Appreciation post: the paper towel trick for crispy wings finally clicked for me

I've been trying to get crispy chicken wings in my air fryer for like 6 months now. Tried every temp and time combo I could find online. They always came out kinda rubbery on the outside. Then my buddy who runs a diner told me to pat the wings dry with paper towels before seasoning. Not just a quick dab, I mean really press them dry until the paper towel comes away clean. Then let them sit in the fridge uncovered for an hour. Did that last night and the skin actually got that crunch I was after. Anyone else have a simple step they skipped for way too long?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_max1mo ago

Wow, that fridge step is the part I never see people mention. Did you notice a difference between just drying them vs drying them plus the fridge rest? Like is the hour actually doing something or is it just extra insurance.

gavin3651mo ago

Oh man I felt this question deep in my soul. Yeah the fridge rest is definitely doing something real. I did a batch where I only air dried them for like 6 hours and a batch with the full fridge hour and it was night and day. The fridge step lets that residual moisture redistribute and kinda settles everything so you don't get those weird soft spots. It's not just extra insurance it's the difference between a good crust and that annoying chewy layer that ruins the whole thing.

the_brian1mo ago

Did I ruin my first three batches before figuring that out? Absolutely.