My air fryer chicken thighs went from rubbery to perfect after I stopped preheating

For like 6 months straight I kept getting these weird tough chicken thighs. Thought it was the cut or my seasoning. Then last Tuesday I forgot to preheat and just threw them in cold. Came out juicy and crispy. Now I never preheat for chicken. Has anyone else noticed their air fryer cooks better without a warm up?

2 comments

2 Comments

felixward18d ago

Just stop preheating completely. Works way better for thighs.

ivan_perez21d ago

Preheating was totally ruining my chicken thighs too. I had the exact same rubbery problem for months and tried everything from different temps to oil sprays. One day I was in a rush and skipped the preheat, and the skin came out way crispier with the inside staying juicy. Now I just toss them in cold and let the air fryer do its thing, always comes out way better.