This air fryer fried chicken is pretty simple to make. It is well worth the time to make and is crunchy and delicious.
The crispy outside and the tender inside of a perfectly fried chicken are heavenly. My kids absolutely love fried chicken.
My oldest (newly 14) kept going on and on about how good this fried chicken is.
While it is pretty easy to make fried chicken, it can be time consuming. But, it is absolutely worth the effort every now and again, for special occasions or a fun super bowl party.
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Can you make fried chicken in an air fryer?
The answer is YES, you can definitely make fried chicken in an air fryer.
Just make sure to follow my tips below to get the air fried chicken crispy.
Here are some reasons you might want to make fried chicken in an air fryer:
- Healthy: Fried chicken without all the oil and grease from a deep fryer.
- Juicy: If you think air fryer fried chicken is not juicy - think again! It is super tender, juicy, and flavorful.
- Crunch: The inside is juicy, the outside is crunchy and crispy.
Tips
Although making fried chicken in an air fryer is super easy, you have to keep a few things in mind.
- Make sure the chicken pieces are close to the same size for even cooking. You can air fry the legs in one go and the thighs in another.
- If you want a bit less mess, line the air fryer basket with parchment paper made for air fryers that has holes.
- Make sure the chicken pieces don't overlap each other, and there is half an inch of space between them.
- Halfway into the cooking, use tongs to flip the chicken pieces.
- Make sure the chicken is completely covered in the oil so you get that crispy fried taste.
- Let some of the egg wash drip off before putting it back into the flour mixture. This isn't as important when air fryer, like it is when deep frying. But, by letting some of the egg drop off, it gets a tighter crispy outer layer vs having a bit of air between the crispy layer and the inside chicken layer.
- Make sure your drumsticks and chicken wings are completely thawed out before cooking. Otherwise, it won't cook through all the way.
Air Fryer Fried Chicken Ingredients
- chicken drumsticks
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 3 eggs
Instructions
Step 1: In a shallow bowl mix the flour, salt, pepper, and paprika.
Step 2: In a 2nd shallow bowl beat the eggs.
Step 3: Preheat air fryer to 400°F. Spray air fryer basket with oil mister.
Step 4: Take a chicken leg or wing, dredge it in the flour mixture, next dredge it in the egg wash until covered. Let any of the excess egg mixture drop off and dredge the chicken in the flour mix again.
Step 5: Do this for each drumstick or wing and add to the air fryer in a single layer. Cover the wings/drumsticks with oil. I have found to really get the chicken crispy and not have it look like flour at the end of cooking, you really need to totally cover the chicken with oil.
Step 6: Cook the chicken at 380°F for 15 minutes, flipping about halfway through. Then cook at 400°F for 5 additional minutes.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Fried Chicken
Here are a few ideas on what to serve with fried chicken:
- Mashed potatoes: Creamy mashed potatoes go well with crispy fried chicken.
- Coleslaw: Coleslaw is creamy, fresh, and yummy—a perfect combination with coleslaw.
- Salad: You can also serve fresh garden salad with fried chicken.
- Baked beans: The sweet and sour flavor of baked beans compliment crispy fried chicken really well.
- Mac n cheese: Rich and cheesy mac n cheese go so well with fried chicken. It a combination to die for!
- Dips: Fried chicken and dips end up as perfect snacks. You can use any dip you want. Whether it is garlic mayo, honey mustard, peanut sauce, etc., the choice is yours.
Recipe
Air Fryer Fried Chicken
This air fryer fried chicken is sure to be a favorite in your house.
Ingredients
- 6 chicken drumsticks
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 3 eggs
Instructions
1. In a shallow bowl mix the flour, salt, pepper, and paprika.
2. In a 2nd shallow bowl beat the eggs.
3. Preheat air fryer to 400°F. Spray air fryer basket with oil mister.
4. Take a chicken leg or wing, dredge it in the flour mixture, next dredge it in the egg wash until covered. Let any of the excess egg mixture drop off and dredge the chicken in the flour mix again.
5. Do this for each drumstick or wing and add to the air fryer in a single layer. Cover the wings/drumsticks with oil. I have found to really get the chicken crispy and not have it look like flour at the end of cooking, you really need to totally cover the chicken with oil.
6. Cook the chicken at 380°F for 15 minutes, flipping about halfway through. Then cook at 400°F for 5 additional minutes.
Notes
Make sure to cover completely in oil to get that deep fried texture and taste.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 3 Serving Size: 2 piecesAmount Per Serving: Calories: 718Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 417mgSodium: 2577mgCarbohydrates: 66gFiber: 3gSugar: 1gProtein: 59g
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