🥩 Air Fryer Meat & Seafood

Air Fryer Meat & Seafood Recipes

Cooking meat and seafood in the air fryer gives you the juicy inside and golden crust of pan-frying — without standing over a hot hob. Here are times, temperatures and safe internal temperatures for chicken, steak, pork, sausages, salmon and prawns.

Browse All Articles 🔧 Use Free Tools

🍗

Chicken

Breast: 180–190°C for 18–22 min. Bone-in thighs: 200°C for 22–25 min. Always check the thickest part reaches 74°C, then rest for a few minutes.

🥩

Steak

A medium 2.5cm steak: 200°C for 10–12 minutes, flipping halfway. Rest for 5 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper.

🐖

Pork

Bone-in chops about 2cm thick: 190°C for 12–15 minutes. Pork tenderloin: 190°C for 20–25 minutes. Cook to 63°C and rest for 3 minutes.

🐟

Salmon

Average fillets: 180°C for 10–12 minutes, skin-side down. Thin fillets take 8–10, thick centre-cut pieces 13–15.

🦐

Prawns & Seafood

Raw king prawns: 200°C for 6–8 minutes — check early, they turn rubbery fast. Calamari: 200°C for 8–10 minutes. Pat seafood dry first.

🌡️

Safe Internal Temperatures

Chicken: 74°C · Pork: 63°C · Raw sausages: 70°C · Steak: 60–63°C for medium · Salmon: 60°C well done. A meat thermometer takes out the guesswork.

Quick Answer: Meat and Fish Times in the Air Fryer

Most meat and fish cooks at 180–200°C in 6–25 minutes: prawns and thin fish fillets are quickest, chicken thighs and pork tenderloin take longest. Pat the meat dry, oil it lightly, cook in a single layer and flip halfway. Always judge doneness by internal temperature rather than time alone — every air fryer and every cut is a little different.

Air Fryer Meat & Seafood Times

Food	Temperature	Time	Done at
Chicken breast (boneless)	180–190°C / 350–375°F	18–22 mins	74°C
Chicken thighs (boneless)	200°C / 400°F	16–20 mins	74°C
Chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on)	200°C / 400°F	22–25 mins	74°C
Chicken wings	200°C / 400°F	20–25 mins	74°C
Steak, 2.5cm (medium)	200°C / 400°F	10–12 mins	60–63°C
Pork chops, bone-in ~2cm	190°C / 375°F	12–15 mins	63°C
Pork tenderloin	190°C / 375°F	20–25 mins	63°C
Sausages (standard)	180°C / 350°F	10–12 mins	70°C
Chipolatas / thin sausages	180°C / 350°F	8–10 mins	70°C
Pigs in blankets	180°C / 350°F	12–15 mins	Bacon crisp, sausage cooked through
Bacon	180°C / 350°F	8–10 mins	To your liking
Salmon fillet (2–3cm)	180°C / 350°F	10–12 mins	60°C / flakes easily
Raw king prawns	200°C / 400°F	6–8 mins	Pink and opaque

For weight- and serving-adjusted times, use the Cooking Time Calculator.

Safe Internal Temperatures

A digital probe thermometer is the single best tool for air fryer meat. Insert it into the thickest part, away from bone.

Meat or fish	Internal temperature	Also check
Chicken and turkey	74°C (165°F)	Juices run clear, no pink
Pork chops and loin	63°C (145°F), then rest 3 mins	Juices run clear
Raw sausages	70°C (158°F)	No pink in the middle
Steak — rare / medium-rare	52°C / 54–57°C	Rest 5 mins
Steak — medium / well done	60–63°C / 68°C+	Rest 5 mins
Salmon — medium / well done	50–52°C / 60°C	Flakes with a fork

Not sure what “done” looks like? The Doneness Checker shows undercooked, perfect and overdone for chicken, steak and fish.

Tips for Juicy, Golden Meat

Pat it dry. Surface moisture stops browning — kitchen paper first, then oil and season.
Even thickness. Bash chicken breasts to an even thickness so the thin end doesn’t dry out before the thick end is cooked.
Don’t overcrowd. Leave space between pieces so hot air can reach every side.
Flip halfway, and for skin-on chicken finish skin side up so it crisps.
Rest before cutting. Three to five minutes lets the juices settle back into the meat.
Keep sausages at 180°C — hotter splits the skins before the middle is cooked.

Meat & Seafood Recipes

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you need to flip meat in the air fryer?

Yes, for most cuts. Flipping halfway gives even colour on both sides. The exception is skin-on salmon, which is best left skin-side down throughout.

Why is my air fryer chicken dry?

Usually it’s overcooked, or the breast is uneven so the thin end dries out. Cook to 74°C rather than a fixed time, bash it to an even thickness and rest it before slicing. Our chicken breast guide goes into detail.

Can you cook meat from frozen in an air fryer?

Breaded and pre-cooked frozen products are fine from frozen. For raw chicken and large raw cuts, thaw in the fridge first so the centre reaches a safe temperature before the outside overcooks.