You’re halfway through cooking fries. Do you shake the basket or flip each fry individually? And what about chicken breasts?
Knowing when to shake, when to flip, and when to leave food alone makes the difference between perfect results and disappointing ones.
Let’s break it down.
Why Movement Matters
Air fryers cook from the top down. The heating element sits at the top of the unit, and the fan pushes hot air downward over your food.
The side of your food closest to the heating element browns first. The bottom, sitting against the basket, gets less direct heat.
Without movement, the top browns while the bottom stays pale. Or worse, the bottom steams instead of crisping because it’s sitting in one spot.
Moving food during cooking exposes all surfaces to the heat. This creates even browning and prevents overcooking on one side.
Sources:
- Do I Need to Flip My Food When Air Frying?, America’s Test Kitchen, July 10, 2023, https://www.americastestkitchen.com/articles/5234-do-i-need-to-flip-my-food-when-air-frying
- 8 air fryer mistakes I made, Homes and Gardens, October 27, 2022, https://www.homesandgardens.com/kitchens/air-fryer-mistakes
When to Shake (Not Flip)
Shake your air fryer basket for small pieces of food that move easily. Shaking redistributes food so all pieces get equal heat exposure.
Foods to shake:
- French fries (fresh or frozen)
- Tater tots
- Chicken nuggets
- Vegetables cut into small pieces (Brussels sprouts, broccoli florets, diced potatoes)
- Roasted chickpeas
- Frozen snacks
How to shake: Pull out the basket. Hold it over your sink or counter. Give it a few good shakes to toss the food around. You want pieces that were on the bottom to move to the top.
Put the basket back and continue cooking.
How often to shake: For most foods, shake once or twice during cooking.
If cooking time is 20 minutes, shake at the 10-minute mark.
If cooking for 25 minutes, shake at 8 minutes and again at 16 minutes.
For frozen fries with a full basket, shake 3-4 times for best results. The more food you have, the more often you should shake.
Sources:
- Why do I have to shake the food in my Philips Airfryer?, Philips, https://www.usa.philips.com/c-f/XC000003597/why-do-i-have-to-shake-the-food-in-my-philips-airfryer
- Why You Should Be Shaking Your Air Fryer’s Basket, Tasting Table, July 7, 2025, https://www.tastingtable.com/834807/why-you-should-be-shaking-your-air-fryers-basket-while-cooking/
When to Flip (Not Shake)
Flip larger pieces of food individually. These items are too big or delicate to shake.
Foods to flip:
- Chicken breasts or thighs
- Pork chops
- Steaks or burgers
- Fish fillets
- Breaded chicken cutlets
- Kebabs
- Falafel
- Fish cakes
How to flip: Use silicone-tipped tongs or a spatula. At the halfway point of cooking, carefully turn each piece over. The side that was on top goes to the bottom.
Be gentle with breaded foods. You don’t want to knock off the coating.
How often to flip: Once. Flip at the halfway point.
If cooking chicken for 20 minutes, flip at 10 minutes.
If cooking fish for 12 minutes, flip at 6 minutes.
One flip is enough for most foods. Flipping too often lets heat escape and extends cooking time.
Sources:
- Do I Need to Flip My Food When Air Frying?, America’s Test Kitchen, July 10, 2023, https://www.americastestkitchen.com/articles/5234-do-i-need-to-flip-my-food-when-air-frying
- The Flip, Shake & Spray Air Fryer Method, Recipe This, October 7, 2024, https://recipethis.com/the-flip-shake-spray-air-fryer-method/
Foods That Don’t Need Movement
Some foods cook fine without any movement:
No flipping or shaking needed:
- Bacon (cooks evenly without flipping)
- Salmon fillets (too delicate, and skin-side down works fine)
- Baked goods (moving them disrupts rising and setting)
- Foods in pans or dishes (can’t move them anyway)
- Single large items like a whole chicken (if it fits, leave it alone)
For these items, just let them cook. Check doneness at the end.
Sources:
- The Flip, Shake & Spray Air Fryer Method, Recipe This, October 7, 2024, https://recipethis.com/the-flip-shake-spray-air-fryer-method/
Don’t Overdo It
Every time you open the air fryer, heat escapes. The temperature drops. The unit has to reheat before cooking resumes.
Opening the basket too often extends cook time and can dry out food.
Shake or flip when needed, but don’t check every 2 minutes. Once or twice during cooking is plenty for most foods.
Some recipes tell you to shake every 5 minutes. That’s excessive for most situations. Once or twice works fine.
Sources:
- The Flip, Shake & Spray Air Fryer Method, Recipe This, October 7, 2024, https://recipethis.com/the-flip-shake-spray-air-fryer-method/
The Gentle Approach for Delicate Foods
Fish, crab cakes, and other fragile items break apart easily. Be extra careful when flipping.
Use a thin spatula. Slide it under the food gently. Support the entire piece as you flip.
If something seems too delicate to flip, don’t. Use a foil sling instead, or just accept that one side will brown more than the other.
Better to have food with uneven browning than food that falls apart.
Why Some Air Fryers Have a “Shake” Reminder
Many air fryer models beep halfway through cooking to remind you to shake the basket. This beep tells you it’s time to move food around.
If your model has this feature, listen to it. The beep goes off at the optimal time for shaking.
Some models only beep for cook times of 15 minutes or longer. Shorter cook times often don’t need shaking anyway.
Sources:
- Why do I have to shake the food in my Philips Airfryer?, Philips, https://www.usa.philips.com/c-f/XC000003597/why-do-i-have-to-shake-the-food-in-my-philips-airfryer
The No-Flip Air Fryer Basket
Some newer air fryer models have special baskets or trays that eliminate the need for flipping. These use enhanced air circulation systems that cook food evenly from all angles.
If you have one of these models, follow the manufacturer’s instructions. You might not need to flip at all.
For traditional air fryer baskets, flipping and shaking remain necessary for best results.
Sources:
- How to Use an Air Fryer: Tips & Instructions, KitchenAid, October 19, 2021, https://www.kitchenaid.com/pinch-of-help/countertop-appliances/how-to-use-an-air-fryer.html
Practical Examples
Making french fries (20 minutes at 400°F):
- Shake at 7 minutes
- Shake at 14 minutes
- Check doneness at 20 minutes
Cooking chicken breasts (18 minutes at 375°F):
- Flip at 9 minutes
- Check internal temp at 18 minutes (should be 165°F)
Air frying Brussels sprouts (15 minutes at 375°F):
- Shake at 7 minutes
- Check doneness at 15 minutes
Cooking a burger (10 minutes at 375°F):
- Flip at 5 minutes
- Check internal temp at 10 minutes (should be 160°F for medium)
Sources:
- Master the Art of Flipping Food in an Air Fryer, AirfryFoods, July 30, 2025, https://airfryfoods.com/how-do-you-flip-food-in-an-air-fryer/
Quick Decision Guide
Ask yourself:
- Is it small and moves easily? → Shake it
- Is it large or flat? → Flip it
- Is it delicate or in a pan? → Leave it alone
- Is it bacon or fish? → No movement needed
When in doubt, check once halfway through. If one side is browning faster than the other, move the food.
Tips for Success
Use tongs or a spatula, never your fingers: The basket is hot. Food is hot. Oven mitts help, but tongs are safer.
Work quickly: When you pull out the basket, shake or flip fast, then get it back in. Minimize heat loss.
Be consistent: If a recipe works well with one shake, do that every time. Take notes so you remember what worked.
Watch for sticking: If food sticks when you try to flip it, let it cook another minute. Food releases more easily once it develops a crust.
Next steps: You now understand the basics of shaking and flipping. The next post covers the final essential techniques for your first few weeks of air frying.