From the brining to the dredging to the frying, Southern-style fried chicken is a true labor of love. But you also need some cooking know-how to avoid soggy, dried-out, or overly salty fried chicken.

My team and I love a good air fryer for golden French fries, molten mozzarella sticks, and crispy chicken wings. But even as air fry settings are being built into more kitchen ranges, I’ll admit ...