Showerthought: I used to bake chicken thighs for an hour and they'd still be dry.

For years, I'd just put them on a sheet pan at 375 degrees and hope for the best. Then my son got me an air fryer for my birthday in March. I tried chicken thighs in it at 400 degrees for about 22 minutes, and they came out crispy on the outside but so juicy inside I couldn't believe it. The air moving around them really makes all the difference. What's your go-to time and temp for perfect chicken in the air fryer?

4 comments

4 Comments

nancyjones2mo ago

That's a great time and temp, but I've found 400 for 20 minutes works better for me.

nancyg142mo ago

Ever notice how everyone has their own oven temp for the same recipe? It's like we're all trying to solve the same basic problem but convinced our specific tweak is the key.

aaron_mitchell4d ago

Whoa, I gotta respectfully disagree on this one. I've done both temps a bunch of times and honestly 425 is the sweet spot for me. 400 for 20 minutes gives me a good crust on top but the bottom always ends up with that weird chewy texture, like it didn't quite crisp up. I think the extra 25 degrees pushes enough heat through the pan to dry out the underside without burning the top. Plus my oven runs a little cool anyway so 400 barely feels like it's doing the job. I know everyone's got their own setup, but I'm team 425 all the way.

nathan1002mo ago

Do you ever flip them halfway through or just let it go the whole time? I'm still trying to get mine as good as @nancyjones mentioned. I did 400 for 20 minutes last week and the skin was perfect but the very bottom side was a bit soggy.