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.
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Full Recipe/Instructions are available in the
recipe card at the bottom of the post.
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This recipe has over 150 5-star reviews! Check out our comments to discover why readers love this fried chicken made in the 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 had to apologize for hating on fried chicken all these years. Now it’s a part of our monthly meal rotation.
I like to cut a whole chicken up into separate portions, it's economical and nothing goes to waste. I can make air fryer fried chicken thighs, air fryer fried chicken drumsticks, and also use the breast meat and wings too.
For the juiciest chicken, I like to marinade my Air Fryer Fried Chicken in buttermilk, which tenderizes the chicken and also adds a great tangy flavor.
Ingredients
- Whole chicken cut into separate pieces (breast, thigh, wing, and leg)
- Hot sauce - I use Texas Pete.
- Buttermilk
- All-Purpose Flour
- Seasoning salt
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Italian seasoning
- Cayenne pepper
- Canola or vegetable oil
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.
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 the 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.
Frying the Chicken Pieces
Close the air fryer drawer and set the temperature to 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.
Once your cooking cycle is done, use a quick-read thermometer to ensure your chicken is fully cooked to 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove and enjoy 🙂
There you have it! Delicious Southern Style Buttermilk Soaked Air Fryer Fried Chicken.
Additional recipes
If you like chicken, try these out:
- Air Fryer Whole Chicken (Peruvian Style)
- BBQ Air Fryer Chicken Breast
- Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings
If you're looking to fry fish instead, try this recipe for fish in your air fryer.
What to serve with Crispy Fried Chicken
Looking for some recipes to serve this chicken with? Try these out:
- Air Fryer Potato Wedges (KFC Copycat)
- Sweet and Spicy Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts
- Kale and Broccoli Salad
- Southern Style Pressure Cooker Collard Greens
- White Cheddar Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese
- Sautéed Beet Greens
- Old Fashioned Potato Salad
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 would, dry flour. I use either canola or vegetable oil for my air-fried chicken.
- Some breading will fall off, whether you use the liners or not. However, much less breading falls off when using 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 the 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 deliciously crisp.
- This chicken is best served on the same day. If reheating, place chicken in Air Fryer and cook at 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.
Pin Air Fryer Fried Chicken for Later
Watch me make this chicken from start to finish.
How to store leftover fried chicken
To refrigerate: Keep any leftover fried chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. To heat up the next day warm the chicken in a preheated oven at 400F until warmed through. Leftovers also make a great addition to salads and sandwiches the next day.
To freeze: Once cooked and cooled, place any pieces of leftover chicken into an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. As the chicken is already cooked it can be reheated from frozen in a preheated oven at 350F. When ready to enjoy place the frozen chicken onto a baking sheet and place in the oven for 30-40 minutes to reheat.
FAQs:
Yes, absolutely, just ensure you cook it until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
The pieces of chicken are marinated in buttermilk and hot sauce. When ready to cook lift a piece of chicken and shake it gently to remove any excess marinade. This marinade will help the breading mixture to stick to the chicken.
If you don't have buttermilk in the fridge don't worry, there are a few good substitutes for buttermilk. Try adding a tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a cup of milk; alternatively, mix 1 ¾ teaspoons of cream of tartar to a cup of milk; or mix some sour cream or plain yogurt with a little milk or water to thin it down a little.
Once the chicken is coated in the breading place the pieces into the Air Fryer in a single layer, allowing space between each piece of chicken for the air to circulate. Do not be tempted to overcrowd the basket or the chicken won't crisp up. Next set the Air Fryer to a hot 390 degrees Fahrenheit so the chicken cooks fast and high. Finally, I like the flip the chicken over halfway through, this also allows me to spray any flour spots with a little extra oil so the coating crisps up nicely.
I like to use Canola oil or vegetable oil as it has a higher smoke point which is ideal for frying chicken. Don't be tempted to use olive oil as it has a lower smoke point and is likely to burn.
Your chicken will not crisp up if using boneless chicken. I recommend using skin-on, bone-in chicken pieces.
You can place your chicken pieces in the fridge for 10-15 minutes after breading, and before air frying. This will help if you have trouble with the breading staying on.
If you have tried my Air Fryer Fried Chicken or any other recipe on my blog, then please rate it and let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
Air Fryer Fried Chicken
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 teaspoon seasoning salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon 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.
- I use Texas Pete hot sauce in this recipe. If you are sensitive to heat or use a spicier brand, reduce the amount of hot sauce.
- 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
This post was originally published on March 5, 2019. It has been updated with additional helpful tips.
Adriana says
That was the best fried chicken I’ve had in a very long time!! Thank you so much for that recipe 😋
Catharine Schaidle says
Do you need a special parchment paper fir the air fryer?
Cat
Tanya says
Yep. They have precut parchment paper liners that have holes in the bottom to help with air flow. However, you can cut a piece of parchment and cut holes in the bottom as well.
Christine says
I made this tonight and it was delicious!! Nice combination of herbs and spices - I did cut back on the hot sauce a bit. It turned out very juicy.
Diana says
Can’t wait to try it. Looks delicious. Thanks.
Claire Sendejas says
I made this for my husband's birthday on Monday with our home shucked oysters and champagne and it was incredible! I used Crystal hot sauce instead otherwise followed your recipe exactly. My daughter loved it so much she had me make it for her birthday two days later! Lol. I'm making the left overs again today lol. Can't wait to try your other recipes!
Viola says
I didn't have buttermilk or vinegar so I just used whole milk and hot sauce. That's the only thing I did differently to the recipe itself. I did need to up the temperature and let them go about 5 extra minutes to brown more. Other than that it was perfect. They taste a bit like popeyes chicken (mild). I was afraid with the hot sauce that they'd be spicy, but nope. Perfect. I used 4 chicken legs for me and my boyfriend and paired it with baked potatoes. Total hit.
Tanya says
Thank you Viola! So glad you liked the recipe 🙂
Sandra Newcomer says
@Viola, what kind of hot sauce are you using? I used Frank's that is all I could taste.
Patricia says
@Viola, You can make buttermilk by adding lemon juice or vinegar to your milk. I think it is 1 tablespoon. Mix it in and stir let stand for about 5 minutes or so...
Carol says
This looks awesome! Would I get the same results with skinless chicken?
Tanya says
Hi Carol, this flour breading sticks best with chicken with the skin on. However, I have some comments stating that they used skinless chicken and it was fine as well.
luisa padilla says
I am new to the InstatPot cooking world, just got a InstatPot duo as a birthday gift, made your steak recipe and loved it. Today I am trying your fry chicken, love your recipes, I subscribed.
Vicki Cantrell says
Hello I found your site while looking for an air fryer can you tell me which air fryer you use want to get my brother one for Christmas but there are so many on the market, Thank you Vicki
Tanya says
hi Vicki, there are so many. I own a few but the one you will see most often are the Philips Avance XXL or the Bella Pro 5.3qt. Both work very well for me.
Tim says
Made this today and it was so good! I did 3 legs and one very large breast so had to go about 5 minutes longer on the breast because my readings were 159 to 170 while the legs were reading as high as 190. Also had to use regular parchment and cut some holes, but otherwise recipe was followed exactly and best fried chicken ever! Used ninja Foodi XL grill with air fryer. Have ordered parchment for air fryers for next time which will be very soon, thanks for sharing!
Tanya says
Thanks Tim! So glad you liked the recipe and thank you for the feedback 🙂
Ally says
Can you double layer the chicken? I have an accessory that allows me to have two cooking levels. Would I need to increase the time?
Tanya says
hi Ally, you can but it would take more work. You would need to rotate the chicken from top to bottom to ensure even cooking. You will likely need to add a few more munites to the cooking time to ensure all pieces are properly cooked.
Norma says
I’ve read some comments about the hot sauce after my previous post. It added, for my family, just the right amount of “hotness” for all of us. Now if you don’t like spicy food at all, I’d dial it down to 1 parts hot sauce, 3 parts buttermilk to still get the affect without the heat. My family is African American and traditionally, we like a little more seasoning than some of our European American counterparts. The seasoning level on this was just so spot on without being obnoxious, I was shocked and pleased. Usually I need to adjust recipes after the first time making it and no changes are needed for this. It is just so GOOD!
Jackie says
What kind of air fryer was used ?
Tanya says
Hi Jackie, I used the Philips Avance XL for the chicken you see in the photos. In the video I used the Bella Pro 5.3qt
Norma says
This was awesome! My family loved it. And, this was my first time using an air fryer, so I greatly appreciated all the tips. Thank you!
Tanya says
Yay! So glad you liked the recipe Norma 🙂
Norma says
@Norma, I’m Norma too and I approve this message! Seriously, it was so good, my husband with notoriously high standards and my amateur food critic son raves over this. And I loved it too. We will definitely be adding this to our rotation, too. Sooooo good and delicious!!!
Tanya says
Thank you Norma 🙂
Kathie Morris says
Thank you for this fantastic recipe! This was my first time using an air fryer, and the chicken came out perfect!
Tanya says
Yay! So glad you liked the recipe Kathie 🙂