Some recipes are dinner. This one is a side dish that quietly steals the show. I’ve made a version of these more times than I can count now, and they’ve become the thing I reach for whenever a Sunday roast is on the cards – crisp at the edges, soft in the middle, and coated in enough butter and parmesan that nobody at the table is going to call them healthy. They’re not meant to be. That’s the whole point.
The method could not be simpler – just baby potatoes cut in half, tossed in melted butter, a good amount of parmesan, and a scattering of rosemary, with the air fryer doing the rest.
Why This Recipe Works
Cutting the potatoes in half gives you a flat, cut side that goes deep golden and crisp against the base of the air fryer, while the rounded skin side stays soft underneath. Adding parmesan at two points during cooking means you end up with a layer that goes deep golden rather than just melting away.
Ingredients
- 6-10 baby potatoes, halved
- 70g butter
- 75g parmesan, in total
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic (fresh or granules)
- Salt and pepper
- Fresh rosemary
Method
- Prepare the potatoes. Cut each baby potato in half.
- Melt the butter. Melt the 70g of butter in the microwave or a small saucepan.
- Season the air fryer base. Pour a little of the melted butter into the base of the air fryer, then scatter in some of the parmesan along with the paprika, garlic, salt and pepper – this builds a layer of flavour underneath the potatoes as they cook.
- Glaze and season. Toss the potatoes in the remaining melted butter (or a light oil spray), then place them cut-side down in the air fryer.
- First cook. Top with more parmesan and air fry at 200C for 20 minutes.
- Second cook. Turn the potatoes, add another layer of parmesan and the fresh rosemary, then air fry for a further 10 minutes at 200C, until deep golden and crisp at the edges.
Tips for the Best Results
- Cut-side down. Placing the flat side against the base of the air fryer is what gives you that deep golden crust.
- Layer the parmesan. Adding it twice – once before cooking and again halfway through – gives a better crust than adding it all at once.
- Toss well in butter. Make sure every potato half is fully coated before it goes in, so the parmesan has something to cling to.
- Add rosemary early if you can. It crisps up nicely alongside the potatoes; if it goes in late, it will still taste good, just slightly less crisp.
Tips for the Best Results
- Thighs, not breast. Chicken thighs stay juicy under high heat, which matters more in an air fryer than an oven. Breast will dry out faster.
- Don’t skip the rest. Even 30 minutes of marinating time makes a real difference to how much flavour the chicken picks up.
- Compact skewering. Push the pieces close together on the skewer so they hold their moisture and cook evenly, rather than drying out at the edges.
- No Ninja Crispi? This works in any air fryer – just keep an eye on timing, as models vary slightly.
