Name: Crispy Air Fryer Fried Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 3 pounds bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks; 1 ½ cups buttermilk; 2 large eggs; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 3 teaspoons paprika; 2 teaspoons garlic powder; 2 teaspoons onion powder; 2 teaspoons salt; 1 teaspoon black pepper; Olive oil spray

I have put the work in and put together a crispy, juicy, Southern air fryer fried chicken you’re going to want again and again. How do I know? My family and even my neighbors are pulling my sleeve to have me make it again!

Crispy and juicy air fryer fried chicken

My Go-To Air Fried Chicken Recipe

All right, I have to confess this is a recipe I get A LOT of requests for. My husband asked for it, and my dad asked for it. Heck, the number of emails I get asking for this almost broke my inbox. That’s right, it’s air fryer fried chicken.

I’ve perfected it over the course of many months to make sure it’s hitting all the right notes for your mouth. It’s crispy, it’s tender, but more than that, I haven’t stepped into KFC since!

Let me tell you, my air fryer has been an adopted member of our family. Have we given it a name yet? I’m not ready to comment on that one.

I’ve found that this is the absolute best way to make fried chicken. It uses less oil and creates less mess. And let me tell you, this air fried chicken delights all five senses, then goes back for seconds. So come get some! No judgments here for not trying it sooner—just grab a seat!

And, if you love good air fryer chicken recipes, try my recipes for air fryer chicken tenders, air fryer chicken legs, air fryer chicken wings, air fryer chicken cordon bleu, air fryer chicken fajitas, and air fryer chicken thighs.

prepared ingredients for air fryer fried chicken

Ingredients For Crispy Air Fryer Chicken

Chicken thighs and drumsticks – I love using a mix of the two
Buttermilk – I’ve also made my own buttermilk by mixing together milk and vinegar
Eggs
All-purpose flour
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Salt
Pepper
Oil spray – I use an oil sprayer to make the chicken taste like it came right out of the deep fryer

How to Make Fried Chicken in Air Fryer

A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.

STEP ONE: In a large, shallow bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and eggs until the mixture is well combined. In a second bowl or dish, add the flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper and whisk well.

STEP TWO: Dip each piece of chicken in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess. Next, dip it in the buttermilk mixture. Roll it again in the flour, covering it completely. Set it on a baking sheet and dredge the remaining pieces.

STEP THREE: Spray all sides of the breaded chicken pieces with olive oil spray, generously, coating each area of the chicken. Place 4 or 5 pieces of chicken inside the air fryer basket or tray (or as many will fit in a single layer).

prep all chicken tenders before cooking in air fryer

STEP FOUR: Air fry the chicken at 360 degrees F for 15-20 minutes. Carefully flip the chicken and cook for another 5-10 minutes, or until cooked to 165 degrees internally.

Tips For the Best Air Fryer Fried Chicken

Use some parchment paper to help the chicken from sticking to the air fryer basket or tray and it helps with clean up too.
Air fry the chicken in a single layer. I find this helps the chicken cook evenly and get it nice and crispy. If there is more chicken than fits in my air fryer, I cook in batches.
Serve the chicken nice and fresh straight from the air fryer. I say it tastes like it came right out of the deep fryer, and nothing is better than a nice, hot, crispy fried chicken.
Be generous with the oil spray. The oil must be sprayed, covering all the flour on the chicken, or it will stay white and floury. This is my big trick to get the crispiest chicken I’ve ever eaten.

flip chicken tenders over halfway through cooking

Air Fryer Southern Fried Chicken Variations and Substitutions

Use milk and vinegar to make your own buttermilk. I love to do this when I don’t have any on hand, and it’s saved a lot of money! Just mix 1 tablespoon of vinegar with 1 cup of milk and let it sit for 5-10 minutes.
Add a little hot sauce to the buttermilk to bring in some heat. I love to do this when I’m just making fried chicken for my husband and myself.
Use gluten-free flour instead of all-purpose flour to make this recipe gluten free.
Use breading instead of flour to change up the coating. I prefer to use flour to get that true deep fried chicken look and flavor, but breadcrumbs will give it a nice crispy outer layer too.

What to Serve with Air Fried Chicken

I love turning this into a KFC like dinner by serving it alongside mashed potatoes, gravy, coleslaw, and air fryer biscuits. The Colonel would approve.

When I want to switch it up with some of my kids’ favorites, I serve it with Velveeta mac and cheese, air fryer tater tots, and air fryer asparagus.

air fried chicken tenders on plate with garnishes

air Fryer Fried Chicken FAQs

How to Store Leftover Crispy Air Fryer Chicken

I recommend eating any cooked fried chicken fresh for the best flavor, but when I have some leftover, I store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I try not to stack the chicken in the container as it tends to pull off the coating.

How to Reheat Fried Chicken in the Air fryer

I always reheat my leftovers in the air fryer since it gives the fried chicken its crispy coating back, unlike a microwave. I just put it in a preheated air fryer and cook at 370 degrees for about 7 minutes until warmed.

Can I use something else instead of buttermilk for Air fried chicken?

I find buttermilk helps the flour stick the best and gives the chicken more flavor. If I don’t have any buttermilk in the house, I just add a tablespoon of white vinegar to a cup of milk and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes and it’s ready to use!

What cuts of chicken to use for Air Fryer Fried Chicken

I love to replicate the fried chicken I get at KFC so I use bone-in chicken thighs and chicken drumsticks. I choose the skin-on chicken to get an extra crispy crust.

cooked chicken tenders on plate with garnishes

Can I Stack Fried Chicken in the Air Fryer?

No, always cook chicken in a single layer in the air fryer. If the chicken is stacked, it will pull off the coating and cause it to cook unevenly. I’ve done it before and it gets so much crispier when I give the chicken room for the hot air to circulate.

Do I Need to Preheat My Air Fryer?

Yes, I always preheat my air fryer! The extra heat lets the crust crisp up quickly so it’s ready to go when the meat comes to temperature. Plus, all air fryers heat up at different rates, so preheating an air fryer allows the fried chicken to come out perfectly no matter what air fryer is being used.

How Long to Air Fry Chicken

I find it takes about 25 to 30 minutes to cook fried chicken in a preheated air fryer at 360 degrees. It’s done cooking when the chicken hits 165 degrees F and the coating is a nice golden brown color.

Why is there still flour on my air fryer Southern Fried Chicken?

My recipe was created to get that golden brown and crispy coating fried chicken always has. In order to get that all throughout the chicken, I find I need to generously use a cooking spray on the chicken pieces. If there are still white and floury areas, it means that part of the chicken was not sprayed.

air fryer fried chicken tenders on plate with garnishes

Is it OK to Air Fry Raw Chicken?

Yes, my recipe uses raw chicken to make this air fried chicken! Just cook any raw chicken until it hits 165 degrees F at its thickest point using a meat thermometer so it’s fully cooked and safe to eat.

Can You Use a Batter in an Air Fryer?

I have tried using a traditional liquid batter to make fried chicken in the air fryer and other kinds of air fried recipes and it just does not work. The batter drips off the food and makes a complete mess. Even a thicker wet batter doesn’t work. I recommend using either a flour batter like this recipe or using breading when air frying.

More Easy Air Fryer Recipes

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