Potatoes · Air fryer

Air Fryer Jacket Potato (Fast Method) | 30 Minutes

Forget the oven and the endless waiting, this jacket potato goes from raw to crispy-skinned perfection in under 30 minutes, thanks to a cheeky microwave shortcut. The secret? A quick blitz in the microwave, a generous oil and salt rub, then into the air fryer for that crucial crunch.

R By Richard · Adapted from Let's Cook With Leigh · Published 10 June 2026
👁 154k source views ❤️ 2.1k source likes
⏱Prep 5 min
🌡Temp 200°C
⏲Air fry 20 min
🍽Serves 1
Air Fried Baked Potato (Jacket Fast Edition)

Source video by Let's Cook With Leigh on YouTube. This recipe was adapted with strict source-fidelity rules.

This is a quick jacket potato recipe that cuts the usual oven time of an hour or more down to under 30 minutes. The potato is pricked, microwaved to do the heavy lifting, then oiled, salted and finished in the air fryer at 200°C for crispy skin. Topped with butter, salt, pepper and a generous pile of cheddar. Use a proper large baking potato, not the small bagged supermarket ones.

Ingredients

Main
  • 1 wholebaking potato, large, around 500g, washed and pricked all over with a fork
  • oil, for rubbing
  • salt
To Serve
  • butter (add late)
  • black pepper (add late)
  • cheddar cheese, grated (add late)

Method

  1. Wash and wipe the potato, then prick it all over with a fork so it does not burst.

    ~2 min

  2. Put the potato in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for around 7 minutes for a large 500g potato. For smaller potatoes use 4-5 minutes, anywhere between 5 and 10 minutes depending on size. It will not be fully cooked but should have softened.

    ~7 min

  3. Carefully rub the hot potato all over with oil, then season generously with salt. Mind your hands, it will be hot.

    ~2 min

  4. Place the potato in the air fryer. No preheat needed. Cook at 200°C for 20 minutes. Do not open the drawer or turn it.

    ~20 min

  5. Remove carefully, let it cool slightly, then slice open with a sharp knife. Season the inside with salt and pepper, mash up the flesh a little if you like, and add a knob of butter to melt in.

    ~2 min

  6. Top with grated cheddar (or your chosen topping) and serve straight away.

    ~1 min

Frequently asked

Do I need to preheat my air fryer for this?
No. This recipe goes straight in at 200°C for 20 minutes with no preheat. The microwave has already done a lot of the cooking, so the air fryer is mainly there to crisp the skin.
Why microwave the potato first?
A baked potato in the oven can take 1-2 hours. Microwaving for 5-10 minutes softens the inside so the air fryer only needs 20 minutes to finish it and crisp the skin. Total time is under 30 minutes.
How do I get really crispy skin?
Rub the hot microwaved potato all over with oil and season heavily with salt before it goes into the air fryer. The oil and salt crust at 200°C is what gives that crackly, crispy skin.
What size potato should I use?
Use a proper large baking potato from the loose veg section, ideally around 500g. The small bagged 'baked potatoes' supermarkets sell are too small. Adjust microwave time up or down based on size (5-10 minutes).
Can I cook more than one at a time?
Yes, as long as they fit in the basket with a little space around each one for air to circulate. Microwave them together first, then air fry. You may need to add a couple of minutes to the air fryer time for larger batches.
Extraction notes (transparency): Microwave time stated as 7 minutes for a 523g potato, with a guide of 5-10 minutes depending on size. Quantities for oil, salt, butter and cheese were not specified, so left as 'to taste' style with null quantities.