My crispy chicken triumph after ditching the oil soak

I used to drown my chicken in oil before air frying, thinking it needed it to not dry out. Everything came out greasy and kind of sad. Then I tried just a light spray, almost by accident, because I ran out. The skin got super crispy and the meat stayed juicy. Now I never go back to the old way, and my dinners are way more enjoyable.

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3 Comments

schmidt.grant6mo ago

Wait, you used to fully drown it in oil before air frying? I can't even picture how much oil that would take, my brain is stuck on the idea of a chicken swimming in a fryer. How did you even get the idea to try that much in the first place? It's wild that less oil actually made it crispier, I would have guessed the total opposite. You just saved yourself a ton of mess and calories, right?

9

caseyw126mo ago

Actually, @schmidt.grant, my grandma fried everything in lard, so I assumed more oil meant crispier food.

4

kai3276mo ago

Yeah, that whole "more oil equals crispier" thing is such a trap. I did the same thing with my first air fryer, just coating everything in a thick layer. Turns out all that oil just steams the skin and makes it soggy. A super light mist is the real trick, it lets the hot air actually hit the surface.

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