Yes! Fried chicken in the air fryer is absolutely possible. It’s super crispy on the outside and juicy and delicious, this air fryer fried chicken is a game-changer!
Why This Recipe Works:
- Save time: This recipe takes literally 45 to 50 minutes from marinating the chicken to serving it to the table.
- It’s Crunchy: It’s totally crunchy and crispy with lots of spices and flavor.
- Healthy: Above all, we do not have to deep fry it in tons of oil.
- Tender and Juicy inside!
Air Fryer Fried Chicken Recipe (the BEST!)
If you’re craving fried chicken with very little oil, then you should definitely give this recipe a try. Learn how to make some delicious Air Fryer Fried Chicken in under 40 minutes.
Printable Full Recipe/Instructions are available in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. You can find important tips/tricks in the blog post.
Ever since I started using an air fryer for cooking, I knew that the choices were endless. I have made fried chicken many times before, but making it in the air fryer is super easy because it’s so much healthier and faster than traditional frying or baking.
Well, I am not going to tell you that pan-fried or deep-fried chicken tastes exactly the same as chicken cooked in the air fryer. The chicken isn’t that juicy in the air fryer. But let me tell you one thing, it’s quite the same minus the excess oil.
It’s crispy and crunchy on the outside and juicy inside. Especially if you make sure not to leave the chicken for more than the required time in the fryer.
Now fried chicken doesn’t have to be a cheat meal treat! Isn’t that amazing? Enjoy this easy and quick-fried chicken recipe any day of the week.
INGREDIENTS FOR AIR FRYER FRIED CHICKEN
♦♦Keep scrolling down to the recipe card for a list of FULL ingredient amounts and Detailed instructions for cooking Air Fryer Fried Chicken.
- Chicken: For the air fryer fried chicken recipe I love using the chicken drumsticks, but you can use cuts of your own preference. I have used the combination of chicken breast, thighs, wings, and leg quarters. You can cook in a combination of just like what I have done or separately cook the chicken cuts.
- Buttermilk and Hot sauce– This is what I use to marinate the chicken cuts for around 1 hour or more. The buttermilk helps to keep the chicken juicy inside and the hot sauce adds more flavor and color to the air-fried chicken.
- Spices: Few common spices like salt, paprika, black pepper, garlic powder, chili powder.
- Olive oil: I put few tablespoons of olive oil in a spray bottle and spray it over the chicken before putting it into the air fryer and once again in the midway of the cooking. It helps crisp up the coating resulting in a crunchy delicious air fryer fried chicken.
HOW TO MAKE AIR FRYER FRIED CHICKEN
- Prep the chicken: wash the chicken cuts thoroughly and pat it dries with a tissue paper or paper towel.
- Buttermilk mixture: To a large bowl adds buttermilk, spices, sauce, and whisk until combined.
- Dredge the piece: First, dredge the chicken in the seasoned flour on all the sides, then dip it into the buttermilk mixture. Dredge the chicken in the flour/ Bread crumbs(seasoned), then place the chicken on a tray or rack.
- Air Fry the chicken: Spray some oil over the air fryer basket, then gently place the chicken, make sure to not overcrowd the basket. Spray some oil over the chicken pieces with a spray bottle or apply oil with a brush. Cook at 375F for about 20 minutes. Flip over the chicken pieces and spray some oil over them, cook it again for 10 minutes.
Cooking time may vary depending on your air fryer.
WHY IS AIR FRYER BETTER?
There are mostly two main reasons why you would want to switch from traditional frying techniques to air fryers.
- First of all, there are health benefits to using an air fryer over traditional deep-frying chicken. You tend to use very little oil, usually just ½ -1 tbsp of oil or just spraying oil over the chicken pieces before and during air frying. As a result, the food is likely to absorb a very little amount of oil and still get you the same crisp and crunch.
- For me personally, it saves a lot of time and requires very little attention. It takes a few minutes to prepare and let the air fryer do its thing. And the best part is it very easy to clean as compared to dealing with stubborn stains of big pots or pans.
If you have ever tried frying your chicken using a convection oven, then you must be aware of how your oven leaves your kitchen hot.
Gone are the days of an excessively hot oven and kitchen when you fry your chicken in an air fryer.
HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER FRIED CHICKEN
You can store Air fryer fried chicken in an airtight box for around 3-4 days in the fridge.
The leftover fried chicken cannot retain its outer coating crispy, but you can achieve it by reheating the leftovers in a proper method.
HOW TO MAKE 5 MINUTE DIY BUTTERMILK
Making your own homemade Buttermilk is quite easy and convenient. Simply mix 1 cup of milk with 1 TBSP of lemon juice or vinegar. Stir it and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes or until the mixture curdles.
Adding buttermilk to chicken marination helps the chicken to maintain its juiciness with a crispy outside. if you have time you can even let the chicken sit in the marination for an hour or even overnight, it adds a lot of flavor to the chicken.
HOW TO REHEAT LEFTOVER AIR FRYER FRIED CHICKEN
You must be wondering if it is easy to just dump all the pieces into the air fryer and reheat the pieces. But I would not recommend this, as there is a high chance that you would burn or dry out the outer coating of the chicken pieces.
If you wish to reheat the leftover chicken, then use the oven for the best results.
Preheat your oven to 400F, line a baking sheet with foil, and place the chicken pieces on the sheet. Then place another sheet of foil over the chicken pieces. Bake for 20minutes, then let it cool for some time and check the crispiness of the chicken. Bake for another 5 minutes uncovered if it needs more time.
What to serve with Crispy Chicken:
Need some easy side dish inspiration? Here’s what I love to serve with crispy air fried chicken:
- A cold, creamy and rich salad pairs amazingly well, like my classic Thai peanut pasta salad, macaroni salad, or broccoli salad
- For picnic or BBQ serve it with greek yogurt dip, dill dip or honey glazed roasted carrot with crispy potato wedges.
- We also love it with black bean salad, Lebanese spicy potato, or roasted cauliflower