Realized I was overcrowding my air fryer every single time

I kept wondering why my chicken thighs came out soggy instead of crispy. Turns out piling too much food in the basket blocks the hot air from circulating properly. I tried cooking just three thighs instead of six in my 5.8 quart Cosori last week and the skin turned out perfectly golden. Has anyone else dealt with this or am I the only one who was doing it wrong?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_olivia1mo ago

Wait you mean I can't just cram six thighs in there and hope for the best?

nelson.vera1mo ago

Definitely don't do that, the air flow needs room or they'll steam instead of getting crispy. Six thighs in one layer max if you want that golden skin.

claire8721mo ago

Theres a thing with the skin too though. If you pat them dry with paper towels first, even if theyre a little crowded theyll still get some crisp. I learned that from a chef friend, moisture is the enemy of crunch. And six is fine but if you do seven or eight it really messes with the hot air circulation in most air fryers.