11 Mistakes Everyone Makes Cooking Chicken In The Air Fryer

In recent years, the air fryer has become the superhero of many kitchens, allowing speedy, cost-efficient cooking while taking up relatively little space. It is capable of quickly cooking vegetables, fries, and of course meat, and with chicken continuing to be the most popular choice of meat in the United States, we can assume that plenty of home cooks are whipping up chicken dinners in their air fryer. Air frying chicken is an easy task, but cooking it well is a different matter.

From cooking at the wrong temperature to holding back on the seasoning, there are various mistakes that could be holding your air-fried chicken back from fulfilling its finger-licking potential. The good news is, once you are aware of these faux pas, they are easy to avoid in future. Whether you have just unwrapped a shiny new air fryer or you're just looking to make your chicken as succulent as possible, we've got you covered. Let's explore 11 mistakes everyone makes when cooking chicken in the air fryer.

One of the notable advantages of using an air fryer over a regular oven is the lack of a long preheat time. While your oven may take up to 20 minutes to come to temperature, the small size and efficient nature of the air fryer mean it's ready for your food much more quickly (and cheaply.) However, the mistake people often make is to assume the air fryer doesn't need to be preheated at all, which can cause issues, particularly with chicken.

The ideal cooking scenario for your chicken is that it goes into a piping hot appliance and starts crisping up as soon as it begins to cook. By placing the raw meat in a cold air fryer, the first few minutes will warm the chicken slowly, without crisping it up at all. The fryer could also have cold spots in those early moments, and not cook the chicken evenly, leaving patches that are dry or rubbery.

The good news is that pre-heating an air fryer only takes a few extra moments — between 3 and 5 minutes should do the trick. You can use that time to prepare your chicken by coating it in a rub or seasonings, or start to prepare the side dishes for the chicken instead. Within a few minutes, your air fryer will have reached the ideal temperature, and you can add your chicken, safe in the knowledge that the end result will be a succulent, perfectly-cooked piece of meat.

Air fryers are a revelation when it comes to speeding up cooking time, meaning dinner preparation takes up less of your evening, and you save money as the appliance isn't running for as long. If you are new to air frying, however, the shortened cook time can scupper your hard work, if you don't adjust the temperature to suit.

Since air fryers cook in a very similar way to regular ovens, it is usual for home cooks to refer to recipes that are not specifically tailored to the smaller appliance. These recipes aren't taking into account the powerful convection heat of an air fryer, meaning your dish will cook much more quickly. If you don't adjust the temperature from a recipe, the chicken can end up overcooked and dried out. By adjusting the temperature from the start, you can avoid this faux-pas and get spot-on results first time.

According to Instant Pot, there is an easy calculation to work out the ideal temperature for your air fryer based on a regular oven recipe. For fresh food, reduce the temperature by 20 degrees Celsius, or roughly 35 degrees Fahrenheit, and reduce cooking time by 20-25%. For frozen produce, you don't actually need to change the temperature, but instead should reduce the cooking time by 50%. Making these simple adjustments will help you get the most out of your air fryer and ensure your food is beautifully cooked each time.

Since an air fryer is a great time saver, it can be tempting to reduce preparation time even further by squeezing as much as possible into the basket, but this is a shortcut that will lead to disappointment, and could actually take longer overall, as you may have to recook some of the food.

An air fryer works in a similar way to a convection oven, with hot air circulating around the food. If you would never pack every inch of your oven to the limit with food, then the same should apply to the air fryer, yet many of us overload the basket to save time and effort. Doing so blocks the flow of air, meaning the even cooking that the air fryer is so good at is less effective. By the end of your dish, this could mean your chicken is dry and tough in places, and dangerously underdone in others.

To prevent this issue, don't pile pieces of chicken on top of each other. Instead, lay them side by side in the basket, with a space between each piece to let the hot air reach the entire surface. If you desperately need to put more food in your air fryer on a regular basis, you can buy an air fryer rack that allows you to use the vertical space of the appliance without affecting the cooking quality.

Chicken breast is the poster child of the poultry world, and the most common cut of chicken purchased in the States. Whether atop a Caesar salad, or breadcrumbed and stuffed with garlic, many classic recipes use this premium cut. However, the breast isn't the tastiest part of the chicken, and it's easy to overcook. Although using the air fryer gives you a better chance of succulent results than many other cooking methods, you should take the opportunity to explore different cuts, too.

One of the reasons breast is so popular is its lean nature, but as you likely already know, lots of the flavor is locked in the fat. Using meat from the legs of the bird will create a much tastier meal, and one less likely to be overcooked. Even skinless chicken thighs have more than twice the fat per serving than breast, which helps to keep the bird moist as well as creating delicious flavor. Add in the skin, which will crisp up beautifully in the air fryer, and the chicken breasts will pale in comparison. Drumsticks or whole legs will also give you a tastier option.

The only factor you have to take into account is the cooking time. Brown meat takes a lot longer to cook than white meat, so be sure to account for up to twice as much cooking time. The leg meat is so much more forgiving though, so if the cooking isn't quite perfect, no one will know.

One reason many people purchase an air fryer is as a healthier alternative to a deep fat fryer. Air fryers famously use much less oil, but if you are refraining from adding any to your chicken, you are missing out on both texture and flavor.

Although the air fryer can bake items that don't have oil, if you want to recreate a fried texture and taste, the hot air that circulates needs something to crisp up. Rather than adding oil into the appliance as you would a regular fryer, instead brush oil onto the chicken before adding it to the basket. To impart even more flavor, season your oil before applying it to the chicken, with salt pepper and whatever herbs and spices you enjoy. Choose an oil with a high smoke point, such as avocado oil or light olive oil (keep the extra virgin for drizzling.)

If you are concerned about adding extra fat to the chicken, a handy trick is to fill a small spray bottle with oil, and spray a fine mist onto the meat instead of a splash straight from the bottle. You can use this regularly to coat veggies and potatoes for roasting, or spray the bottom of a pan before shallow frying. Adding just enough oil to your chicken will allow it to brown nicely as it cooks, giving you the perfect balance between health and flavor.

If cooking chicken often results in a disappointing limp chicken breast in place of the golden crispy marvel you were hoping for, moisture could be to blame. If the liquid from the surface of the chicken is not removed, it will evaporate as the meat cooks, which can greatly affect how it cooks. The process that creates crispy chicken is called the Maillard reaction, and it takes place at temperatures well above the boiling point of water. If your chicken has water on the surface, the exterior of the meat will not be able to undergo this tasty transformation, and although it will cook, there will be no browning involved.

Preventing this issue is simple — use a kitchen towel to pat dry all surfaces of the chicken before cooking. This is especially important if you are leaving the skin on — limp chicken skin is not exactly a gastronomic delight. If you choose to remove the skin, pat dry the skinless meat afterward.

The same technique applies to chicken that has been marinated in oil. Too much heavy oil on the surface of the meat can prevent it from cooking well, so wipe off the excess marinade, knowing that the flavors have already penetrated the meat. Taking a few seconds to pat your chicken fry before adding to the air fryer could be the difference between gray, unappetizing chicken and an Insta-worthy roast dinner.

If you want exquisitely cooked chicken, the air fryer is one of the best appliances for the job, but if you haven't seasoned it properly, you will still be missing out. Adding a twist of salt to the meat before you add it to the basket is not enough, and this majestic bird deserves better than that.

Seasoning food is so much more than just adding a touch of salt and pepper, and as a keen home cook you likely have a cupboard or spice rack full of magnificent flavorings. Instead of saving them for a curry or complicated recipe, use your herbs and spices to full effect by adding them to everyday dishes. The great news is that there is hardly a flavor that doesn't work with chicken, so be creative and see what works. For a Mediterranean slant, season with rosemary, oregano, and a squeeze of lemon juice. If you like a bit of heat, add paprika and chili flakes, or marinate for a few hours in a spicy oil. If you are coating your chicken, be sure to season every layer — flour, breadcrumbs, and the meat to make sure every mouthful is bursting with brightness.

Although you should branch out with your seasoning, be sure to still include salt in the process. Alongside the other flavors it will help create a memorable meal that will guarantee people asking for second helpings.

Compared to a regular oven, air fryers are much easier to clean. If you can simplify the process even more though, why wouldn't you? When cooking chicken, oil and fat can drip during cooking leaving a greasy mess to deal with after dinner. This can be even worse if you are using skin-on meat, or breaded or battered chicken, which can stick to the bottom of the basket. By using air fryer liners, you can skip that step, and put your feet up instead.

There are two main options when it comes to air fryer liners — disposable ones made from parchment paper, and reusable silicone versions. The disposable ones are great if you are cooking for a large group, or baking for an event. They can be removed and thrown straight in the bin, along with the cooked-on caramel or mozzarella cheese. Long-term though, they are not a very sustainable option, and will end up more expensive over time. Silicone liners are a better option if you plan on using them regularly, and many are dishwasher-safe, meaning that another appliance can do much of the hard work for you.

Whichever liner option you choose, be sure to read the usage instructions carefully. Disposable liners, for example, need to be weighed down to make sure they don't move and touch the heating element. As long as you use them correctly, air fryer liners can save a lot of effort and time in the kitchen.

If you've had issues with your air fryer chicken being beautifully cooked on one side, and slightly underwhelming on the other, you may be forgetting one key maneuver that is required for perfect cooking. Turning the chicken — or any other air fryer food — halfway through cooking is crucial if you want to get the best out of your appliance.

Air fryers work by circulating air over your food, and this can only happen at the surfaces that are exposed to the air. If you have a chicken breast sitting on the bottom of the basket, the underside of the meat will not have access to the hot air. It will cook, but it won't have the lovely brown color that we are striving for. Many air fryers will signal the half-way point with a beeping noise, so be sure to turn the chicken over when you hear it, and give the bottom half a chance to crisp up. Tongs are the ideal accomplice here, allowing you to flip the chicken over without burning yourself. If you are cooking small pieces of chicken, you can always give the basket a shake instead, but if you want to be sure of even cooking, turning them individually is the best option.

As a home cook, a meat thermometer may seem like an unnecessary extravagance, but as an amateur cook, it is the most reliable way to make sure your meat is cooked correctly. Chicken is a particular concern if below the ideal temperature, and breast will overcook horribly if it goes slightly above, so using a meat thermometer will help to keep your family and guests safely delighted with their food.

You may be a good judge of how well meat is cooked simply by looking at it, but unless you are a professional chef, you should never go by sight alone, especially with chicken. A meat thermometer measures the internal temperature of the meat, which is something that can't be estimated based on how golden brown the outside is. All cuts of chicken, whether breast, legs, or wings, should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the USDA. Undercooked chicken is dangerous and can lead to foodborne illness including salmonella and E.coli.

When using a meat thermometer to check the doneness of the meat, be sure to check the thickest part of the bird. It is common with a thick piece of meat for the outside to be perfectly cooked while the inside is still underdone. If you are worried about undercooking chicken, opt for thighs instead of breasts. They cope much better with being cooked to a slightly higher temperature, giving you some extra wiggle room to put your mind at ease without ruining the dish.

Your air fryer has finally beeped, meaning that your delicious chicken dish is ready to eat. Not so fast though, there is one crucial final step you need to carry out before you tuck in — resting the meat. This step may seem pointless, and you might want to cut into the chicken while it is still piping hot, but doing so could ruin all the good work you have done up until now.

If you've ever cut into a piece of red meat without resting it, you will have seen blood and juices start to pour from it. Those liquids are what makes the meat moist, and they deserve to be in the steak, not swimming around the plate. The same thing happens with chicken, and although the clear juices are not as obvious, the effect is still the same. As it cooks, the juices move nearer to the surface of the chicken, and cutting into it too quickly will cause them to spill out, resulting in a dry piece of poultry. Instead, leave the meat to rest after removing it from the air fryer to allow the juices to return to where they belong.

As a rule, you should rest all meat for approximately half the time it took to cook. This means if you cooked a whole chicken, you will have quite a wait when it comes out. If you absolutely can't wait that long, at least rest it for 5 minutes to give the juices a chance to settle back down.