Chicken

Chicken is what most beginners cook first in an air fryer — and what most beginners get wrong first, too. This category covers the chicken recipes new owners ask for most: chicken breast that stays juicy instead of drying out, wings with skin that actually crisps, tenders with a coating that stays on, and drumsticks and thighs cooked through safely every time. Every recipe gives you the exact temperature and time, how to arrange the pieces so air can circulate, when to flip, and the safe internal temperature to check with a thermometer — 165°F (74°C) for chicken, as the USDA recommends. We also explain the fixes: why your coating went soggy, why the outside browned before the middle cooked, and how a few minutes of resting changes everything. Whether you are cooking plain chicken for meal prep or a seasoned family dinner, start with these recipes and build your confidence one cook at a time. Plain, crispy, juicy — in that order, every time.