Golden and crunchy on the outside and juicy and tender on the inside. This Air Fryer Fried Chicken is so simple and easy to make yet so flavorful! Enjoy this healthier way of cooking your fried chicken for a guilt-free lunch or dinner.
Fried chicken is considered as one of the most popular food all over the world. It is always a hit when served during parties, gatherings, or even on simple daily meals. With its crunchy, golden coating and succulent, tender meat , it is no wonder why it became a popular fast food item as well.
Fried chicken, however, is known for being greasy or oily as it is usually deep-fried to achieve all that deliciousness. But with this Air Fryer Fried Chicken recipe, you can enjoy this all-time favorite dish without having to worry about those added calories and fats that the usual fried chicken has.
Make this easy, no-fuss family meal, and enjoy the delicious crispiness and juiciness in every bite! Perfect with steamed rice or mashed potatoes with gravy or ketchup. This would surely be your go-to fried chicken recipe the next time your craving hits!
Deep Frying vs Air Frying Fried Chicken
Air Fryers can cook your chicken with very little oil, whereas you need to completely submerge the chicken pieces in hot oil when deep frying. This is why air frying is said to be healthier than frying. Using an air fryer also eliminates the messy oil splatters on your kitchen counter (or sometimes on you!).
Nonetheless, you have to be careful in using your air fryer as it can easily burn or dry out your chicken. Although this Air Fryer Fried Chicken recipe turned out great and so tasty, do not look for that “deep-fried” taste that you are used to.
What You'll Need
Chicken- Skin-on and bone-in chicken thighs and legs are best for this recipe.
Buttermilk – adds flavor to the chicken and helps the flour to stick to the chicken better. If you do not have buttermilk, combine 2 cups of milk and 2 teaspoons lemon or white vinegar. Mix and let sit for about 5-10 minutes.
Eggs – use fresh eggs as possible. This is used as a binding agent.
Flour seasoned with garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, pepper, and salt for the coating of the chicken pieces.
Oil for spraying - olive oil or canola oil can be used for this recipe. You can also use canned cooking sprays.
Tips in cooking Air Fryer Fried Chicken
- Arrange the chicken pieces in the air fryer basket in single layer. Make sure the pieces don’t touch. The air needs to circulate around them to cook evenly.
- Spraying the chicken lightly with oil helps cook and crisp the flour coating. If you do not spray those flour spots with oil, you will end up with uncooked coating and chicken tasting like dry flour.
- You can line your air fryer basket with parchment paper with holes to prevent the chicken from sticking on it. Just remember not turn on the air fryer without any food on top of the parchment, as it may fly up to the coils and could cause fire.
- Cooking time usually varies depending on the air fryer or the size of the chicken pieces. The safest way to make sure that your chicken is cooked through is by inserting a thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken. The temperature should reach 165°F or 74°C.
Serve and Store
Serve this Air Fryer Fried Chicken with steamed rice or mashed potatoes and ketchup or gravy as dipping sauce. Try this with our Instant Pot Baby Potatoes with Mushrooms.
Store leftover fried chicken in a container with a tight lid or wrap it tightly with aluminum foil. Refrigerate for up to 3-4 days. To reheat, place the fried chicken in the air fryer and cook for about 10 minutes at 360°F/ 180°C.
Try this incredible Air Fryer Fried Chicken recipe. Enjoy and let us know how it turns out!
Air Fryer Fried Chicken
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken - legs and thighs skin-on and bone-in
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 pcs eggs
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Oil for spraying chicken vegetable, canola or olive oil
Instructions
- Season chicken well with salt and pepper.
- In a medium bowl, combine buttermilk, eggs, salt and pepper. Whisk until fully incorporated.
- In shallow dish, combine flour, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, pepper, and salt.
- Pull out the air fryer basket spray with oil and preheat to 360°F/180°C. for about 5 mins.
- Using tongs, coat the chicken pieces in the flour mixture, dip in the buttermilk mixture and lastly dredge in flour mixture again.
- Arrange chicken pieces in a single layer on the air fryer basket, skin side up and without touching. Spray the chicken generously with cooking spray.
- Slide and close the air fryer and set the timer for 15 minutes. Once the time is done, open the air fryer and spray any flour (dry) spots on the chicken.
- Turn the chicken and spray with oil again. Cook for another 10 minutes or until golden and crisp. The internal temperature should read 165°F/74°C.
- Repeat the process with the remaining chicken.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
Video
About the Author
Drey loves food and likes trying new things! She has been working with food bloggers providing recipe video content for years.
I "do" low carb. Would the recipe work as well if I used Almond flour in place of regular flour?
Hello Rosemary. We haven't personally tried using almond flour, but we've seen some recipes that use it. 🙂