Quick Answers
There are a few common reasons why air fried chicken may not get as crispy as desired:
- Not enough oil – Air fryers rely on a small amount of oil to crisp up food. Make sure to brush or spray chicken with a thin layer of oil before cooking.
- Overcrowding – Too much chicken in the basket prevents air from circulating properly. Don’t overload the air fryer.
- Insufficient preheating – Allow the air fryer to fully preheat before adding food for best results.
- Too thick of pieces – Chicken breasts or other large, thick pieces may not crisp up well. Cut meat into smaller, thinner pieces.
- Breading issues – Use a very light, crunchy breading so it can get extra crispy. Avoid heavy batters.
- Not cooking long enough – Increase cooking time in 5 minute increments to allow chicken to crisp up fully.
Air fryers have become one of the most popular kitchen gadgets in recent years. Their ability to produce crispy, delicious “fried” foods using little to no oil is extremely appealing to many home cooks. While air frying yields tasty results with most foods, getting chicken to come out with a perfectly crispy crust can be tricky. If your air fried chicken has turned out disappointingly soggy or soft, don’t despair! With a few simple tips and technique adjustments, you can get restaurant-quality crispiness every time.
Why Air Fried Chicken May Not Be Crispy
There are several common reasons why air fried chicken fails to get properly crispy and crunchy:
Not Enough Oil
One of the biggest mistakes people make is not using any oil when air frying. While air fryers are designed to replicate fried textures with very little oil, some amount of fat is still needed to help food brown and crisp up. Chicken skin and meat have fat, but typically not enough to truly crisp up and get “fried” to a golden brown in the dry heat of an air fryer. Make sure to lightly brush, spray, or toss your chicken pieces with a thin coating of oil before cooking. Use just enough to coat the surface without making it dripping wet. A light brush of oil goes a long way!
Overcrowding the Basket
Air fryers work by quickly circulating hot air around food. When the basket is overloaded with too many pieces of chicken, air flow is disrupted, preventing the hot air from reaching all surfaces of the chicken evenly. This can lead to some spots crisping up while others remain pale and soft. Don’t pack too much food into the air fryer at once. Leave some space between pieces for optimal cooking. Work in batches for larger amounts of chicken.
Not Preheating Properly
It’s important to fully preheat your air fryer before placing chicken inside. Air fryers need time to get up to cooking temperature. Putting room temperature chicken into a cold appliance will throw off the cooking process. Let your air fryer preheat for at least 5 minutes until it reaches the set temperature before adding food. This allows the chicken to immediately start crisping up once it goes in the basket.
Thick Pieces
Thicker cuts of chicken such as bone-in chicken breasts, thighs, or drumsticks may have a hard time getting crispy in an air fryer. Their greater mass and density makes it difficult for the hot air to fully penetrate and dehydrate the meat, which is necessary for achieving crunchiness. For optimal crispness, stick to smaller, thinner pieces of chicken like boneless, skinless breasts sliced in half horizontally or chicken tenderloins. Keep pieces no more than 3/4 inch thick for even cooking.
Problems with Breading
The coating on breaded chicken plays a big role in getting the right texture. Heavy, dense batters will likely end up soft and soggy rather than crispy and crunchy when air fried. Very light breading that gets ultra crispy works best, allowing the hot air to better penetrate and dehydrate the meat underneath. Use thin mixtures like flour, seasoned panko bread crumbs, or cornflake crumbs. Avoid thick batters like beer batter or buttermilk soaked dredges.
Not Cooking Long Enough
Finally, the most obvious problem is simply not frying the chicken long enough. Since air fryers cook food much faster than traditional frying, it’s easy to pull the chicken out before it has enough time to crisp up properly. Refer to recipe cooking times as a starting point, but always verify chicken is fully cooked and crispy by cutting into a piece to check if the juices run clear and the coating is browned and crunchy. Add a few more minutes as needed.
Tips to Get Crispy Air Fried Chicken
Now that we’ve covered why air fried chicken can fail to get crispy, here are some useful tips to help you succeed in making the crispiest chicken possible:
Use a Light Coating of Oil
As explained above, don’t skip the oil! Aim for around 1 tablespoon of neutral oil like canola, grapeseed, vegetable, or avocado oil per 1 pound of chicken. Brush or spray onto all surfaces before breading or seasoning.
Cut Chicken Into Smaller Pieces
For bone-in chicken parts, try halving chicken breasts horizontally into thin cutlets and slicing drumsticks in half. For boneless cuts, slice breast into strips or tenderloins into bite-sized medallions no more than 3/4 inch thick.
Allow Ample Preheating Time
Always preheat air fryer fully – at least 5 minutes on air fry setting. Resist temptation to throw chicken in right away.
Use Light Breadcrumbs
Seasoned panko, crushed cornflakes, or flour work best. The lighter the coating, the crispier the end result.
Don’t Overload the Basket
Leave space between pieces so air can circulate and cook all surfaces. Avoid crowding.
Flip Chicken Halfway
Turn chicken over mid-way during cook time to ensure even browning and crisping.
Use Enough Cooking Time
Always check doneness by cutting into thickest piece. Add 5 minute increments if needed to achieve ideal crispness.
Let Chicken Rest Before Eating
Allowing fried chicken to rest 5 minutes after cooking helps ensure crispy coating stays intact. Digging in immediately can make it quickly go soggy.
Keep Chicken Warm in Oven
If not eating chicken right away after frying, place pieces on a wire rack set on a baking sheet and keep warm in a low oven until ready to serve.
| Doneness Temperature | Appearance When Cut |
|---|---|
| 165°F | Juices run clear, meat is white |
| 175°F | Juices run clear, meat is white |
| 185°F | Juices run clear, meat is white |
General Tips for Air Fryer Success
Beyond just chicken, following these best practices will help ensure you get the best possible results when cooking anything in your air fryer:
- Don’t overload – Leave space for air flow
- Preheat properly before adding food
- Use recommended cooking temperatures
- Toss or flip food midway through cook time
- Use thinner cuts of meat or slice larger pieces
- Brush or spray a little oil on foods
- Avoid batters or heavy breading
- Work in batches for larger amounts
- Increase cook time if needed for doneness and crispness
- Let food rest before serving
Following these guidelines will help ensure your air fried foods turn out perfectly cooked with the ideal crisp, crunchy texture every time.
Common Air Fryer Mistakes to Avoid
It’s also helpful to keep these common mistakes in mind so you can avoid them as you learn to master your air fryer:
- Not using any oil
- Overfilling the basket
- Not preheating before cooking
- Using thick, dense batters
- Cooking large, thick cuts of meat
- Not checking for doneness
- Not increasing time for extra crispness
- Immediately digging into freshly cooked foods
- Letting cooked foods sit in air fryer basket
Being mindful to avoid these pitfalls will set you up for air frying success!
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some common questions about getting crispy results when air frying chicken:
What temperature should I use to air fry chicken?
370°F is ideal for air frying chicken. This allows the high heat to quickly brown and crisp the outside while cooking the inside safely and thoroughly.
How long does it take to air fry chicken?
Cooking time can vary based on thickness of cuts, but average times are:
- Chicken tenderloins or nuggets – 8-12 minutes
- Boneless breasts or thighs – 15-20 minutes
- Bone-in breasts or thighs – 25-30 minutes
- Drumsticks – 20-25 minutes
Should I flip chicken during air frying?
Yes, flipping chicken halfway during cook time is recommended to promote even browning and cooking.
What oil is best for air frying?
Go for high smoke point, neutral oils like canola, grapeseed, vegetable, or avocado oil. Avoid olive oil as it can become bitter.
How can I keep my air fried chicken crispy after cooking?
Let chicken rest 5 minutes before eating, keep warm in a low oven if not eating right away, and avoid steamy sauces or toppings that will make it soggy.
Conclusion
By following the tips provided and avoiding common pitfalls, you can achieve delightfully crispy, perfectly cooked air fried chicken time after time. Lightly oiling chicken, cutting into smaller pieces, using light breading, not overcrowding, preheating sufficiently, and allowing enough cook time are the keys to success. With a little practice, you’ll be serving restaurant-worthy crispy fried chicken from your air fryer in no time. Enjoy your deliciously crunchy results!