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Why You’ll Love My Recipe
This recipe is perfect for those days when you’re craving the crunch of fried chicken without the grease. Made in your air fryer, it’s also incredibly easy to clean up afterward.
You’ll love this crispy-skinned air fryer chicken, it’s incredibly satisfying and the recipe is super simple! Why not also try this Air Fryer Fish recipe? Or, for something totally different, try some Air Fryer Hard Boiled Eggs.
Reader Review
This recipe is just the easiest, quickest and best fried chicken recipe ever! So much flavor from so few ingredients. Comes out juicy and with a nice crust! You’ll never go back to KFC once you make this! Thanks Karlyn! Go Oilers!
Karlynn’s Recipe Notes
- Skill Level: This is an easy recipe.
- Total Time: This chicken will take approximately 25-30 minutes to make, depending on the exact thickness of your chicken.
- Variations: Play with the seasoning levels to make the coating more or less spicy. Try replacing part of the flour with cornstarch for a lighter taste, or mix in some breadcrumbs for extra crunch. Make a batch of Baba Ganoush to use as dip, and set out a platter of veggies or some Biscuits and Gravy to round out the meal.
- Tools Needed: For this recipe, you’ll need two medium bowls, a whisk, an air fryer, a large plate, some tongs, cooking spray, and a food thermometer.
What You’ll Need For Ingredients
Chicken: This recipe is optimized for chicken thighs but you can use it for any cut of chicken. You’ll need to adjust your cooking time accordingly. Boneless pieces will take significantly less time, while large pieces with bones will take longer. Skin or no skin is entirely up to you. Make sure to keep an eye on the chicken as you cook it, since specific times can vary significantly.
Coating: The coating for this chicken is a simple blend of flour and seasoning. All purpose or whole wheat flour are both fine. This recipe calls for Old Bay Seasoning in particular. If you don’t enjoy those flavours, or can’t find any in stores, feel free to use whatever seasonings you enjoy best on chicken. You can even try making your own Homemade Cajun Seasoning or Chicken Seasoning to use instead.
How to Make Air Fryer Fried Chicken
This is a brief overview of the recipe. The full list of ingredients and step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Preheat air fryer to 390°F and spray the basket with cooking oil.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Set aside.
- In another medium bowl, beat the eggs. Set aside.
- Dredge chicken thighs though the dry mixture, shaking off the excess, and then dip into the egg. Let excess egg drip off and then dredge in the flour mixture a second time.
- Spray the tops of the chicken thighs with cooking oil and then place them into the air fryer basket.
- Cook for 15 minutes and then turn the pieces over.
- Cook for 8-10 more minutes, or until chicken reaches the internal temperature of 185°F.
Karlynn’s Tips and Tricks for Making Air Fryer Fried Chicken
Perfect Companions: This tasty fried chicken will pair well with many different side dishes. Try serving it with a Classic German Potato Salad or this Dill Pickle Pasta Salad. Serve it with some Air Fryer French Fries or change it up and make some Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries instead. Or simply make your favourite mashed potatoes and gravy. There are so many wonderful options.
Other Cuts of Chicken: If you are using boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe, you only need to cook them to an internal temperature of 165°F. The same applies to other boneless pieces, such as boneless skinless chicken thighs. Thinner cuts like chicken tenders will need significantly less cooking time, while drumsticks would likely take nearly as much time as bone-in thighs. As always, exact cooking times will vary based on the size of the pieces you are cooking.
Storage Instructions
Fridge: Once the fried chicken is fully cooled, you can store it in a sealed container in the fridge for 2-3 days. You may want to add a piece of paper towel to the container to help absorb extra moisture and keep the chicken from getting soggy. reheat in the air fryer for a few minutes to get it crispy again.
Freezer: For the sake of easier defrosting and reheating, spread this chicken out on a platter or plate and freeze it until solid. Then, put the leftover chicken in a freeze safe container and freeze it for 3-4 months. Reheat in an oven or air fryer.
More Delicious Chicken Recipes
Looking for more easy dishes to make with chicken?
Try this amazing Butter Roasted Chicken.
Or if you’re craving that classic flavour combination of lemon and rosemary, make some Better-Than-A-Restaurant Rosemary Lemon Butter Chicken.
For a full meal, check out Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken & Potatoes.
Slow Cooker Chicken Stew is another great, one pot meal.
There you go, everyone. Another fabulous way to make use of your air fryer. Try this recipe and let me know what you think.
Happy Cooking!
Karlynn
Air Fryer Fried Chicken
Ingredients
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs, well beaten
- 4 large chicken thighs, skin on
- 1 ½ tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon seasoning salt
- neutral cooking oil, avocado, canola, vegetable
Instructions
- Pre-heat your air fryer to 390°F. Spray the interior basket lightly with the cooking oil.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, seasoning salt, and Old Bay seasoning.
- Dredge a chicken thigh through the flour mixture until well coated. Shake off any excess, then dredge the chicken thigh in the egg mixture, coating completely. Return the chicken thigh to the flour mixture and dredge it again until completely coated. Shake off any large excess of flour.
- Place the chicken thigh on a plate, then repeat the process with the other three thighs.
- Once done, spray the tops of the chicken thighs with cooking oil until they are evenly coated to prevent any dry spots of flour.
- Place the chicken thighs in the basket, skin side down (top side down), leaving enough room between them for air to circulate. Spray the bottom of the chicken thighs with the cooking spray.
- Cook the chicken for 15 minutes, then open it and with a pair of tongs. Turn each piece of chicken over. If desired, you can spray the top again with cooking oil for extra crispness. Continue cooking the thighs for another 8-10 minutes or until the chicken is 185°F when tested with a meat thermometer.
- Remove to a platter and serve hot.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Micah Stupak says
I have no idea why this recipe is so highly rated: the flour-egg-flour technique is a disaster. It works *very* well for frying chicken traditionally, but here, the flour and egg dehydrate under the chicken on the basket, forming a dried out hard crust that actually drips through the holes and makes a nice seal. Egg + flour makes a fine glue when dried out. So much so that it even holds onto the chicken as you try to scrape it off the bottom of the basket. The egg can be skipped here. Don’t use a protein: I’ve done chicken before with breading using oil mixed with mustard or BBQ sauce or even hot sauce as the middle layer.
jen says
I agree. this was the worst. made a total MESS
Mr. Kitchen Magpie says
Sorry it didn’t work out for you. Next time be sure to follow the instructions to ensure a successful end result.
Giovani says
I agree. Just made it and it was a disaster.
Mr. Kitchen Magpie says
It has a high rating because people like it. If you don’t like how it’s done that’s fine but rating a recipe because you disagree with the method is not appropriate – the recipe works well as is without tweaks. If you have tweaks you’d like to make that you think are better, by all means publish your own recipe for people to enjoy. Thanks.
Jennifer Gordon says
Delicious! The whole family loved it!
Jared Fofonoff says
The BEST chicken I have made in my air fryer yet. So simple, and delicious. I used bone in with skin, and didn’t use a drop of oil. Came out crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Fantastic,
Amy says
I have cooked whole chickens, chicken leg quarters, sweet potato fries, whole sweet potatoes, donuts. All really good. So happy with my air fryer.
Leni says
I used regular seasonings in the flour, and they turned out awesome!! Thank you!
Erika says
My new Air Fryer only goes to 200C so at total 30 minutes it works great this recipe.
Renee says
First time I’ve done chicken, well something other than French fries, in my air fryer. This was really good! Nice crunch on outside and still really moist inside. Hubby loved it! I can’t seem to make fried, fried chicken so this is great! Thanks no more take out!
Dave says
Tried chicken tenders. Don’t, this recipe sucks for that
AC says
This turned out tender and juicy chicken thighs
Sue Marie says
Move over Popeye’s and KFC. This one is juicier and the skin is just as good. I modified the recipe by eliminating the salt because someone posted it was too much. I subbed 1 TBSP of Adobo seasoning for the 1 1/2 TBSP of Old Bay. I used drumsticks instead of thighs because I couldn’t wait to try this recipe . lol I cut the time down to 20 mins. (like I found for other drumstick recipes) and it was perfect. Now on my list of FAVS. Thanks for sharing!
Sue Marie says
I’m new to air frying and have an Instant Pot Vortex Plus Oven. When people complain of recipes with alot of grease, smoking,… tips to stop this is to put a slice of bread in the bottom drip tray to absorb most of the grease. I have no idea if this can be done in the type of fryer you are using. If so, it’s worth a try! Thanks for sharing your recipe. Sounds amazing. That will be my next chicken dish to try.
Meg Nunez says
My hubby loves my southern fried foods but we both hate the fat that comes with it. This was perfect! A little salty for me as I don’t eat much salt anymore but hubby loved it. Old Bay is fantastic and the chicken was crunchy on the outside and moist on the inside. I’ve been cooking for 40 years and it’s great to be able to make my old southern favorites more healthy.
Maggie says
Thank you for this yummy recipe Karlynn! This was the first meal I made in my air fryer and it was delicious! I did use skinless and boneless thighs because that’s what I had on hand. The chicken was not dry at all!
crackerssouth says
First time I made this, I used cornmeal, not a big crowd pleaser . Tonight I made it with breadcrumbs and everyone raved about it. Other that that I used the recipe to a “T”. BTW, I cooked the chicken in an air fryer, 390F for 10 min., perfect. My wife and daughter loved it. This is a keeper.. Thanks.
Toroso Restaurant says
I always love a recipe I can recreate. Definitely pinning this!
Judith Fertig says
I Just made this today and it turned out soo great! Thanks for sharing this guide!
Judith Fertig
Mary@lasesana says
I haven’t got any air fryer but I tried some dishes make by this machine at my friend’s house, she bought it and use to cook fried dishes for her family that’s very good choice for reducing fat. I think I should buy one and try your recipe.
Olive says
I recently got a Philips Air Fryer as a hand-me-down from my Sister-In-Law. She’s always buying the next new thing and then never using them. Anyway, this was the first recipe I tried with an Air Fryer and it worked out wonderful. My kids want me to do the bacon they saw on your site!
Mr. Kitchen Magpie says
Awesome, thanks for sharing.
Crystal Jones says
What can I do about not using
Oil spray. All I have is vegetable oil
Daily4ever says
Made this for the first time the air fired chicken with from ticks and thighs
The chicken skin was crispy and the meat moist. My wife won’t each drumstick except she wanted more! Thanks, great suggestions above on how to add spice to the recipe.
Amy Ross says
Used my air fryer because my kids wanted “fried chicken”. They LOVED this recipe and SO easy. This is definitely going into rotation. Thanks!
Cristina McBeath says
Used different spices. Too much sodium
Linda says
Can they be cooked without anything on them except the spray?
Thanks Linda
.
Viola Brooks says
I would at least put pepper on the chicken…and like wings you could put cornstarch in a bag, add chicken . Spray with olive or canola oil.
Robert Alexander says
The recipe never did specify skin or skinless
Shannon says
Clearly saids skin on.
Christine says
The chicken turned out amazing!!! It was moist and crispy and so easy to prepare! My husband loved it!
Vicki Wetzel says
How do you use the probe??
Susie says
Getting ready for first time using my air fryer. My husband got boneless no skin thighs. I wanted skin but oh well. Do
I need to use the cooking spray?
Pat McEntee says
Spray is optional. I usually use it though with vegies.
For things like steak fries, Brussels sprouts, and onion rings, I mix my seasoning in a small amount of olive oil and then hand toss the food in a large bowl, then in the breading.
For breaded pork cutlets I use an egg wash, flour, and bread crumbs then let the air fryer brown them as is.
Try it until you find what works for you. Oil won’t brown the food; that comes from the food caramelizing.
Helen says
Thank you for posting this recipe. I just purchased an Airfryer a couple weeks ago. I don’t have many recipes and am just learning. My chicken turned out tasty and moist.
Annie says
So this was literally the best air fryer recipe for this southern girl because it’s was fried chicken in the air fryer! Mine was so good, thank you thank you ?? Make sure to give it a spray if it’s very floury and it turns out amazing.
Mr. Kitchen Magpie says
Glad you liked it!
Marsha says
This is a great recipe. All I had the first time we’re skinless thighs. They worked out perfect!
No need for skin but I am sure it’s great with skin on thighs. At the end of cooking (last 6 min )if chicken lookes like flour, spray no stick cooking spray to dampened the flour and continue cooking.
Excellent recipe.
National Restaurant says
Just made this today and it turned out soo good!
Cassie Konkle says
This was my first time ever making fried chicken in the air fryer. I was using large chicken thighs, so I was only able to fit 2 in the air fryer. So mine took about 30 minutes to cook completely. I was pleasantly surprised with how the skin came out. It tasted like extra crispy fried chicken. And the meat itself was still very juicy. However, I do think that while the skin was very tasty, the flavor didn’t really penetrate into the meat very well. So the meat itself was a little bland. I think if I were to make this again, I would brine the chicken or at the very least put some sort of dry rub on it and let it sit overnight to get a little extra flavor into the meat itself.
rosetta mitchell says
I’ve had my air fryer for about a year and love love love mine. Steaks are great in the fryer, just season and put in fryer and turn half way through. They are great and moist too. Just be sure you put a little water in the bottom of fryer. This will cut out smoke and help keep them moist. I would buy another one if mine tore up tomorrow.
N Ben says
Just received a Gourmia air fryer. Instructions and recipes don’t say when to use the crisper. Does all food just go into the basket, or should I always use the crisper?
CJ says
I received a Gourmia for Christmas. I have done chicken wings, coconut shrimp and preparing Chicken thighs now. I just put them inside, have not used any of the accessories.