Saw a friend ruin chicken thighs by not patting them dry first

Was over at my buddy's place last Saturday and he tossed wet chicken thighs right into the air fryer. They came out soggy and steamed instead of crispy. I asked why he didn't dry them with paper towels first and he said he never even thought of it. That little step makes such a big difference if you want that golden brown skin. I always pat mine dry, rub on a little oil and seasoning, and they come out perfect every time. Has anyone else noticed people skipping this and wondering why their meat isn't crispy?

2 comments

2 Comments

nancy82427d ago

Patting chicken dry is the ONE step nobody talks about but it makes ALL the difference. A quick paper towel blot before seasoning lets the skin actually crisp up instead of steaming in its own juice. Try letting the seasoned thighs sit uncovered in the fridge for an hour after drying for even better results.

zara44727d agoMost Upvoted

My neighbor Carol tried this last week with some chicken thighs she was making for Sunday dinner. She called me all excited because she let them sit uncovered in the fridge for about 45 minutes after drying them off with paper towels. @nancy824 was right - she said the skin came out so crispy her husband asked what she did different. She even did half the batch the old way and half this way, just to see for herself. The dried and rested thighs were way better, no contest.