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.
You can find important tips/tricks in the
blog post.
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.
Jean says
I used to have a recipe similar to this but freeze it halfway through cooking time. Then I always had “Banquet” style fried chicken in the freezer. Have you ever tried that?
Tanya says
Hi Jean, I haven't tried that yet.
DB says
@Jean, That is inspired. This is a great recipe but I also like your idea!
Steve says
Whatever you do, don't try this recipe if you cut your chicken down into fingers or bites. They'll cook up in the first 12 minutes and the underside coating comes off. If you turn them over to try to get color on the underside, all you do is lose the fried coating from the first side. You basically pull out bald chicken with a layer of goop left in the parchment. That's on me, though... the tiny bit of fried coating remaining seemed to taste good, though the hot sauce in the marinade DEFINITELY was still in play.
Teri says
@Steve, maybe spray the parchment with cooking spray before placing the chicken on it. Might not stick then.
Robbie says
@Steve, Hi. Just wanted to reiterate~~this recipe is for bone-in, skin-on, chicken pieces. Not for boneless strips, bites, or tenders. There are different recipes and cooking temps/times for boneless, skinless pieces. We love this recipe and the bone-in, skin-on pieces are cheaper at the store, as is whole chickens (as noted in the recipe tips and tricks).
Thanks, Tanya for a great, less mess, fried chicken recipe! We make this at least once a month!
Grannycan (learn new tricks!)
Debbie says
Is there a substitute for a dairy , egg free diet for my grandson to make the chicken tender?
Janine says
Fantastic recipe! A couple of tweaks: I substituted half and half with a dash of white vinegar for the buttermilk, pre-heated the air fryer and let 5 minutes elapse before putting the wing in. I didn't use a parchment liner, just oiled the insert really well (I have the Gourmia 7 qt. air fryer from Costco).
I'll most definitely be making this again. Thank you Tanya!
Lauretta says
@Janine, have a airvfryer in my oven use the same way as the small one ??
Anything I should do different
Holly says
@Lauretta, did you ever air about the air fry setting on your oven? I also have that!
Darcy says
OMGosh! The BEST fried chicken recipe...and with my Air Fryer, so it's healthy! I have extra buttermilk so I'm making it again this week. I even reheated my left overs (I have two Air Fryers so I always make extra) for about 6 minutes and it was perfect the 2nd day too. Thanks for the easy and BEST recipe!!
Tanya says
Thank you Darcy! So happy you like the recipe 🙂
Susan says
This is the best “fried chicken” ever! I make it a couple times a month. My husband says if it’s good cold then it’s really good and he loves it cold as well!!
Anna says
This recipe is perfection. So good!
anonymous from MD says
Any suggestions for those of us who have a fructan intolerance and can't consumer garlic or onion or wheat? I can use Gluten free breadcrumbs but am not sure what to do about the garlic and onion powders. (I may try Gourmand Foods Low FODMAP Garlic chive powder and chive powder.) I also am Lactose intolerant. Thanks! I'd welcome other substitution ideas.
Linda S. says
@anonymous from MD, I’ve made this a number of times and it always comes out yummy. I vary the herbs depending on what I have on hand. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Enjoy!
Grace H says
I did it, its yuuuummmmmmyyyyy! Thanks for the recipe ❤️❤️❤️
nancy says
Do you not preheat the air fryer?
Tanya says
Hi nancy, I did not preheat for this recipe.
Marla G says
Starting out 2022 on a healthier kick and found this great recipe! Was wondering, how do I adjust the time for boneless chicken? Thanks so much for sharing...will look for you on YouTube.
Tanya says
Hi Marla, thank you. For boneless chicken, you will need to reduce the time to about 12-15 minutes, depending on the thickness, etc. I'd use a thermometer to make sure it reaches the correct temp before serving. Also, since the breading does not stick as well as it does to skin-on chicken, I'd suggest breading and placing the pieces in the fridge for 30 mins before air frying.
Peter says
Yes I am going to try your method of doing chicken. Loved the butter milk with hot sauce marinade mixture. Thx
PS: I have suggested this before but am doing so again for we poor souls Down Under that use the metric system. Is it possible to put the Celsius temp in brackets?
165Fahrenheit(74c)
Tanya says
Hey Peter, thank you for the suggestion. I've been including both on some newer recipes but will make a note to update it on older recipes as well.
Ruth says
This was the very first recipe I tried when I got my first air fryer. Had never used one before, and had NO IDEA how it was going to cook our food. This has been my husband's favorite fried chicken ever since. God bless you Tanya, you are an inspiration.
Douglas L Jenkinson says
Yum. I'm going to try your recipe. I like fried a bit on the hot sauce side.
Sarah G says
Yum! Feels like I’m back home in the south again. Will serve with waffles next time to recreate my favorite meal.