Easy Air Fryer Sweet Potato Chips

These amazing air fryer sweet potato chips are super healthy and great for a easy snack. Made crispy and delicious in your air fryer!

Sweet potato chips in the air fryer are a bit of a labor of love but the final product is worth it. The process is simple but the timing matters: slice thin, soak in cold water for 20 minutes, dry thoroughly for 20 minutes, season, air fry. That 40-minute wait before anything goes in the air fryer is the step that makes the difference between a chip and a soft sweet potato round.

The soaking draws out the surface starch — you can see the water turn slightly cloudy while the slices sit in it. Starch is what prevents crisping, and removing it is what lets the sugar in the sweet potato caramelize properly in the hot air fryer rather than just getting soft and cooked. The drying step is equally important: any moisture left on the surface will steam in the air fryer rather than crisp. Both the 20-minute soak and the 20-minute dry on paper towels are non-negotiable if you want chips rather than cooked sweet potato slices.

You don’t need to peel the potatoes — the skin is thin and crisps up well. Wash them thoroughly before slicing.

Work in batches and don’t overlap the slices in the basket. Sweet potato chips need airflow on all sides to crisp evenly — overlap means the covered portions steam instead of crisp.

They are a bit of a labor of love but the final product is so worth it!

Here are your ingredients:

Sweet potatoes (3 large): Medium to large sweet potatoes slice more evenly than very small ones. The goal is uniformly thin slices — about ⅛ inch — so they all cook at the same rate. A mandoline slicer set to the thinnest setting is the most reliable way to achieve this; a sharp knife and patience works too. Uneven slices mean some chips burn while others are still soft. Don’t peel — the skin is thin and crisps nicely.

Olive oil (2 tablespoons): Toss the dried slices in the oil before seasoning so the spices have something to adhere to. Don’t overcoat — too much oil produces chips that are greasy rather than crispy. Two tablespoons for three large potatoes is the right ratio.

Paprika (½ teaspoon): Adds a warm, slightly smoky flavor that works with the natural sweetness of the potato without competing. Smoked paprika gives more depth if you have it.

Salt (¼ teaspoon) and pepper (¼ teaspoon): Light seasoning — the sweet potato flavor is the point. Season after oiling so the spices distribute evenly across all the slices.

How do you make sweet potato chips in the air fryer?

Start by washing the sweet potatoes thoroughly and slicing them into thin rounds — about ⅛ inch thick. A mandoline slicer on its thinnest setting is the most reliable way to get consistent slices. If you’re using a knife, go as thin and even as you can manage. Uneven slices mean some chips will be done while others are still soft, and you can’t fix that once they’re in the air fryer.

Put all the slices in a large bowl of cold water and let them soak for 20 minutes. You’ll notice the water turning slightly cloudy — that’s the starch coming out, which is exactly what you want. Starch is what prevents sweet potato chips from getting crispy, and the soak is what removes it.

After 20 minutes, pull the slices out and lay them flat in a single layer on paper towels. Pat the tops dry and then leave them alone for another 20 minutes. Both the soak and the dry matter — one removes the starch, the other removes the moisture that would steam rather than crisp in the air fryer. Rushing either one is the most common reason these come out soft.

Once the slices are dry, toss them in a large bowl with the olive oil until every slice is lightly and evenly coated. Add the paprika, salt, and pepper and toss again.

Now air fry in batches. Lay the slices in a single layer in the basket with no overlapping — overlapping means the covered pieces steam rather than crisp, and you’ll end up with mixed results across the batch. Cook at 370°F for 15 minutes, checking at the 12-minute mark. The chips are done when the edges look visibly crisp and the surface looks dry and matte rather than shiny. They’ll crisp up a little more as they cool, so don’t pull them too late trying to get them perfect in the basket.

Let each batch cool on a rack or plate while you do the next one. Serve with ketchup, salsa, or whatever dipping situation you have going on.

Do you have to peel sweet potatoes for chips?

No, you do not need to peel sweet potatoes for chips. However, you may want to give them a good wash before slicing into them.

FAQs

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