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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.
Rebecca Patterson says
How did you get your nutrition factors? This is air fried and yet has more fat and calories than a Popeyes chicken thigh.
Karlynn says
The calculator takes ALL the flour and ingredients instead of just a dusting. It’s an estimate based on the calculator.
Shirley porter says
This was great, thank you!
Karen says
Did you stay the chicken with out after you dredred it through the flour mixture?
Kate B says
I did chicken thighs skin on and they were great, thank you.
Barb says
I think she meant spray with oil…
Bob says
Stay in school folks. You need to learn some English fool
DK says
I find that I don’t have to place chicken pieces in a single layer in my Philips Air fryer. I just tumble the chicken in and rearrange it so there are some gaps around the pieces. The heated circulating air gets right around all the pieces.
If you do it this way you might have to shake the basket a couple of times during cooking in order to shift the pieces around a bit. I’ve found with uneven pieces like whole wings I don’t even need to shake the basket because the irregular shapes of the wings create their own gaps.
Pat McEntee says
My strong recommendation is to always turn the food at least once. If you look inside the top of the fryer, there is an element. This cooks partially by heat AND by infra red radiation, similar to a broiler. Tossing and turning allows the food to get the caramelization to be more even. So while the heat may have cooked all the food, it may not have that crunchiness and flavor that the caramelization gives.
When I do my fries, I will toss then with a spatula three or four times to help each fry get browned on each side. It also helps me judge how well they are cooking.
Grammasue says
So did you use ANY oil AT ALL? I can’t imagine it getting crispy w/ANY oil!! Pls advise & thank you!
Valerie says
Thighs themselves produce a lot of oil, especially if you cook with bone in and skin on. I tried a similar recipe with boneless skinless chicken breast with no oil, cooking spray, etc. And it was SO dry. The breasts definatley needed some help, but I don’t think thighs would. Try just cooking one thigh and see how it turns out. Can always give to the dog if it is bad 🙂
Derek says
Dog can choke on chicken bones. So take the meat off first. 😉
Jereme says
Yes, be sure and take the bone out of the boneless chicken.
Lisa@eatfrysmith says
I’ve just finished cooking airfryer fried chicken. IT was tasty l loved this favor. you should try it
Rebecca Wilaby says
Hi. Ty for posting about the air fryer. I bought my parents went for Christmas and I was wondering if I’d made the right choice and after reading your review I think that it’ll be great so thank you very much for reassuring me I feel much better now and I look forward to trying your recipe for fried chicken
Arletta Arnspiger says
Thank you! Made this with boneless skinless thighs, just reduced the time and added some cooking spray! Love the spice!!
Jenna says
OMG! This is the BEST fried chicken I’ve ever had. You have the best recipie for this ever! It was so juicy and crispy. It was a HIT with my family. This will be my go to from now on. Thanks so much for sharing.
Jean Bellia says
I Now Have A Aire Fryer, I’ m So Ready To Use it But it Did not Come With Any Recipe Book. Now I Can Follow You.
Thank You So Much For Posting!
Jean
Kari says
Can I make this recipie using gluten free flour?
Vicki Church says
Just finished trying your recipe (exactly as stated) in my brand new air fryer. Perfect!!! Thanks for the recipe! Hope everything I try in here turns out this good!
Mary Anne says
Great recipe! I doubled the spices and used chicken legs!! My husband will want this every week. The chicken was crisp and moist. Sprayed both sides with canola oil before and turned halfway thru and sprayed again. Will make this again. AMAZING! Thank you. 25 minutes to cook only cooked 4 legs not to crowd and made 3 batches!! Yummy!!
sanchez says
Very simple fried chicken! I love it! Recently I’m thinking about buying an airfryer, maybe I can decide it already.
Robert says
Just got my Toastmaster air fryer for Thanksgiving looking forward to using it . Making fried chicken tonight
Danielle says
I made chicken thighs and they we’re amazing!!! I use flour, garlic&parsley,oldBay,&Goya…. Dipped in that then in egg& back in the flour mixture. Preheated for 15 min just to get the basket hot. I sprayed the basket & the chicken with crisco spray, let them cook till crispy looking then turned them, I just kept an eye on it& it came out nice&crspy!! My family loved it!!
Greg Majors says
I cooked them in flour also. They turned out great. Looks like the pictures. But one problem I had is the air frier smoked up the whole house. Anybody have this problem ?
Elaine says
I read on the Net that putting a little water in the container under the basket will keep the grease from the chicken (and I imagine other fatty meat) from causing smoke.
Emily says
These are legit! I completely had my doubts but the chicken tasted like I’d just bought it from a restaurant. I didn’t have old bays so I just used salt, pepper and Lawry’s seasoning salt. The on,y problem was the bottom was soggy, but I can deal with that.
Jenna says
I turned mine 1/2 way through and both sides were perfect!
Billie says
I have my chicken thighs in my air fryer (first use). It has occurred to me that you were not using boneless thighs. Probably totally over cooking them.
Greg Majors says
You are correct. They were not boneless. 360 for 28 minutes. But it started smoking the minute I closed the basket lol. Bachler for yeah ! Lol
Cher Peadon says
QUESTION:
I cook, pretty much, every day for 4-6 people, What size Air Fryer I should buy? Would love to try this recipe!
Mr. Kitchen Magpie says
This one in our shop is a great choice and well reviewed! https://www.thekitchenmagpie.com/product/simple-chef-air-fryer-air-fryer-for-healthy-oil-free-cooking/
abdul basit says
What if we cooked this for around 30 mins? I’d like to trying this recipe! Thanks btw
ChristyLeigh says
I got my Wise air fryer for Mothers Day and have had so much fun making everything from Cinnamon rolls to Fried chicken! This recipe was fantastic! I used a greek seasoning and parchment paper with holes in it made for the air fryer to reduce sticking. All the grease in the chicken thighs I didn’t need to add any extra oil. I put them in skin side down then flipped them over after 15 mins. Better than KFC!!! I had a sick little one home from school and was trying to make something she would want to eat! Which she inhaled! Sent a picture to my husband and he is jealous and excited for me to make them again for dinner! This recipe will be on hand and used alot!!! Thank you so much!!!
Roger the Consultant says
OK, so I received my air fryer today, purchased on Amazon Prime Days. Had plans to make some Brussels sprouts or green beans when I saw this recipe. I have regular old Old Bay in my spice drawer and had just purchased a load of bone-in chicken thighs at Costco this afternoon (before I knew the fryer was here). So why not? When I informed the wife and our guest that I was making this they both yawned. No oil? 20 minutes? Really? Really! We finished dinner a half hour ago. They both want to know when we are having this again. Your unlikely spice mixture and wonderful end result are to be savored. Thanks for posting this.
Eugene S Legg says
I wish I can post my Airfryer BBQ Chicken I made with my Phillips Airfryer XXL! They turned out fantastic and taste restaurant bought!
Rachel says
I did a couple of Ribeye Steaks in my Air fryer and they came out amazing. I just love it. My son who used to love all his stuff fried is now using the air fryer constantly and like the taste even better. Recently I had my sister over and she got to try the air fryer for the first time, now she is wanting one of her own. I haven’t tried fried chicken in it yet, but that is on the agenda for tonight now.
Cathy says
Rachel how did you cook the ribeye? Been wanting to try steak in mine
Tiffany Fisher says
My new favorite chicken air fryer recipe…pounded tender sized chicken breast to 1/2-1″ in size. Put in at 400 about 6 minutes on each side…used mist oil sprayer beginning and after I turned over…made a nice hard fried crust that was perfectly done and juicy…delicious! Used boneless chicken breast and gluten free flour…Thank you!
Tiffany Fisher says
My new favorite chicken air fryer recipe…pounded tender sized chicken breast to 1/2-1″ in size. Put in at 400 about 6 minutes on each side…used mist oil sprayer beginning and after I turned over…made a nice hard friend crust that was perfectly done and juicy…delicious! Thank you!
Leigh Anne Zerko says
I have a Cooks Essential air fryer. My favorite thing to cook in it is fried chicken. I do mine a little different. Dip in flour, dip into egg/milk mixture, then dip and cover in a mix of traditional breadcrumbs/panko breadcrumbs. I spray my chicken on both sides with some oil or Pam and then put in the basket. Cook on about 370-380 for about 12 mins, turn chicken over then cook another 12 mins (for bone in pieces like legs) ….. Viola!! It is perfectly fried chicken. Crispy on outside and so juicy on the inside. You MUST remember to spray the breaded chicken with oil or Pam or it WILL come out flour-y. The oil adds moisture and makes it crispy and done.
Evelyn says
Leigh, I saw your picture and they looked fantastic.
MissPat says
I am new to air frying and tried making french fries in it and was terribly disappointed with the results but decided not to give up. I came across this recipe and decided to give it one more try. After reading the various comments, I let the thighs sit in the refrigerator for twenty minutes after coating them. I sprayed them with cooking spray before putting them in the fryer. I set the temperature at 360 degrees F. I turned them after thirty minutes and let them cook for another seven minutes. They came out perfect! Before I turned them I noticed that they still looked like the flour wasn’t going to cook properly but after being turned it crisped up nicely. The thighs were larger than I would have preferred but four just fit in my fryer basket and they still came out golden and crispy. I will be making this recipe often!
Tony says
Tried mine for the first time tonight, only changed one thing in the receipt, I dredged the chicken through Panko bread crumbs after the flour/egg/flour, and it turned out GREAT! Nice and crispy outside, very moist on the inside.
Leigh Anne Zerko says
I love it with the Panko breadcrumbs also!! Makes it really crispy like fried chicken!!!
Edith Evelyn Hall says
Isn’t 390 a little high temp for the chicken?
Joyce Huffman says
Have not tried fried chicken, going to try it tonight. Would like more air fryer recipes. My book does not have many. Most of them are frozen store bought foods. I like real homade foods. Thank you. You can email me some recipes if you have some.
judith rhonehouse says
i have a airfryer and love it. my friend bought it and did not like following instructions and pushing buttons. have done bacon, steak,dinner frys, andcube steaks but did not come out good. going to do chicken tomorrow. judy
Ginger says
Will chicken with the skin removed still come out with a crust? I’d like to try making it that way since the skin is where all the fat is.
Julie says
Yes!