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Air Fryer Fried Pickles give you that crunchy, golden coating without the mess of deep-frying, and they come together in about 30 minutes. My secret ensures the breading sticks and crisps on the pickles instead of steaming. A little oil over each one before they go into the air fryer helps them turn golden brown. These fried pickles disappear fast, so make a double batch if you’ve got people coming over.
As a fourth-generation Southern cook, I’ve been eating and cooking fried food for most of my life. However, these days I try to limit our intake of fried food, and I really hate frying anything because of all the mess. So when the kids ask for fried pickles, I make this air fryer version because it’s less messy but still has that crispiness you want.
The air fryer does most of the work, and the trade-off is that the breading needs a little help to crisp, since there’s no oil bath doing it for you. Drying the pickles well and brushing the breaded chips with oil are the two steps I take to keep the pickles nice and crunchy.
Testing results for air fryer fried pickles
- I found that drying the pickles before breading is one secret to crispy air fryer fried pickles. Pickles hold a lot of moisture, and a wet surface makes the breading slide off and steam. Laying the chips on a paper towel for 10 to 15 minutes and patting the tops dry gives the coating something to hold onto.
- I also like to add a little oil to the pickles while they’re cooking. Most air fryer recipes don’t require this, but for these pickles, I’ve found it helps with crispiness.
I hope you make this recipe. I think you’ll love it!
P.S. I put these out when I’m setting up a spread of Easy Southern Appetizers for Parties, usually with a couple of dipping sauces, like my Spicy Comeback Sauce.
Ingredient notes
Here are a few things to know about the ingredients in this recipe.
➡️➡️➡️ The full ingredient amounts and instructions are listed below on the printable recipe card. Scroll below the recipe card for frequently asked questions and tips for success.
Dill pickles. Slice whole dill pickles into 1/4-inch chips, or grab a jar of pre-sliced dill chips to skip a step.
Panko breadcrumbs. Panko gives you a coarser, crunchier coating than regular breadcrumbs, which matters in the air fryer, where you don’t have hot oil to crisp things up.
Garlic powder and paprika. These go in the flour to season the coating from the first layer. The paprika also adds a little color, so the pickles look golden rather than pale.
Vegetable oil. A light brush of oil over the breaded pickles helps them turn golden brown. A spray works too, but brushing lets you control where it goes so you don’t end up with dry spots.
Pin this now to save it for laterHow to make air fryer fried pickles
These pickles are so easy and will have your family begging for more!
- Slice the pickles into chips and dry them well on a paper towel.
- Set up three bowls: seasoned flour, beaten egg, and panko.
- Coat each pickle in flour, then egg, then press it into the panko so the crumbs stick on all sides.
- Arrange the pickles in a single layer in the basket and brush the tops with oil.
- Air fry, flipping and brushing with more oil partway through, until golden. Serve right away.
Getting crispy pickles, not soggy
Pickles are wet by nature, and that moisture is the enemy of a crisp coating. In a deep fryer, hot oil flashes off the surface water almost instantly. An air fryer can’t do that, so the work has to happen before the pickles go in. Drying the chips on a paper towel and patting the tops is what lets the breading grab on and stay put.
Oil still matters, just less of it. A light brush over each breaded pickle gives you the browning and crunch you’d normally get from frying, through the same surface reactions that turn deep-fried food golden. Without it, the coating dries out and stays chalky and pale.
The air fryer crisps by moving hot air around each piece, so the pickles need plenty of room. If you put too many in and crowd the basket, they’ll steam and get soggy. Leave space in between the pickles and only fry them in a single layer.
Variations
- Spicy. Add a pinch of cayenne to the seasoned flour, or whisk a little hot sauce into the egg.
- Pickle spears. Use spears instead of chips for a bigger, juicier bite. They need a little more time per side.
- Bread-and-butter pickles. Sweet pickles give you a sweet-and-salty version if that’s your thing.
- Ranch coating. Stir a spoonful of dry ranch seasoning into the panko for a tangy, herby crust.
Make-ahead and storage
Make ahead. You can bread the pickles a few hours ahead, keep them on a tray in the fridge, and air fry right before serving. Breaded raw pickles hold up far better than cooked ones, which lose their crunch quickly.
Storage. Leftovers should be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days. They won’t be as crisp as fresh, but they reheat well.
Reheating. Reheat in the air fryer at 350 to 375 degrees F for a few minutes to bring back the crunch. The microwave will make them soft.
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below!
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Air Fryer Fried Pickles Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 medium-large dill pickles, sliced into 1/4-inch chips
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Instructions
- Slice 3 medium-large dill pickles, sliced into 1/4-inch chips and lay them on a paper towel. Let them sit for 10 to 15 minutes, then pat the tops dry.
- In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
- In a second small bowl, whisk 2 large eggs.
- Put 1 cup panko breadcrumbs in a third small bowl.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F.
- Coat each pickle chip lightly in the seasoned flour, dip both sides in the egg and let the excess drip off, then press into the panko so the crumbs stick on all sides. Repeat with the remaining pickles, working in batches if needed.
- Arrange the breaded pickles in a single layer in the air fryer basket and brush the tops with vegetable oil.
- Air fry for 5 to 6 minutes, then flip, brush with more oil, and air fry another 5 to 6 minutes, until golden brown. Timing varies a little depending on your air fryer.
- Serve immediately with dipping sauce.
Notes
- Make ahead by breading the pickles a few hours in advance and refrigerating, then air fry before serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Reheat in the air fryer at 350 to 375 degrees F to re-crisp.
Nutrition
Questions and tips
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days. Reheat in the air fryer at 350 to 375 degrees F to bring back the crunch. You can also bread the pickles a few hours ahead and refrigerate them unbaked, then air fry right before serving.
Yes. The air fryer gives you a crispy, golden coating with just a brush of oil, so they come out lighter than deep-fried versions. The keys are to dry the pickles well and arrange them in a single layer.
Yes, preheat to 400 degrees F before the pickles go in. A hot basket helps the coating set and crisp right away instead of slowly drying out.
Fresh jarred pickles work best here. Frozen pickles release a lot of water as they thaw, which makes the breading soggy and hard to crisp. If frozen is all you have, thaw and pat them very dry first.
The egg helps the breading stick, but you can brush the floured pickles with a little mayonnaise or buttermilk instead. Press the panko down firmly on both sides so it holds.
Usually, it’s surface moisture or skipping the press. Pat the pickles dry, coat them in flour first so the egg has something to grab onto, then press the panko on so it sticks to all sides.
