F	3–5 min
Fries (leftovers)	190°C	375°F	4–6 min
Chicken (cooked)	165°C	330°F	5–8 min
Steak (cooked)	165°C	330°F	4–6 min
Egg rolls / spring rolls	165°C	330°F	4–5 min

---

How to Read the Chart

Times are for a single layer. If you crowd the basket, add time and expect uneven results — hot air needs to circulate around each piece. When in doubt, cook in batches.

Internal temperature beats visual cues. The air fryer browns the outside faster than the inside cooks through, especially for thick pieces. Use a thermometer for proteins: poultry 74°C (165°F), ground meat 71°C (160°F), whole-cut beef and pork 63°C (145°F) with a 3-minute rest, and fish or shellfish 63°C (145°F). Reheated leftovers should reach 74°C (165°F).

Preheat for 3 minutes. Starting cold adds 3–5 minutes to actual cooking time and throws off the times in any chart. Preheat first, then add food.

Check early, adjust from there. These times assume a well-calibrated air fryer. Consumer models can run 10–20°F hotter or cooler than the dial says. The first time you cook something new, check 2–3 minutes before the lower end of the range.

Brand Calibration

The temperatures above assume a standard air fryer. Ninja, Cosori, and Philips models all have documented calibration offsets — some run hot, some cool, and this is most noticeable when cooking proteins or baking. If your results are consistently over or underdone, the Brand Converter adjusts settings for your specific model.

Temperature Units

The chart lists both Celsius and Fahrenheit. If you need to switch between units for any reason — or if your air fryer's dial only shows one and your recipe shows the other — use the °C / °F Converter.

For food-specific details, see the guides for air fryer chicken, air fryer salmon, air fryer steak, and air fryer vegetables.

Food-Specific Quick Pages

This page is the broad temperature index. For tighter guidance, use the air fryer food chart, which links to short pages for chicken, salmon, shrimp, steak, pork chops, fries, frozen food, baked goods, and vegetables.