Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Patties

Air fryer frozen chicken patties are quick and convenient. Air frying means they will be perfectly crisp on the outside, and still tender in the center. A perfect quick and easy mid-week dinner!

How to Cook Frozen Chicken Patties in the Air Fryer

Frozen chicken patties, or frozen chicken burgers, make a great mid-week dinner, and are always popular with the whole family. They are quick and easy to cook, and air frying makes them even quicker and easier to cook!

Even better, air frying frozen chicken patties is the best way to cook them because the action of the hot air gets them truly crispy on the outside with no need to add oil. Air fryers are perfect for cooking most frozen foods for this reason. Try this frozen chicken breast air fryer recipe and you’ll see what I mean.

Air frying is also a great option for cooking crispy chicken. Check out my recipes for air fryer homemade chicken patties made with ground chicken, air fryer chicken breast, or air fryer chicken schnitzel for some other tasty dinner ideas.

Scroll down for the printable card for this air fryer chicken patty recipe, or read on for all the details!

What are the best frozen chicken patties to use

Our usual brands of frozen is Tyson chicken patties or Bell & Evans, but you can use any brand that you prefer. Just bear in mind that all chicken patties are slightly different sizes and thickness and so cook times will vary.

We usually use breaded chicken patties, but you air fry unbreaded frozen chicken patties in the same way.

Frozen chicken patties are normally cooked from frozen, however, you should always check the packet instructions of the product you have to ensure that the manufacturer states that you can cook them from frozen, or whether they should be defrosted.

Directions

Step 1: Preheat the air fryer. First you need preheat the air fryer to 360°F/ 180°C. Some brands of air fryer state that you don’t need to preheat them, but I find you do get better results after preheating for recipes where the cook times are short.

Step 2: Place frozen chicken patties in the air fryer. Place the patties into the air fryer basket in a single layer. Try to ensure they are not touching. You want air the hot air air to reach all surfaces of each frozen chicken patty so that they cook evenly.

Step 3: Air fry chicken patties. Cook chicken patties at 360°F/ 180°C until they are golden brown, cooked through and have reached 165°F/ 74°C in the center of the thickest patty. Check the internal temperature using an instant read thermometer* to be sure the patties are cooked properly.

How long to cook frozen chicken patties in an air fryer?

The cooking times for air frying frozen chicken patties will depend on a number of factors including the brand of patties used, the size and shape of each individual chicken patty, and how powerful your air fryer is.

I used the Phillips Digital Twin TurboStar Airfyer* to test air frying frozen chicken patties, and the patties were cooked in 10 minutes. If you have another powerful brand of air fryer like a Ninja Foodie or a Nuwave the the cook times will probably be similar. Other brands may require a few minutes extra.

The best way to know that your patties are cooked properly is to test the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer. They should reach 165°F/ 74°C.

Always test the internal temperature in the center of the thickest part of your food for an accurate reading.

Should I defrost chicken patties before air frying?

You don’t normally need to defrost chicken patties before air frying, but be sure to check your packet instructions to see what is recommended for the product you have.

If you have a thawed chicken patty that you want to air fry, then you will need to reduce the cooking time in the recipe below a little, though not by much. Take around 2 minutes off the cooking time, so start with around 8 minutes before checking to see if they are cooked. Just be aware that it might not be quite as crisp as one cooked from frozen.

Serving

I usually serve frozen chicken patties as a classic chicken burger in a bun, but they are very versatile and you can serve them many different ways. You could try:

• A classic chicken burger in a brioche bun – try adding bacon, avocado and mayo, or slaw and BBQ sauce
• Bun-less chicken patties with a salad and/or fries
• Cut patties into pieces or in a wrap with hummus and salad
• Sliced and served in tacos with salad, salsa and taco sauce

Storing and reheating

Store any leftover chicken patties in an airtight container in the refrigerator within two hours of cooking, and use within three days.

You can reheat chicken patties in the air fryer, just place them in the basket in a single layer and air fry at 320°F/ 160°C for 4-5 minutes until they reach 165°F/ 74°C in the center.

Air fryer frozen chicken patties recipe card

You may also like:

• Air Fryer Chicken Wings
• Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks
• Air Fryer Whole Chicken
• Air Fryer Chicken Meatballs
• Air Fryer Frozen Tater Tots