The Mistake You're Making When Cooking Chicken Thighs In The Air Fryer

When air fryer chicken thighs are done right, there are few things that can compare to the combination of ultra juicy meat and crispy skin (plus the time saved is a nice bonus!). But when they go wrong, you'll be left with dry, tough meat that lacks flavor. Here's the mistake you're making when preparing chicken thighs in the air fryer: You're overcooking them.

The reason so many people make this mistake is because they tend to follow online recipes to a T and fail to consider the specifics of their situations. For starters, all air fryers are different; they come in different sizes and different wattages. That means that cook times and temperatures may vary. You may also have very large or very small chicken thighs, which could affect the cooking time.

Another variable that could impact doneness is the temperature of the protein prior to cooking. If your chicken thighs are resting at room temperature for 30 minutes before going into the air fryer, they will cook quicker than chicken thighs that were pulled straight from the refrigerator.

The only reasonable way to check your air fryer chicken thighs for doneness is to use a meat thermometer to measure temperature at the thickest part of the thigh. Shoot for an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit to know that piece is safe for consumption.

Speaking of desired internal temperature, another mistake to avoid is forgetting about the concept of carryover cooking. You actually want to undercook your air fryer chicken on purpose because it will continue to cook even after it's removed from the heat of the air fryer. This doesn't mean that you can skip using a meat thermometer. Simply remove the chicken once it measures between 158 and 160 degrees Fahrenheit and let it rest for five to 10 minutes. Check the temperature again before serving to ensure it has come up to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Another air fryer chicken mistake is not rotating or flipping the pieces midway through the cooking process. Unless you have a dual-blaze air fryer, which has heating elements on both the top and the bottom of the interior frying compartment, it is a good idea to turn the chicken over halfway through cooking to ensure even browning on both sides.