Can You Put Parchment Paper in an Air Fryer?

Best use

Perforated parchment helps with sticky foods while still letting hot air circulate. It is the right liner for breaded fish, dumplings, cookies, marinated chicken, and anything with sugar or cheese that would weld itself to the basket.

Cut parchment to fit the basket with a small margin around the edges, or buy pre-cut perforated rounds sized for air fryers. Place the food on the paper before the fan starts so the paper never runs empty.

How to use it step by step

Preheat the empty basket first if the recipe calls for it. Parchment never goes in during preheating, because there is nothing holding it down.

Lay the parchment flat in the basket, put the food on top right away, and make sure every corner of the paper is either covered by food or trimmed back. Then cook at the normal time and temperature; perforated parchment does not change the chart numbers in a meaningful way.

If the food needs a flip or shake, lift pieces with tongs rather than shaking the basket, since shaking can slide the food off the paper and leave it loose under the fan.

Avoid loose paper

Loose parchment can lift toward the heating element, scorch, and in the worst case ignite. The fix is always weight: food on top of every exposed section.

Do not use parchment for very light foods unless the food fully weighs the paper down. A few shrimp or kale chips on a full sheet leave enough free paper for the fan to grab.

Parchment or foil?

Parchment is better for sticking problems and for acidic foods like tomato or citrus marinades, which react with aluminum. Perforated parchment also blocks less airflow than a flat sheet of foil.

Foil is better when you need to catch dripping fat or sauce, because it can be shaped into a shallow tray with raised edges. For most everyday basket cooking, perforated parchment is the safer default.

What not to use

Do not use wax paper or paper towel in an air fryer. Wax paper melts and smokes at frying temperatures, and paper towel is light enough to lift straight into the heating element.

Also check the temperature rating printed on the parchment box. Most parchment is rated to about 425°F or 450°F, which covers normal air fryer cooking, but broil-style top-heat settings can exceed it.