Air Fryer Fried Chicken

AIR FRYER FRIED CHICKEN

This Air Fryer Fried Chicken is golden brown, juicy, and full of flavor. It’s one recipe you have to try in your Air Fryer.

If you’re living in the South, then knowing how to make fried chicken is a must. I tried for the longest to avoid posting a fried chicken recipe on the blog because in all honesty, I didn’t tend to get excited about fried chicken.

Until now. For years, when my Southern husband requested fried chicken, I’d just shrug and make him these air fried chicken wings covered in an Asian sauce instead.

But one day, I went ahead and made a traditional Southern fried chicken recipe right in my Air Fryer. It was phenomenal. I had to apologize for taking so long to make it and I to apologize for hating on fried chicken all these years. Now it’s a part of our monthly meal rotation.

HOW TO MAKE AIR FRYER FRIED CHICKEN

First, you will want to marinate your chicken. I use a mixture of half buttermilk and half hot sauce. I learned the hot sauce trick from my mother-in-law. The buttermilk helps keep the chicken juicy on the inside and the hot sauce adds flavor to the chicken. Don’t worry about it being spicy, it won’t be. You can marinate in the refrigerator anywhere from 1 hr to as long as 24 hours.

chicken pieces in buttermilk and hot sauce

Combine flour, italian seasoning, seasoning salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. I use a whisk to ensure that my flour is fully seasoned.

Grab a pair of tongs and remove one piece of chicken from the buttermilk mixture, allowing it to drain off a bit, and place it in the flour mixture and use the tongs to make sure the chicken pieces are fully coated.

Place a piece of parchment paper with holes in the Air Fryer. This has been my best solution for not having breaded fried chicken stick to the bottom of the Air Fryer. Just make sure that you don’t put the parchment paper down without food on top. If it there is no food to hold it down, it could fly up into the heating coils on top of the air fryer and start a fire.

Place your floured chicken piece on top of the parchment paper. Make sure the chicken pieces are not overlapping or touching. The more space the better.

chicken pieces covered in flour in Air Fryer

FRYING THE CHICKEN PIECES

Close the air fryer drawer and set the temperature for 390 degrees Fahrenheit and timer for 25 minutes.

After about 13 minutes, open the Air Fryer. Your chicken should look like the photo below on the left (still showing some dry flour spots). Grab your Air Fryer oil spray bottle and spray those flour spots. Then grab some tongs and flip your chicken. Spray this side of the chicken as well, covering all flour spots. Close your Air Fryer and let it resume cooking.

chicken pieces covered in flour in Air fryer basket

fried chicken pieces in air fryer basket

Once you cooking cycle is done, use a quick read thermometer to ensure your chicken is fully cooked to 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove and enjoy 🙂

NOTES ON AIR FRYER FRIED CHICKEN

I do not recommend overlapping the chicken pieces in this recipe. It’s best to have the chicken spaces in a single layer and not touching. That way the air can get around the chicken to crisp it up and give it that nice and crispy golden layer.
Remember to spray lightly with oil. The purpose of the oil in this recipe is to cover the dried flour spots. Not spraying with oil will have those flour spots tasting like you would imagine they world, dry flour. I use either canola or vegetable oil for my air fried chicken.
Some breading will fall of, whether you use the liners or not. However, much less breading falls of when using the parchment liners.
If using parchment liners, make sure that you place the chicken on top of them before starting the Air Fryer. Not doing so will cause the liners to fly into the fan, get caught, and possibly start a fire.
Timing will vary depending on Air Fryer brand. Use a meat thermometer to ensure your chicken has at least reached a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. My chicken usually reaches 180 degrees or more and is still juicy and deliciousy crsip.
This chicken is best serve the same day. If reheating, place chicken in Air Fryer and cook on 370 for about 10 minutes.
Use any part of the chicken you like that has skin on. The breading may not stick to skinless chicken and it may not be as crispy.

Air Fryer Fried Chicken

This Air Fryer fried chicken is a healthier and easier version of traditional fried chicken. Soaked in buttermilk and hot sauce, covered in seasoned flour, and air fried to perfection.

Course :Main Course

Cuisine :American

Prep Time :10 minutes

Cook Time :25 minutes

Marinade :1 hour

Total Time :35 minutes

Servings : people

Calories :318kcal

Ingredients

Marinade

½ whole chicken cut into separate pieces (breast, thigh, wing, and leg)
½ cup hot sauce
½ cup buttermilk

Seasoning

¾ cup All-Purpose Flour
2 tsp seasoning salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp Italian seasoning
½ tsp cayenne pepper
Oil for spraying Canola or Vegetable

Instructions

Place chicken pieces in buttermilk and hot sauce. Place in refrigerator and allow to marinate anytime from 1-24 hours.
Whisk together all-purpose flour, seasoning salt, garlic powder, onion powder, italian seasoning, and cayenne pepper in a bowl. Set aside.
Place a parchment liner in the Air Fryer basket.
Remove a piece of chicken from the buttermilk mixture and place in the flour mixture, coating all sides of the chicken and shaking off any excess flour. Place the chicken pieces in the basket in a single layer.
Close the Air Fryer basket and set temperature to 390 degrees Fahrenheit and timer to 25 minutes. Start the Air Fryer.
After 13 minutes, open the air fryer and spray any flour spots on the chicken. Flip the chicken and spray the other side with oil, ensuring all the flour spots are covered. Close the Air fryer and cook for 12 more minutes.
Once the timer is up, open the Air Fryer and check chicken pieces with a quick read thermometer. Chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees at the thickest part of the chicken.

Video

Notes

I do not recommend overlapping the chicken pieces in this recipe. It’s best to have the chicken spaces in a single layer and not touching. That way the air can get around the chicken to crisp it up and give it that nice and crispy golden layer.
Remember to spray lightly with oil. The purpose of the oil in this recipe is to cover the dried flour spots. Not spraying with oil will have those flour spots tasting like you would imagine they would, dry flour.
Some breading will fall of, whether you use the liners or not. However, much less breading falls of when using the parchment liners.
If using parchment liners, make sure that you place the chicken on top of them before starting the Air Fryer. Not doing so will cause the liners to fly into the fan, get caught, and possibly start a fire.
Timing will vary depending on Air Fryer brand. Use a meat thermometer to ensure your chicken has at least reached a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. My chicken usually reaches 180 degrees or more and is still juicy and deliciousy crsip.
This chicken is best serve the same day. If reheating, place chicken in Air Fryer and cook on 370 for about 10 minutes.
Use any part of the chicken you like that has skin on. The breading may not stick to skinless chicken and it may not be as crispy.

Suggested Tools for Air Fryer Fried Chicken

Air Fryer Parchment Liners (They come in different sizes so make sure to select the one that correlates to your size of Air Fryer)
Oil bottle for spraying
Tongs for flipping (I like to have a few around)
Quick Read Thermometer

Nutrition