How To Cook Frozen Pot Pie Flawlessly In The Air Fryer

When a frozen pot pie is prepared perfectly, it certainly hits the spot. Whether it's comfort or convenience, or both, pop those luscious little volcanoes of flavor in the air fryer, and you'll never look back. That's because air fryers are mini-convection ovens, circulating heat via a fan and reducing cook times. Most of the frozen pot pie cooking directions on the side of the box tend to focus on conventional ovens but don't fret. The conversion is easy. Simply reduce the cooking time by about 30 minutes and the temperature by about 30 degrees, and you'll be in business. It's the best way to make your pot pie turn out perfectly toasty and cooked evenly and all the way through, every time, in record time. It does take one other out-of-the-box approach, though, to gain pot pie perfection in any air fryer. And part of it includes ditching the rest of the directions.

Most frozen pot pie directions encourage bakers to place a thin strip of aluminum foil around the pot pie, to protect the crust from cooking too quickly in a conventional oven. You can skip this part but don't skip the foil completely. Instead, use a bit more of it. It's helpful for what comes next — the real tip for getting those pot pies just right.

Invert the frozen pot pie, and place it on a piece of foil. But first, spray the foil with pan spray. Then, cook it upside down for 10 minutes with absolutely no fear. Turning the pie upside down gives the bottom portion a head start on browning. Use tongs to flip the pot pie back to its right side up position and continue to air fry it for another 20 minutes or until it reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. If you want to be sneaky, you could finish baking the pot pie in a pretty dish that fits it to make it look homemade.

Flipping your baked goods isn't new advice, so keep it in mind for other baked goods going in the air fryer, from crispy mushrooms to samosas. And if frozen products aren't your go-to, the inverted foil method works beautifully with mini chicken pot pies that you've frozen after making fresh. There's a way to skip all the foil, too, and it's completely hassle-free. If you use your air fryer frequently, try a silicone cake pan to line it. They come in many shapes and sizes, and you can find one with handles on Amazon for under $20. So if that perfectly browned pot pie turns into a little, luscious volcano spewing its savory insides, the mess is contained and your next cozy meal is easy to clean up.