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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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.
Perry Titus-Glover says
Incredible
Kelly Brinley says
Chicken was fantastic!
Susie says
Hi Tanya, I really enjoyed this. My butcher only had 1 pound of bone in, skin on thighs, so I halved the ingredients. I didn’t have cayenne pepper for the breading- it was fine without it. I used Sriracha hot sauce for the buttermilk marinade, and was great! I plan on trying Pete’s next, as you recommended. This is a wonderful dish, thank you again for another fabulous air fryer recipe❣️
Shannon Kumar says
I’m planning to make this for Mother’s Day, as part of a chicken and waffles brunch! Was wondering if I could use foil instead of parchment paper? Amazon won’t deliver in time 🙁
Tanya says
Hi Shannon, I haven't tried it with foil paper so I'm not sure if that would prevent sticking and proper crisping. If your air fryer has one of those black non-stick baskets you should be fine without the parchment paper. I would suggest placing ample oil in the basket and being super careful when flipping the chicken, so the breading sticks better.
Brittany says
Hi, I tried this recipe last night and followed your instructions to a T. It came out perfectly with our bone-in skin-on chicken thighs. Crispy on the outside and moist on the inside! The breading mostly stuck to the chicken, which was great. I had to do it in two batches, which worked fine too.
My only issue is that it WAS really spicy. My husband and I loved the spice, but our kids weren't able to handle it. I think next time I won't do a full half cup of hot sauce in the marinade.
Tanya says
Thanks Brittany! Feel free to cut back on the hot sauce in half on the next batch. I use Texas Pete a ton and don't find it spicy. Other hot sauces may be spicier.
Florence says
Used by air fryer for the 1st time this evening and tried your Fried Chicken recipe. The chicken came out perfectly moist and tender and the breading mixture stayed on perfectly also. I will admit I didn't have any hot sauce to use so I added cayenne pepper to the buttermilk which gave it a slight zing. My husband was impressed with the air fryer and your recipe. I will definitely make your Fried Chicken again and since it only takes 25 minutes to make I can have it on a week night
Tanya says
I'm so happy you both liked it. I'm all for weeknight air fried chicken.
Carolyn says
Wow! Made this in my brand new Instant Pot Duo Crisp tonight. First ever instant pot meal. This was phenomenal! Thanks so much for this! I bookmarked it!
Tanya says
Thank you Carolyn. So glad you liked the recipe 🙂
Susie says
Hi! I love all your recipes! My husband likes bone in, skin on thighs. Would 4 thighs work with this recipe, or how many pounds of chicken pieces do you recommend? Thanks!
Tanya says
Hi Susie, 4 thighs would work fine. I'd keep the cooktime and temp the same for all thighs. I'd suggest about 2 lbs of chicken or however many pieces can fit in your air fryer in a single layer.
Lance Weisser says
Hi Tanya,
It was a total success, thanks to your clear instructions. I might say that all of my flour breading stayed in place. What works for me is to really pack the flour into the meat--massage it into every nook and cranny with your fingers, and don't be gentle. I even double dip it in the buttermilk and pack it on again. Then I put the floured chicken on a plate and in the fridge to set for an hour or so. This makes the flour really stick to all surfaces, skin or no skin. Finally, after preheating my GoWISE, I pour a little oil onto a plate, quickly rub all the chicken surfaces in it to lightly coat, and place the pieces onto a raised metal rack which fits into the basket, and follow your times and temps for cooking. The breading stays put, and the chicken comes out perfectly done and juicy.
Thank you for this very delicious recipe, Tanya!
Lance in Canada
Tanya says
Awesome Lance! So glad you liked the recipe and thank you for the feedback and tips on getting that breading to stick 🙂
Pam says
Tanya
I have enjoyed all your recipes.
Making the fried chicken tonight.
I appreciate your detailness. I actually understand how to use my instapot thanks to You.
Robin says
Can you use wax paper instead of parchment paper?
Tanya says
Hi Robin, you can't use wax paper instead of parchment paper. Wax paper isn't suitable for high heat cooking like the air fryer.
Monique says
Hello!
Made this a couple of days ago and the flavor was delicious! My only problem was the breading. It mostly fell off. Any tips?
Tanya says
Hi Monique, did you use skin on or skinless chicken? I find that the batter sticks better to chicken with the skin on. Also, the parchment paper has been the best way for me not to get it to stick to the basket and fall off. If it's still an issue, you could try placing the chicken pieces on a wire rack after breading them for a few minutes.
Ross says
Can bread crumbs be used instead of flour
for the air fryer chicken drumsticks??
Tanya says
Hi Ross, I've used bread crumbs in the past and they were fine. You may need to reduce the temperature a little (about 20 degrees) as I found breadcrumbs brown faster than the flour.
Keith says
I used this recipe as a guide for my first ever air fryer meal (fried chicken). The parchment paper and dry spot oiling tips were great. The chicken turned out delicious and I can't wait to do it again with some tweaks. Thanks for the recipe, can't wait until I get some buttermilk to try this again.
Tanya says
Awesome Keith! So glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
Lisa says
My chicken came out perfect! I was having trouble getting it crispy before. Thanks for all the tips. Your recipe was delicious. My husband was so excited
Tanya says
Awesome! So glad you all liked it 🙂