Air Fryer Fried Chicken

Juicy on the inside, crispy golden on the outside, this air fryer fried chicken recipe covers all the steps to make a whole chicken including the thighs, wings, and breasts.

Why this recipe works

The important thing to know about air fryer fried chicken is that each cut of meat will vary in cook time depending on the individual wing, thigh, and breast. Today we’re using a whole chicken so we can break it down nice and easy for you.

Making fried chicken in the air fryer eliminates all the unnecessary excess oil from the equation while still leaving you with deliciously juicy, breaded chicken. Use this recipe as a base on how to air fry fried chicken in a few simple steps using buttermilk and seasoned flour.

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions

CHICKEN – We are using a 6-7 pound whole chicken for this recipe, however, you can use just breasts, thighs, or wings using the instructions below.

MARINADE – Buttermilk’s acidity helps tenderize the chicken by gently breaking down the proteins while also locking in moisture. It’s the best marinade when it comes to fried chicken! However, you can substitute wth regular milk mixed with a small amount of either lemon juice or vinegar if needed.

How to Make Air Fryer Fried Chicken

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

1. Cut the chicken into 10 pieces: 2 wings, 2 legs, 2 thighs, and cut each breast in half for a total of 4 breast pieces.
2. Add the chicken, buttermilk, and seasoned salt to a large bowl and toss to coat the chicken.
3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
4. After the chicken is done marinating, make the seasoned flour. To do so, combine all ingredients in a large, shallow bowl.
5. Remove a piece of chicken from the marinade and let the excess marinade drip off. Dredge the chicken on both sides in the flour mixture until well-coated. Repeat this process until all the chicken is coated in seasoned flour.
6. Preheat air fryer to 360F.
7. You will need to cook the chicken in 3 batches: 1 batch for the breasts, 1 batch for the wings, and 1 batch for the legs/thighs. Before air frying, brush a little oil in the basket of the air fryer. Right before air frying, brush the top of the chicken pieces generously with oil.
   
   EXPERT TIP – It’s fine if you want to check the chicken halfway through cooking to see if there are any flour spots so you can brush them with oil, but don’t flip the chicken.
   
   
8. Breasts – Cook 23 to 28 minutes, until they reach an internal temperature of 165F.
9. Wings – Cook 15 to 18 minutes, until they reach an internal temperature of 165F.
10. Legs/Thighs – Cook 25 to 30 minutes, until they reach an internal temperature of 175F.

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips

Nope! Use this recipe as a go-to for how to fry chicken in the air fryer. Simply use the cut of meat you’d prefer, like the wing, thigh, or breast, and dredge in the simple buttermilk and seasoned flour mixture then air fry according to individual listed cook times.

Store leftover air fryer fried chicken in an air-tight container or wrapped tightly in aluminum foil kept in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in the air fryer.

Place the cooked chicken on a wire rack sitting on top of a baking tray, then put it in a preheated oven at 200F to keep it warm until all the chicken is done cooking.

The best way to tell if the chicken is fully cooked is to check it with an instant-read thermometer. Chicken is done cooking when it reaches an internal temp of 165F when the thermometer is inserted into the thickest part of the meat.

Serving Suggestions

Air fryer chicken comes in all different shapes and sizes from chicken nuggets to kabobs, tenders, thighs, drumsticks, and more.

Top air fryer fried chicken with fresh minced parsley and serve with your favorite dipping sauces like ranch, honey mustard, gravy, barbecue, or buffalo sauce. Fried chicken pairs well with french fries, mac and cheese, biscuits, and coleslaw on the side.

More Air Fryer Recipes

• Air Fryer Pizza
• Air Fryer Shrimp
• Air Fryer Crab Cakes
• Air Fryer Fried Pickles
• Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
• Air Fryer Chicken Cordon Bleu

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