Published August 31, 2022 Revised 05/31/2025
Fried pickles are one of our favorite starters, hands dow. The little restaurant down the street has the best fried pickles. My husband practically dreams about them. One day, he turned to me and said, “Honey, do you think you could make these at home?” Well now, how hard could it be?
I started looking for recipes and there are a lot, some simple ones, fried pickles are simple. How could a recipe for fried pickles be made complicated? Well, believe me, turns out…some of them are so complicated it felt like I needed a culinary degree just to read them! Two days later, I had scroll-fatigue and still no pickles. I didn’t want gourmet—I just wanted a quick, simple, crispy snack that wouldn’t require three hours in the spice aisle.
So I got to work—and this easy Air Fried Pickle recipe was born. It’s simple, it’s crispy, and it tastes amazing. Best part? You won’t need to break out a vat of oil or clean grease off the ceiling.
This is an air fryer recipe that turned out pretty crisp air fried pickle chips that are tasty and easy to make.
- 1 jar of pickle chips (the kind you’d slap on a hamburger)
- 1 Tablespoon water
- 1/2 Cup of Flour
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce (or more if you are feeling sassy)
- 1 1/2 Cups bread crumbs (I prefer Panko for extra crunch)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
- cooking spray (I use Olive Oil spray)
- Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees (Some fryers do this on their own; if yours doesn’t, give it a few minutes to warm up.)
- Drain our pickles and pat them dry with paper towels. The drier they are, the crispier they’ll get!
- Set up your breading station:
- Coat each pickle:
- First in flour
- Then in egg mixture
- Finally, press into the breadcrumb mix so it really sticks
- Spray the pickles lightly with cooking spray and place them in a single layer in the air fryer basket (don’t crowd them!).
- Cook for 5 minutes, flip, then cook another 4–6 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
- Cool for 2 minutes (if you can stand the wait!) before serving your fried pickles.
Quick Dipping Sauce (Because Air Fried Pickles Need Company)
Now that you have the recipe for the air fried pickles you need a great dipping sauce to go with them. A quick and easy dipping sauce is just to add your favorite hot sauce to ranch dressing. Easy peasy spicy ranch squeezy!
Pair It with Wine (Yes, Really!)
Once those golden little air fried pickles are done, head out to the patio and treat yourself! A cool glass of buttery Chardonnay pairs beautifully with the tangy crunch. Prefer red? Try a light Pinot Noir—you’ll be surprised how nicely it balances the acidity of the air fryer pickles. Your taste buds are going to thank you!!
What Is An Air Fryer?
I like to give a little bonus with each recipe—something extra for curious cooks! If you’ve heard about air fryers but never quite knew how they worked, here’s a quick overview:
An Air Fryer is a compact kitchen appliance that cooks food using hot air circulation, creating a crispy exterior similar to deep frying, but with significantly less oil. It’s essentially a miniature convection oven that can fit on your countertop.
Here’s a more detailed explanation:
- How it works: Air fryers use a fan to circulate hot air around the food, typically within a perforated basket or tray. This hot air cooks the food and also helps to remove surface moisture, creating a crispy texture.
- Benefits: Air fryers offer several advantages, including reduced oil usage, faster cooking times compared to ovens, and the ability to achieve crispy results without the mess and fat of deep frying.
- Versatile: Air fryers can be used to cook a variety of foods, from fries and chicken wings to vegetables and even baked goods.
- Healthier option: By using minimal oil, air frying can be a healthier alternative to traditional deep frying, helping to reduce fat and calorie intake.