We’re Cooking Only with Our Air Fryer: The Series, Wrapped Up
Celebrate International Air Fryer Week with McCain & Schwartz Partnership! See the latest crispy hacks and fakeaway ideas
We’re Only Cooking with Our Air Fryer McCain X Schwartz
To celebrate International Air Fryer Week, we partnered with Schwartz to see just how much joy (and crunch) one appliance can deliver. By teaming McCain’s air fryer range with Schwartz Air Fryer Seasonings, we set out to prove that bold flavour, freezer favourites and a few clever tricks are all you need for great food…no oven trays required.
This series is all about real-life air fryer moments. The kind that starts with “what’s in the freezer?” and end with something crispy and golden. From cosy nights in to full fakeaway spreads, it’s about keeping things simple, flexible and made for sharing.
If fakeaways are your love language, you’ll find even more inspiration in our McCain Fakeaway Recipes, packed with ideas for bringing big takeaway energy home minus the delivery wait.
Day 1: Cheezy Deep Ridge Crinkle Cut Chips for a Cosy Night In
We kicked things off with a proper crowd-pleaser: cheezy Deep Ridge Crinkle Cut Chips because if you’re cooking only with an air fryer, chips are always a strong opening move.
We paired McCain Air Fryer Deep Ridge Crinkle Cut Chips with Schwartz Air Fryer Cheezy Chips seasoning, coating the frozen chips before cooking so every ridge was packed with flavour.
Straight into the air fryer they went at 200°C, with a quick shake halfway through to help them crisp up evenly. Cooking times vary depending on your air fryer:
- 2000W: around 7 minutes
- 1700W: around 8 minutes
- 1400W: around 10 minutes
Served up in a bowl, these cheezy chips were made for a cosy night in — the kind where the sofa’s claimed, the snacks are central and The Traitors is firmly on.
Day 2: Shake, Shake, Shake – The Crispy Hash Brown Hack
Day two was all about one tiny habit that makes a big difference: the shake.
Using McCain Air Fryer Hash Brown Bites, we tested the ultimate crisp-boosting trick, giving the basket a good shake halfway through cooking. The result? Even browning, extra crunch and hash browns that don’t stick together (always a win).
Here’s how to cook them in the air fryer:
- Preheat to 200°C for 5 minutes
- Cook based on your air fryer’s power:
- 2000W: 8–10 minutes
- 1700W: 12–14 minutes
- 1400W: 14–16 minutes
Halfway through, pause, shake the basket like you mean it, then pop them back in until golden and crispy all over.
It’s such a simple move, but it totally changes the texture, proof that air fryer cooking is as much about little habits as it is about great products.
Got an air fryer hack of your own? We’re always listening.
Day 3: Fakeaway Bangin’ Chicken (Because Thursday Can Feel Like Friday Too)
By day three, we were fully in our air fryer era, which meant it was time to go full fakeaway.
Chicken took centre stage, seasoned generously with Schwartz Air Fryer Bangin’ Chicken seasoning and cooked until juicy on the inside and crisp on the outside. To keep things easy (and efficient), we used a Ninja Double Stack 2-Drawer Air Fryer, letting us cook more than one thing at once without any kitchen chaos.
On the side? Our trusty Air Fryer Deep Ridge Crinkle Cut Chips, cooked at 200°C using the same timings as before:
- 2000W: around 7 minutes
- 1700W: around 8 minutes
- 1400W: around 10 minutes
Paired with a fresh salad and a few picky bits, this meal had serious takeaway vibes. And even though it was only Thursday, it was very much giving Friday night energy.
Day 4: Mexican Fakeaway Fiesta (Because Why Stop at One Topping?)
For our finale we went all in with a Mexican-inspired fakeaway fiesta…the kind that starts with chips and somehow turns into a full table spread.
We began with Air Fryer Deep Ridge Crinkle Cut Chips, cooked until golden and crisp, then taken to the next level with a salsa-loaded finish. Once out of the air fryer, the chips were topped with fresh tomato salsa, diced red pepper, red onion and a scattering of coriander, instantly turning them into the main event.
Alongside the chips, leftover mince was transformed into easy taco fillings, served in crunchy taco shells with all the classics: guacamole, sour cream and (of course) even more salsa. Because when it comes to fakeaway nights, more is very much more.
The result? Colourful, generous and perfect for sharing. One air fryer, a few freezer staples, some fresh toppings…suddenly it felt like a full-on fiesta at home.
From cheezy chips to shake-to-crisp hash browns, bangin’ chicken and a Mexican-style spread, cooking only with an air fryer showed just how much you can do with one appliance. Everyday food, made easier, bolder and a lot more fun, exactly how fakeaway nights should feel.