General Tips For Cooking Chicken In The Air Fryer
OK, so now that you know why to cook chicken in the air fryer, its time to find out how. In general, you can do pretty much anything that you would do in a regular oven. The main difference is that you will not be using a pan. The chicken or chicken pieces go straight into the air fryer basket.
However, if you have something really saucy or with a lot of cheese that could melt, you can totally use a tray. The air fryer manufacturers sell a lot of accessories and accessory kits like this so you can find just the right pan for your air fryer. Or, you can use aluminum foil with the edges folded up. If youre going to use foil, make sure you read these important tips first.
In addition to not needing a pan, the other main difference between the air fryer and the oven is that the air fryer tends to cook things more quickly. What I typically do is to set my timer for 30-40% less time than I would for a regular oven. Then I check the food and decide if it needs longer or not. For meat and poultry, I use an instant read thermometer to check the internal temperature. You want it to read 165°F for poultry. Some people take poultry out at a bit lower temperature, like 155°F and let it rest to come up the remainder of the way. I do think you get juicier chicken this way but it is not recommended for food safety reasons, as you can see here on the foodsafety.gov website.
How To Make Kfc Fried Chicken In The Air Fryer
Place the eggs in one bowl and the flour and spices in a second bowl. Stir the spices well into the flour and beat the eggs.
Place an oven-safe cooling rack over top of a baking sheet.
Remove chicken one piece at a time from the buttermilk.
Dredge each chicken leg in the flour, then the eggs, and then the flour once again.
Put the coated drumstick on the cooling rack and repeat with the remaining chicken.
Preheat air fryer to 390°.
in the bottom of the air fryer so the chicken doesnt stick to the bottom if you have it.
If you dont thats fine too.
Lay chicken in a single layer in Ninja Foodi or Air Fryer so the pieces arent touching.
Air Fry for 13 minutes. Flip over. If there are any dry spots where the flour is showing, you can spritz with olive oil. Fry for another 13 minutes.
Check that the internal temperature is 165°. If not then cook for 5 minutes at a time until done.
Enjoy!
What You Will Need To Make Fried Chicken In The Air Fryer
Chicken: you can use your favorite cuts of chicken. Whether its half or whole chicken , or chicken wings, legs, or your favorite cut of chicken.
Buttermilk: The buttermilk is used to tenderize the chicken and break down the protein which will result is juicy flavorful chicken. If you do not have buttermilk on hand, scroll down for a 5 minute DIY buttermilk recipe.
Flour & Corn Starch: The chicken is breaded with a mixture of flour and cornstarch to ensure a super crispy exterior. The cornstarch helps the chicken brown on the outside and creates a seal that will keep the juices inside the chicken. If you dont have cornstarch on hand, you can use just flour until next time.
Spices: Spices are essential in this recipe because they bring out the flavor of the chicken and will make the chicken taste like your favorite fried chicken restaurants. It might seem like we are using a lot of spices but trust me, the result is amazing and worth every bite!
Hot sauce: Hot sauce adds flavor and color to the chicken and gives it an extra kick of spice. Its completely optional but highly recommended for maximum flavor! Use your favorite hot sauce or opt-in for Franks.
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How Long Do You Fry Chicken
Depending on the size of the cut and the temperature of the oil, you want to fry chicken pieces about 10 to 12 minutes on each side. Smaller pieces, like chicken wings, will cook faster, while thighs and breasts will take a little longer.
Avoid burning by keeping the oil at a constant temperature. You will likely need to raise and lower the heat frequently as the chicken cooks. A candy or frying thermometer is useful for monitoring the oil temperature.
No Air Fryer Make Buffalo Cauliflower In Your Oven
Baking this cauliflower is absolutely an option. It takes longer and the cauliflower, honestly, doesnt get quite as crispy, but itll work and turn out great.
I recommend lining a baking sheet with parchment paper for easier clean up and youll need to roast the cauliflower for at least 30 minutes at 400 F, maybe as long as 45 minutes, to get a really crispy floret. Start checking the florets at the 30 minute mark. They are done when they are crispy on the outside, but you can easily pierce them with a fork.
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Why Cook Chicken In The Air Fryer
Tips For Helping Breading Stick To The Chicken
First off, use skin-on chicken. Breading sticks better to skin. Also, to help keep the coating on the chicken when cooking, let the pieces rest after you dredge them in the flour. The resting time allows the coating to adhere to the chicken. Be sure to coat completely to get the best-tasting chicken.
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Why Make These Chicken Wings In An Air Fryer
Most Korean fried chicken is double fried in oil. Part of me wanted to find a healthier alternative but another part of me didnt want to do all that work. Blame it on the baby, work, lifebut if I can simplify a delicious recipe then thats what Im going to do.
Coating these chicken wings in cornstarch and frying them for 30 minutes in the air fryer was easy, fast, and healthy.
How To Bread The Chicken
You have two options to choose from:
- You could either bread the raw chicken breast in seasoned dried breadcrumbs, along with some oil that is drizzled directly over the chicken. This oil will help the breadcrumbs stick and together they will create that lovely crispy texture to the air fryer chicken breast.
- You could use the traditional way of breading chicken just like our mothers and grandmothers always did, by using the egg and flour method . This is also a good option, but the breadcrumbs method is definitely my favorite.
Whichever way you choose, please make sure to season the coating as thats where most of the flavor comes from.
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What Kind Of Chickendo You Use
Korean restaurants in my neighborhood usually use bone-in chicken pieces. You can use chicken wings or chicken drumsticks. I like to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs and cut them into bite-sized pieces. That way you get more of the crunchy, sauce-drenched coating.
Once the chicken is air fried to a perfect golden brown, itis tossed with the sweet-spicy sauce and then garnished with toasted sesameseeds and sliced scallions. Ive also seen it garnished with roasted peanutsand sliced chiles, which is also delicious.
My whole family loves my air fryer version of Korean Fried Chicken. It is spicy, but even my 11-year-old son was immediately hooked
Deep Fried And Oven Fried Chicken Directions
Preheat oven to 300F
Soak the chicken legs in buttermilk for up to 24 hours before starting this recipe.
Break the eggs in one bowl and the flour and spices in a second bowl. Stir the spices well into the flour and beat the eggs.
over top of a baking sheet this will serve two purposes during your recipe.
Remove chicken one piece at a time from the buttermilk.
Dredge each chicken leg in the flour, then the eggs, and then the flour once again.
Place the coated drumstick on the cooling rack and repeat with the remaining chicken.
Pour your oil in a large dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat.
Fry the chicken legs in batches of 3 for 2-4 minutes until the coating is golden.
Remove the chicken to the cooling rack and repeat with the remaining chicken.
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What Others Are Saying
Manny Cruz says:
Drool! This air fryer chicken turned out so good! No gross oil smell you get after deep frying chicken. I used a little seasoned salt and tossed drumsticks and thighs in my air fryer using the steps in this recipe. It was so good, I definitely will make again.
Gianni Gentile says:
Crispy and delicious. Not gonna lie, nothing compares to real fried chicken but this is the next best thing. I am trying to clean up the way I eat, so now I can enjoy one of my favorite foods but without the extra calories and clogged arteries, ha! I just used seasoned salt to keep it simple and really liked the way it turned out.
Thomas Manley says:
I used this time and temperature with rotating every 6 minutes 3 times and 7 minutes the last time. I used the KFC spices recipe and it turned out awesome! The key is rotating and carefully rotating so the spices dont fall off. Im definitely going to be trying several other recipes.
Cookie Baker says:
Confusing whether 6 legs means 6 drumsticks and 6 thighs or 3 drumsticks and 3 thighs. 900 calories for 1 drumstick seems really fattening.
Air Fryer Fried Chicken Recipe Tips
- Dont skimp on the seasonings. It may seem like you are adding a lot of seasonings to the flour, but each piece of chicken only gets a fraction of the seasonings since theyre spread throughout the flour mixture.
- To keep the flour from clumping and sticking to your fingers, use one hand for wet and one for dry when dipping the chicken.
- Gently shake off any excess flour or buttermilk when you coat the chicken. This helps to keep the batter from falling off in the air fryer. Handle the chicken gently when flipping it over.
- Dont overcrowd the air fryer basket. The chicken pieces should be in a single layer, not stacked on top of each other. Cook in batches as needed.
- Using 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper makes it somewhat spicy. You can use less or omit the cayenne if you dont want spice.
- For extra flavor, add 1/4 cup of hot sauce to the buttermilk mixture. This wont make it spicy, but will just add more flavor. We dont find the hot sauce necessary, but some people like to add it.
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Air Fryer Fried Chicken Trouble
My chicken came out soggy underneath the breading? This can happen when using too much egg or cooking on the wrong tempt. My air fryer says to cook chicken on 350.F however, other air fryers may require a different temperature. Follow the instructions on yours but dont be afraid to try a different temperature.
There is still flour on my chicken even when its cooked through. A very light coating of oil before you place your chicken in the fryer and midway through should get rid of all the flour. If a light coating of oil is not enough, then there is too much flour on the chicken.
My chicken is not done after the allotted time. Cook it longer and use a meat thermometer. Feel free to check it often when you are just getting the hang of frying chicken in an air fryer.
Can I use a different flour, oil, skip the egg, etc. This is the ONLY way Ive made fried chicken in the Air Fryer so I cant give my results on substitutions.
Reheat Fried Chicken In The Air Fryer
Has your fried chicken gotten a little too limp and lifeless? Reheat fried chicken in the air fryer to bring it back to its crispy golden beauty!
If you own an air fryer, you know by now just how versatile this nifty kitchen appliance is.
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But did you know that aside from air frying and baking, it can also reheat food? And it does a fine job at it, too!
In fact, I think its the best gadget for reheating deep-fried food such as chicken.
I mean, sure, the oven can do it, too, but the air fryer gets the job done in a much shorter time.
You can also use the skillet, but youll need a lot of oil to do so.
While it makes the chicken all golden and crispy, all that grease isnt ideal.
Using the microwave, on the other hand, will give you soggy chicken, where some areas are hot but others are still cold.
The air fryer, however, can crisp cold fried chicken right back up in mere minutes, and without using a single drop of oil!
Theres absolutely no downside to it, so what more can you ask for?
Who says leftovers are dull and stale? With the air fryer, your leftover chicken will taste just as good as when it was first cooked.
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Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
I made these tasty chicken strips the other night for dinner along with some orzo with zucchini and tomatoes, and my family loved them! They are super easy and quick for weeknight meals. Air fryer recipes are one of my top requests, so I promise to share more soon!
I like making homemade chicken strips because they are so much healthier than fried versions. The great thing about the air fryer is that the tenders get super crispy with way less oil. This air fryer recipe for chicken tenders only requires a little olive oil spray on each one.
Tips For The Best Juicy Air Fryer Chicken
- Olive Oil: This helps to crisp the skin and helps the spices and herbs to adhere to the meat.
- Space: Make sure you create room between the chicken breasts to ensure even cooking. Dont overcrowd. Cook in batches if you need to.
- Check: Check the temp earlier than you think so you dont accidently over cook the chicken. Appliances can vary so go by temperature of your chicken to ensure its done.
- Rest: Let the Chicken rest before cutting into it. About 5 min at least. This allows the juices to reabsorb into the chicken instead of spilling onto your plate.
- Spices: Mix it up depending on your menu. You can use Mexican spices, BBQ spices and sauce, Indian spices etc. Whatever your menu calls for this is a quick delicious way to cook your chicken.
- Moist: Want to make sure your chicken is super moist and tender? Try marinating or brining your chicken for even greater juiciness and flavor.
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What Makes Koreanfried Chicken Special
Ive been crushing on Korean food for years. I love the super spicy preparations, tangy-spicy kimchi, and all those little banchan side dishes you get at Korean restaurants.
But more than anything, I love gochujang, the fiery Korean fermented chili paste that adds a kick to many Korean dishes.
Gochujang really shows off in Korean Fried Chicken. In the traditional dish, pieces of chicken are marinated and dredged in starch and then double fried.
Once fried, the crunchy pieces of chicken are tossed in a sweet-spicy sauce made of gochujang paste, honey or sugar, garlic, and a few other ingredients.
The result is finger-licking goodness. It is a sticky, crunchy, spicy, sweet pile of chicken that you wont be able to stop eating.
What Ingredients Do You Need
You only need a few ingredients to make the basic air fryer fried chicken. Adding a savory marinade or sauce will give it extra flavor, but the basic recipe is very simple . Heres what you need:
- Chicken
- Salt and pepper
- Dredge chicken in flour again
- Arrange chicken in the air fryer
- The finished chicken is golden brown and crisp
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How To Air Fry Chicken Thighs
Here is an overview of how to cook chicken thighs in the air fryer. Find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions below.
