Air-Fried Chicken Hack: Give It a Poke for Crispy Skin

As much as we love the crispy skin of fried chicken, we don’t want to consume that much oil when cooking it in an air fryer. So, how can we get that perfect crispy skin without deep frying it? The secret is to coax the fat out of the chicken, and the best way to do this is to give it a poke.

In our cooking tips, Air Fryer , we explore the best methods to make the skin crispy, no matter the chicken cut. For darker meat like chicken thighs and drumsticks, poke a few holes with a skewer to render more fat. In our recipe for Air-Fryer Chicken Thighs with Roasted Mushrooms and Tomatoes, we pat the chicken dry, poke it, and season it. The fat fries the skin, making it crispy and perfect for a weeknight meal.

For chicken breasts, which are less fatty and thicker, finish cooking the skin-on poultry with the skin side up to let it crisp in direct heat. We start with thicker bone-in breasts skin side down, then flip them. Once the meat is cooked, brush the skin side with a flavorful glaze, like in our Air-Fryer Brown Sugar-Balsamic-Glazed Bone-In Chicken Breast recipe, to enhance the savoriness.

Using a little oil and a few pokes, like in our Air-Fryer Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks recipe, ensures the skin will be fried to the maximum crispiness. This method also works well for air frying with a coating, such as in our Air-Fryer Chipotle-Honey-Fried Chicken with Brussels Sprout and Citrus Salad recipe. By spraying a little vegetable oil and flipping the chicken at the right time, the coating becomes crunchy, and the chicken remains evenly cooked without sticking.

So, give your air-fried chicken a poke, and enjoy the crispier skin that comes with it.