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Ultimate Crispy & Juicy Air Fryer Fried Chicken

Four pieces of golden brown, crispy air fryer fried chicken piled on a light blue plate.
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Achieve that satisfying crunch of classic fried chicken with significantly less oil. This recipe uses a buttermilk soak and seasoned coating to give you juicy meat and golden, crispy skin right in your air fryer.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 lbs bone-in chicken pieces (thighs, drumsticks, or breasts)
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust for heat)
  • Cooking spray or 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

  1. Place the chicken pieces in a bowl. Pour the buttermilk and hot sauce over the chicken, ensuring all pieces are coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 4 hours, for the juiciest results.
  2. In a shallow dish, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. This is your easy air fryer coating.
  3. Remove the chicken from the buttermilk, letting excess drip off, but do not rinse.
  4. Dredge each piece of chicken thoroughly in the flour mixture, pressing the coating onto the chicken to help it adhere. Place the coated pieces on a wire rack.
  5. Preheat your air fryer to 380 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray.
  6. Lightly spray the top of each piece of coated chicken with cooking spray or brush with a small amount of oil. This helps achieve that golden brown air fryer chicken color.
  7. Arrange the chicken in a single layer in the air fryer basket, ensuring there is space between pieces for air circulation. Do not overcrowd the basket; work in batches if necessary.
  8. Air fry for 18 minutes. Flip the chicken pieces, spray the other side lightly with oil, and continue to air fry for another 7 to 12 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit and the coating is deeply golden and crispy.
  9. Remove the chicken and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving your healthy fried chicken alternative.

Notes

  • For extra crispy air fryer chicken, after the first flip, you can increase the temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit for the final 5 minutes of cooking.
  • If using chicken breasts, you may need to slightly reduce the cooking time to prevent drying out.
  • This recipe works well for bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks, which tend to stay juicier.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://magazinemeal.com/air-fryer-fried-chicken/