Tried preheating my air fryer for 5 minutes before adding chicken thighs and it was a game changer

I have had my air fryer for about 3 years and always just tossed food in cold. Last week I was making bone-in chicken thighs and decided to let it run empty at 400 degrees for 5 minutes first. The skin came out way crispier and the meat was done 4 minutes faster than my usual 22 minutes. I don't know why I never thought to do this before. Has anyone else noticed a big difference from preheating or is it just certain foods?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_thea1mo ago

Wait you just throw food in there cold? That feels wrong lol.

the_linda1mo ago

Oh come on @the_thea, cold food going into a hot pan is the whole point. You want that sear, not a steam bath. Tossing room temp or cold meat in there gives you a better crust because the pan stays hot instead of dropping temperature. If you let it sit out for an hour, you're just asking for bacteria to throw a party. Straight from the fridge into the pan is the safest move and the texture comes out way better once you nail the timing. Trust me, I've wrecked enough steaks learning this the hard way.