10 Chicken Air Fryer Hacks You Didn’t Know Were Possible
Cooking chicken in an air fryer is a breeze. The recipes won’t even take very long to cook. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t make things even easier or even better. We just need some chicken air fryer hacks to help us get the job done. These chicken air fryer hacks can help you enjoy a delicious dinner with minimal time and effort that the whole family will enjoy.
Chicken Air Fryer Hacks You Didn’t Know Were Possible
Preheated Sear
Cooking in an air fryer doesn’t always yield the seared exterior we love so much. We can ensure those results by preheating the air fryer. Placing the chicken in the air fryer after it’s been preheated will give us a nice sear on the chicken.
Meat Thermometer
The last thing anyone wants is to cook a dinner only for it to be undercooked. The old hack of slicing chicken to check for doneness is long past its prime. The best way to check air-fried chicken is with a meat thermometer. Doesn’t need to be fancy, just needs to work.
Free Up Space
One of the easiest chicken air fryer hacks is to avoid overcrowding the basket. We have to work within our means in an air fryer. The good news is that there are air fryers available in various sizes. Overcrowding prevents hot air from circulating properly, resulting in partially cooked food.
Flip and Shake
Some air-frying recipes ask you to flip the chicken. This process is easy, but what about shaking? Shaking the basket a bit will allow the food to move around and get a more even cook. We don’t have to shake everything, but smaller items, such as chicken wings, can really benefit.
See Smoke, Just Add Water
Fatty foods smoke when cooked; there’s no way around that. However, these are chicken air fryer hacks; there’s a solution. Simply add some water to the bottom of the air fryer basket. This will reduce the amount of smoke that seeps out from the air fryer.
Open When Needed
One rule that has been ingrained in us is never to open the oven when cooking. The idea is not to let the heat out. However, an air fryer is small and can easily get back up to temp. Open the air fryer whenever you need to, just not too often; we want the food to cook properly.
Pan Sauce Gravy
One added bonus of using an air fryer is the drawer itself. It will catch all of the chicken juices that come out as it cooks. We can use those juices to make a pan sauce or gravy. We don’t always need or want to, but for those times we do, it’s there.
Using the Timer
An air fryer is not a crock pot or Instant Pot. This means we should check on the food periodically as it cooks. We may end up with burnt spots or overcooked food if we don’t. Use the timer, but don’t allow it to prevent you from checking on your food before it goes off.
Ditch the Cooking Spray
The goal of an air fryer is to fry food with far less oil. However, one of the chicken air fryer hacks is to use a bit of oil instead of cooking spray. Cooking spray will degrade the basket faster. Instead, pour cooking oil into an oil spritzer and spritz it with oil before adding the food.
Recipes as a Guide
These hacks make cooking seem complicated, but it isn’t. The recipes we find provide us with all the necessary information to complete the task. However, don’t be surprised if your food looks different than the pics. Air fryers come in various strengths and sizes. These things can alter the results. Did a recipe come out slightly overcooked or maybe under? Adjust the cooking time a bit based on the results. The next time will be a lot better.
