This is fried chicken for people who love the crunch but don’t feel like dealing with a Dutch oven full of hot oil. Crisp, craggy coating. Juicy dark meat. That unmistakable fried-chicken payoff… all without wrecking your kitchen or your mood.
Yes, air fryer fried chicken that’s actually crispy exists. You just need to stop pretending oil doesn’t matter – it does and a light spray + cornstarch in the coating = that craggy, golden crust that rivals deep-fried. An easy buttermilk marinade tenderizes overnight. And bone-in dark meat stays juicy while the skin crisps up (and let’s be honest, it’s just better than biting into chicken breast).
Thirty minutes at 375°F and you’ve got fried chicken without the oil splatter, the lingering smell, or wondering if your smoke detector still works. Now all you need is to pour a good drink and whip up the sides. This is the right call for dinner.
🔪 Ingredients for the best fried chicken in an Air Fryer
Chicken
- Bone-in, skin-on thighs and drumsticks: Dark meat is non-negotiable here. It stays juicy, cooks evenly in the air fryer, and forgives small timing mistakes.
Marinade
- Buttermilk: Just like with our popular chicken wings, this isn’t just for flavor, it tenderizes and helps the coating stick. Overnight is best, but even a couple of hours helps.
- Salt + smoked paprika: Seasoning the chicken early means flavor all the way through, not just on the crust.
Crispy Coating
- All-purpose flour: Classic fried chicken base.
- Cornstarch: Lightens the coating and helps it shatter when you bite in.
- Baking powder: The quiet MVP. Raises the pH so the coating browns better and crisps harder.
- Smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper: These are the classic spices that add pop and flavor to that signarute fried chicken crunch.
To Finish
- Neutral oil spray: Fried chicken needs fat. The air fryer isn’t magic, oil is how you get crunch, so don’t try to skip this.
Equipment
- Air fryer
- Mixing bowls
- Tongs
- Oil spray
📝 Step-by-Step: How to Make It air fryer fried chicken Crispy
- Marinate: Toss the chicken in buttermilk, salt, and smoked paprika. Cover and refrigerate at least a couple of hours. Overnight is ideal if you planned ahead like a responsible adult.
- Make the coating: Mix the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and spices until evenly combined. No clumps, no shortcuts.
- Dredge: Lift the chicken out of the marinade and let the excess drip off—wet, not dripping. Press the chicken firmly into the flour mixture. This pressure is what creates those craggy, crispy bits.
- Preheat the air fryer: Hot basket, immediate sizzle. This one step prevents pale, sad chicken.
- Cook in a single layer: Spray the basket lightly, add the chicken, and spray the tops generously.
Air fry, flipping halfway and spraying again, until deeply golden and cooked through. Chicken is done when the crust is deep golden and crunchy, the meat releases easily from the basket, and juices run clear near the bone. - Rest before serving: Give it a few minutes. Steam escapes, crust stays crisp, life is good.
🔄 Substitutions & Variations
- Gluten-free: Use a good gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. The crust will be slightly lighter but still crisp.
- No buttermilk: Stir 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar into 1 cup milk and let it sit 5 minutes before using.
- Spicy: Add cayenne or hot paprika to the flour mix for extra heat.
- Garlic-forward: Double the garlic powder for a more savory, punchy crust.
💡 Meat Nerd Tips
- Baking powder isn’t about lift—it’s about better browning. That slightly alkaline environment is what gives you fried-chicken color without oil.
- Dark meat + air fryer is a perfect match. Breast meat dries out before the coating fully crisps. This recipe knows what it’s doing.
- Don’t crowd the basket. Steam is the enemy of crunch. Cook in batches.
- Spray more oil than you think. You’re not deep frying, but you are still frying.
- Aim for internal temp, not the clock. Thighs are best around 175–185°F. Use a digital meat thermometer for the most accurate results.
🍽️ What to serve with Fried Chicken
Pair this air fried chicken with classic comfort food favorites like
- Classic comfort: mashed potatoes, coleslaw, and a cold beer
- Weeknight move: pile it on a platter, drizzle with hot honey, call it dinner
- Leftover energy: cold chicken straight from the fridge the next day (don’t pretend you haven’t done this)
- Sauce options: hot sauce, honey mustard, white BBQ, or ranch if that’s your thing\
🧊 Leftovers & Storage
- Refrigerate: Let chicken cool completely, then store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Air fry at 350°F for 4–6 minutes until hot and crisp.
- Avoid: Microwaving – this softens the crust and ruins the crunch.
Have you tried this recipe? Do us a favor and rate the recipe card with the ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ and drop a comment to help out the next reader.
Air Fryer Fried Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 2.5 pounds chicken drumsticks and thighs bone in, skin on
- 1¼ cups buttermilk
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Oil spray neutral oil like avocado or canola
Instructions
Marinate the chicken:
- In a bowl, mix the buttermilk with ½ teaspoon of the salt and ½ teaspoon of the smoked paprika.
- Add the chicken pieces, coat thoroughly, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Coat the chicken:
- In a separate bowl, combine the plain flour, cornflour, baking powder, the remaining smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, the remaining salt and black pepper.
- Lift each piece of chicken from the buttermilk marinade, letting the excess drip off.
- Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, pressing firmly so the coating sticks. Shake off any excess.
Air fry the chicken:
- Preheat your air fryer to 375°F.
- Lightly spray the air fryer basket with oil and arrange the coated chicken in a single layer.
- Spray the tops of the chicken generously with oil.
- Cook, about 25 to 30 minutes, flipping once halfwaythrough until the chicken is deep golden with a firm, crunchy crust that sounds dry when tapped, and the internal temperature reaches 175–185°F for thighs and drumsticks.
- Remove the chicken from the air fryer basket and transfer to a wire rack nestled over a baking sheet. Season immediately with a pinch of salt.
Rest and serve:
- Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Best cuts: Bone-in, skin-on thighs and drumsticks give the juiciest results and crisp more evenly than breast meat.
- Marinade time: Marinate for at least 2 hours; overnight results in the best texture and flavor.
- Coating tip: Press the flour mixture firmly onto the chicken to create craggy edges that crisp in the air fryer.
- Double dredge for crunch: A quick dip back into the buttermilk followed by a second flour coating creates the craggy, crispy crust fried chicken is known for.
- Oil matters: Don’t skip the oil spray—fried chicken needs fat to crisp, even in the air fryer.
- Batch cooking: Cook in batches to avoid steaming. Overcrowding the basket prevents proper browning.
- Doneness: Chicken is technically done when the internal temperature reaches 165‡F, but we love to take dark meat to 175–185°F for the best bite.
Nutrition
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❓ FAQs
Use a flour and cornstarch coating, include baking powder, preheat the air fryer, and spray the chicken generously with oil. Cook in batches so hot air can circulate.
Yes. Preheating helps the coating set immediately, preventing soggy spots and uneven browning.
Most issues come from overcrowding, not enough oil, or skipping the preheat. Let excess marinade drip off, and press the coating on firmly.
You can, but it cooks faster and dries out more easily – where’s the fun in that? Reduce the cook time and watch closely.
It uses significantly less oil, but still delivers crunch and flavor. Think “less messy,” not “diet food.” At the end of the day, it’s still fried chicken…
