TGI Friday’s Potato Skins Recipe

✔ Updated October 18, 2026 · Air fryer, make-ahead and frozen-box tips added

TGI Fridays-style potato skins are crispy russet shells loaded with melted cheddar, mozzarella and bacon, then served with cool sour cream and green onion. They're my go-to game-day snack.

This copycat-style version bakes the potatoes first, scoops them out and crisps the buttered skins on both sides before the toppings go on, so they stay sturdy enough to eat by hand. Below you'll find the oven method, an air fryer version, make-ahead and freezing steps for party season, and tips for heating the store-bought frozen kind.

Why You'll Love These Potato Skins

• Crisp, sturdy shells, baked twice and buttered on both sides so they hold every topping.
• Party friendly, the recipe doubles easily and the skins can be made ahead or frozen.
• Oven or air fryer, with both methods here, plus tips for the frozen boxed kind.

Ingredients for TGIF-Style Potato Skins

You only need a handful of ingredients, but each one matters. Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.

• Russet potatoes: medium ones, about 8 ounces each. Their thick skins crisp up and hold their shape better than thin-skinned potatoes.
• Olive oil and butter: oil seasons the potatoes for the first bake, and melted butter brushed on both sides is what makes the shells crisp and golden.
• Cheddar and mozzarella: sharp cheddar brings the flavor and mozzarella brings the stretch. Grate them yourself from the block for the smoothest melt.
• Bacon: cook it until properly crisp so it stays crunchy on top of the cheese.
• Sour cream and green onion: the cool, fresh finish. Serve the sour cream on top or on the side for dipping.

How to Make TGI Fridays Potato Skins (Step-by-Step Photos)

Here's how it comes together. Exact amounts, times and temperatures are in the recipe card below.

Tips for Success

• Use russets. Their thick skins crisp up and their starchy flesh scoops out cleanly. If yours are very large, cut them into thirds lengthwise and save the middle for mashing, so the skins aren't too deep to eat.
• Cool before scooping. Hot potatoes tear (ask me how I know). After about 15 minutes they hold their shape, and leaving ¼ inch of potato gives each skin a sturdy wall.
• Crisp both sides. Butter the insides and bake hollow-side down, then butter the outsides, flip and bake again. This is what keeps the shells from going soggy under the cheese.
• Shred your own cheese. Block cheddar and mozzarella melt smoother than pre-shredded bags, which are coated with anti-caking starch. I shred mine while the potatoes cool, so no time is wasted.
• Top at the last minute. Add the cheese and bacon only for the final few minutes, just until bubbling, then add the cold sour cream and green onion right before serving.

How to Make Potato Skins in the Air Fryer

The air fryer is handy on game day when the oven is full, and it gets the skins very crisp. Work in batches so the potatoes and skins sit in a single layer, and check the first batch a minute or two early, since air fryers vary.

• Cook the potatoes: rub the scrubbed, pierced russets with oil and salt and air fry at 400°F for 40 to 50 minutes, turning once, until a knife slides in easily. Cool for 15 minutes.
• Scoop: halve them lengthwise and scoop out the flesh, leaving about ¼ inch in each skin.
• Crisp: brush both sides with melted butter and air fry hollow-side down at 400°F for 5 minutes, then flip and cook 4 to 5 minutes more, until the edges are golden.
• Top: fill with the cheese and bacon and air fry at 350°F for 2 to 3 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
• Microwave shortcut: short on time? Microwave the pierced potatoes for 8 to 10 minutes, turning every few minutes, until tender, then scoop and crisp as above. The skins won't be quite as crisp, but it saves most of an hour.

How to Cook Frozen TGI Fridays Potato Skins

If you picked up a box of frozen TGI Fridays potato skins at the grocery store, follow the cooking directions on the package. Times and temperatures vary by product and box size, and the manufacturer's directions are tested to heat the centers all the way through. These general rules help them come out crisp instead of soggy:

• Preheat fully. Put them into a hot oven or air fryer, not a cold one, and cook them from frozen unless the box says to thaw.
• Use a single layer. Spread them out on a baking sheet or in the air fryer basket with a little space between each one so the hot air can reach the edges.
• In the air fryer, use the air fryer directions on the box if it has them. If not, check them early and often, since air fryers cook faster than ovens and the cheese can scorch.
• Heat them through. They're ready when the cheese is bubbling and the center is steaming hot (165°F on an instant-read thermometer).
• Skip the microwave if you want crisp skins. It heats them, but the shells turn soft.

Make-Ahead and Freezing

Potato skins are a great party appetizer because almost all the work can be done ahead.

• Up to 2 days ahead: bake, cool and scoop the potatoes, then refrigerate the shells covered. Butter, crisp and top them just before serving.
• Same day: crisp the buttered skins, let them cool, add the cheese and bacon and refrigerate for up to 8 hours. Bake at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes, until hot and bubbling.
• To freeze: freeze the crisped, topped skins on a tray until firm, then move them to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen at 400°F for 15 to 20 minutes, or air fry at 375°F for 8 to 10 minutes, until the center is hot (165°F). Add the sour cream and green onion after reheating.
• Leftovers: refrigerate within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days. Reheat in the oven or air fryer, not the microwave, to keep them crisp.
• The scooped-out potato keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. Use it for creamy mashed potatoes or a pot of potato soup.

Variations

• Restaurant-style ranch dip: stir dry ranch seasoning into the sour cream a little at a time, tasting as you go.
• Spicy Tex-Mex: swap in pepper jack, add sliced jalapeños and serve with salsa.
• Pizza skins: fill with mozzarella and chopped pepperoni and serve with marinara for dipping.
• Roasted garlic: roast a head of garlic, wrapped in foil with a drizzle of olive oil, alongside the potatoes, then fill the skins with the soft garlic, mozzarella and Parmesan.
• Broccoli cheddar: tuck small steamed broccoli florets under the cheddar for a veggie-loaded version.

What to Serve With Potato Skins

Potato skins are made for a game-day spread or an appetizer-for-dinner night. Pair them with Hooters-style wings, jalapeño poppers and a warm dip like buffalo chicken dip or spinach artichoke dip. For more ideas, see what to serve with chicken wings.

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  KFC Mashed Potatoes and Gravy (Copycat)

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  Lighthouse Inn Potatoes

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  Crispy Baked Potato Pancakes

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do you make TGI Fridays potato skins at home?

Bake russet potatoes at 425°F for about an hour, let them cool, then halve and scoop them, leaving a quarter inch of potato. Brush with butter and crisp at 375°F for about 25 minutes, flipping halfway. Fill with cheddar, mozzarella and bacon, bake until bubbling, and serve with sour cream and green onion.

How do you cook frozen TGI Fridays potato skins?

Follow the directions on the box, since times and temperatures vary by product and package size. In general, preheat the oven or air fryer fully, cook them from frozen in a single layer, and heat until the cheese is bubbling and the center is steaming hot. The oven or air fryer keeps them crisper than the microwave.

Can you make potato skins in the air fryer?

Yes. Air fry oiled, pierced russets at 400°F for 40 to 50 minutes until tender, then cool, halve and scoop them. Brush with butter and air fry hollow-side down for 5 minutes, flip for 4 to 5 more, then add the cheese and bacon and cook at 350°F for 2 to 3 minutes.

Can I make potato skins ahead of time or freeze them?

Yes. Bake and scoop the potatoes up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate them covered. To freeze, crisp and top the skins, freeze them on a tray, then bag them for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen at 400°F for 15 to 20 minutes, until the center is hot.

What are the best potatoes for potato skins?

Russet potatoes are best. Their thick skin turns crisp in the oven and their dry, starchy flesh scoops out easily, leaving a sturdy shell. Choose potatoes of a similar medium size, about 8 ounces each, so they bake evenly and the skins are easy to eat in a few bites.