Air Fryer Fried Chicken Recipe

An overhead view of a platter of air fryer fried chicken. A bowl of coleslaw on the side.

Air Fryer Fried Chicken Recipe

This crispy Air Fryer Fried Chicken is flavorful, tender, and easy to make! There is no need for deep frying–just a few simple ingredients, fuss-free steps, and an air fryer make the perfect comfort food.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Marinade Time 4

Total Time 4 30

Servings servings

Calories 655kcal

Author John Kanell

Equipment

Air fryer
Ziptop bag or large bowl
Shallow dish

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

2 cups buttermilk (480mL)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 pounds bone-in chicken pieces (a mix of thighs and legs) (900g)

For the Breading:

2 cups all-purpose flour (240g)
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Cooking spray

Instructions

For the Chicken:

Combine the buttermilk, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a resealable plastic bag. Add the chicken pieces, seal, shake the bag to stir and coat the chicken well. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight, flipping the bag a few times.

For the Breading:

Mix together the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. Remove half of the chicken from the brine and let the excess brine drip off.
Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture and place on a baking sheet.
Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Spray the air fryer basket and chicken pieces with cooking spray.
Place the chicken in the basket, skin side down, and spray again.
Cook for 20 minutes, flipping after 10 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F in the thicket part of each piece. Remove the chicken from air fryer and place on a wire rack.
Repeat with the remaining chicken and dredge. Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

Allow time to marinate. The buttermilk brine is key to the tender, juicy chicken. Refrigerate the chicken in the brine for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours if you have time.
Avoid overcrowding the air fryer. Arrange the chicken in a single layer in the air fryer basket with space between each piece to ensure even cooking and a crispy finish. You will likely need to cook in at least two batches, depending on the size of your air fryer.
Wipe the basket clean. Thoroughly wipe out the air fryer basket between batches to prevent leftover breading from burning.
Use a meat thermometer. Make sure the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165ºF for safe consumption. Add more cooking time if needed.

Nutrition

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