The Common Mistakes Preventing Air Fryer Foods From Crisping Up

There are plenty of mistakes that can ruin an air-fried meal and prevent foods from becoming perfectly crispy. However, these common blunders are fairly easy to avoid.

Ninja Test Kitchen senior demo chef Rachel Buck explained that overcrowding the basket is one such mistake since stacking food too high traps moisture and inhibits even cooking.

Another mistake is not preheating the fryer, which ensures that the food starts cooking immediately, promoting crispiness. This takes a few minutes but makes a huge difference.

Finally, not using enough oil is also a mistake. While a fryer typically requires very little oil, foods like fries and breaded chicken need a light coating of oil to be crispy.