Air Fryer Fried Chicken

4.67 from 6 votes

Crispy, juicy, and finger-licking good, this air fryer version of fried chicken is full of flavor! Perfectly golden brown on the outside and moist on the inside, this air-fried chicken is healthier, easier, and less messy to make than deep-fried chicken!

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Total Time40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 627kcal

Author: Justin Coit

Equipment

Air Fryer

Ingredients

2 lbs bone-in chicken with skin thighs and legs
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups buttermilk
2 eggs beaten
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tbsp garlic powder
1½ tbsp paprika
olive oil spray

Instructions

Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and then add to a large mixing bowl with the egg and buttermilk. Toss to coat.
In another bowl make the seasoning: add the flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Mix until well combined.
One piece at a time, remove the chicken from the buttermilk mixture and shake off any excess. Place the chicken in the seasoning and coat well.
Depending on the size of your air fryer you may need to cook in batches. Give the chicken a good even coat of olive oil spray and give the basket of the air fryer a light coat of spray. On a single layer place the chicken skin side up giving each piece some room for the hot air to circulate. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes at 360 F. Halfway through the cooking time spray the chicken with another coat of olive oil. Cook until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 F. (It is very important that you use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken as it might look cooked on the outside but could be undercooked)

Video

Notes

If the air fryer starts smoking, you can add some water to the bottom of the basket to keep the grease from the chicken from causing smoke.
Do not overcrowd your air fryer, as it’ll prevent the circulating hot air from reaching every single piece of fried chicken. You’ll end up with unevenly cooked chicken, and the skin won’t crisp up.
Make sure to let the excess buttermilk and egg drip off before coating the chicken with flour. While you need there to be enough moisture for the coating to stick but not too much that the flour coating can’t absorb all the moisture.
Try to air fry similar-sized chicken together. Alternatively, pull out the smaller pieces from the air fryer, so they don’t overcook as the larger pieces continue to air fry.

Nutrition