casey_fox68•2mo agoProlific Poster

My mom told me to put a little water in the bottom of the air fryer basket for chicken thighs

She said it would stop the fat from smoking up my apartment. I tried it last night with some bone-in, skin-on thighs. It worked, no smoke at all, but the skin came out totally soggy and pale, not crispy. I mean, I guess it solved one problem but made a worse one. Anyone have a trick to stop the smoking but still get that crispy skin?

3 comments

3 Comments

hannaho522mo ago

So you traded smoke for soggy skin? Classic mom advice fail.

tara_williams12mo ago

Ugh, classic "solve one problem, create another" move.

blake3021mo ago

I always thought adding water was the only way to stop the smoke... but that soggy skin is a deal-breaker. What works for me now is just a tiny piece of bread under the rack to catch the drips. It soaks up the fat so it doesn't burn and smoke, but the air still moves all around the chicken. The skin gets dry and crispy like it's supposed to.