Name: Air Fryer Fried Chicken
Prep time: 250 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 260 min
Ingredients: 8 chicken thighs; 2 ½ cups (600g) buttermilk, divided; 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour; 1 tsp poultry seasoning; 2 tsp smoked paprika; 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 1 tsp onion powder; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp chili powder; 1 tsp cayenne; 1 tsp salt; Vegetable oil (for frying (for skillet and oven version)); 5 Tbsp butter (for frying (for skillet and oven version))

This amazing Air Fryer Fried Chicken Recipe means you can happily indulge in the deep-fried traditional taste of fried chicken without the guilt of all the oil and calories. Savory flavors + healthy way to fry chicken = one happy family.

Guys, this crunchy Homemade Southern Fried Chicken has a nice and satisfying crispy outside and a juicy tender inside. It’s lighter and healthier than traditional fried chicken thighs.

Reasons to Love Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Healthier than traditional deep-fried chicken. Much less oil is absorbed which means less calories and fat.
Tastier than fast food or restaurant fried chicken without leaving your home.
Totally kid-approved – the whole family will be raving about this dish.
Southern spices are easy to vary a bit to suit your taste.
Faster and less messy to make than deep-fried chicken.

a plate of air fryer fried chicken served with a green salad

What is Buttermilk?

Buttermilk is a popular ingredient in all sorts of Southern recipes. Traditional buttermilk is made of the leftover liquid from churning fresh butter, It is lower in fat yet higher in protein and adds great flavor to many dishes.

Tools Needed

An awesome Air Fryer.
A skillet if needed.
Measuring cups and teaspoons.
An awesome spray bottle.
Multi purpose mixing bowls.
Tongs.
Instant read digital thermometer.
Best ever sea salt flakes.

Now that you’re craving that juicy, crispy, crunchy Air Fryer Chicken, let’s get those recipe instructions….

image collage showing the first few steps for making air fryer fried chicken

How To Make Air Fryer Fried Chicken

Step 1. Start preparing the chicken thighs by rinsing the chicken and patting them dry. Add to a mixing bowlm cover all the pieces with 2 cups of buttermilk. Soak in the refrigerator for 4- 24 hours.
Step 2. 30 minutes prior to cooking, move chicken from the fridge to the counter to warm up to room temp.
Step 3. Prepare the breading. Put the flour and all seasonings in a medium bowl and pour in the remaining 1/2 cup buttermilk. Mix with a fork until slightly lumpy.
Step 4. Working with 4 pieces of chicken thighs at a time, thoroughly coat each piece with the breading on both sides then set aside on a plate.
Step 5. Preheat air fryer to 400F / 200C.
Step 6. Place breaded chicken in an Air Fryer basket, making sure they don’t touch. Use a spray bottle and lightly spray with oil.
Step 7. Cook for 10-16 mins depending on the size of the chicken. Mine took 14 mins. I recommend shooting for 12 mins and ensuring that your chicken is done by using a Instant read digital thermometer and letting meat reach 165F (74C).
Step 8. Halfway through cooking, spray the chicken with oil to cover the flour spots and flip the chicken to cook both sides evenly.

image collage showing the last few steps for making air fryer fried chicken

Make This On Stovetop And Oven

Complete steps 1-4 from the Air Fryer instructions.
Preheat the oven to 350F/177C.
Heat 1 cup of vegetable oil and 5 Tbsp butter in a deep skillet over medium-high heat.
Add 4 pieces of chicken at a time to the oil, fry for 3 mins each side, checking occasionally to make sure the chicken isn’t getting too brown. Note: the chicken will NOT be thoroughly cooked yet.
Transfer the chicken to a baking sheet and cook in the oven for 15 mins or until the internal temperature reaches 165F/74C.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Recipe Tips

If looking to cut calories even more, remove the skin from the chicken thighs before breading. Just know the breading may not stick as well to the chicken without the skin.
I like using a homemade poultry seasoning but feel free to use a store bought one.
Coat your chicken with the breading on both sides and then quickly get it in the Air Fryer. Don’t drench them in the coating for a long time and expect them to not be soggy.

Use parchment paper in the bottom of the Air Fryer to help prevent the chicken from sticking to the bottom of the fryer. Poke holes in the paper to allow air to continue to circulate around. This also helps catch breading that will fall off the chicken as it cooks.
Don’t forget to spray the fried chicken in air fryer with oil halfway through when you flip them over to cover the dried flour spots. I recommend using Canola Oil or Vegetable Oil for the best flavor. This also helps them crisp up and become that gorgeous golden brown color.

The longer you can soak your chicken in the buttermilk prior to breeding, the tastier it’ll be…trust me on this one.
Cooking time varies depending on the make of your Air Fryer. Check your chicken with a meat thermometer to make sure your chicken is safe to eat (165 F/74 C).

two pieces of air fryer fried chicken inside the air fryer basket

FAQs

What if I Don’t Have Buttermilk?

Fresh Buttermilk is optimal for this recipe, but, sometimes we don’t always have enough on hand. If you find yourself in that situation, I’ve got the fix for you that doesn’t involve another trip to the grocery store.

Use my how to make buttermilk recipe and whip up a fail-proof homemade buttermilk substitute. It’s quick, easy and sooooo tasty!

How To Get Breading To Stay On Chicken

Having made so many chicken recipes in the Air Fryer, I’ve had my fair share of times when the breading just doesn’t want to stick to the chicken. There can be a few different reasons for this and a few easy ways to fix this problem.

Make sure to press the breading onto the chicken before placing it on the parchment paper in the air fryer. Pushing it on the chicken will help it stick to the chicken which is essential after the delicious chicken has been soaking in buttermilk for so long. Otherwise, the fan will blow the soon-to-be crispy coating right off.
Place parchment paper with holes poked in the bottom inside the air fryer basket to prevent the chicken from sticking to the basket and losing its breading while cooking. Make sure not to turn the fryer on until you’ve placed the food on top of the paper to avoid the fan sucking it up and causing a problem.
Before starting to cook and when you flip the chicken halfway through, make sure to spray the chicken to cover the flour coating, otherwise, your chicken will end up tasting like dry flour.

When placing your chicken pieces in the basket to air fry, make sure they are not touching. You may have to cook your chicken in more batches than you originally planned. Doing this will make sure your chicken doesn’t stick together and lose the crispy, crunchy coating. It will also make sure you get proper air circulation around the chicken to make sure they cook evenly.
Don’t let the chicken sit in the breading mix too long or you’ll end up with soggy chicken. Put the coated chicken in the air fryer ASAP.

top down view of the completed air fryer fried chicken

Meal Prep and Prep Ahead

Fried Chicken in the Air Fryer is the definition of an ideal meal prep recipe because you can make them ahead of time and keep them in the refrigerator or freezer until you’re ready to devour them.

Prep Ahead – Feel free to make these Air Fried Fried Chicken Thighs ahead of time and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Freeze – Follow the handy tips below on how to freeze these Southern Fried Chicken Thighs.

Let the thighs cool down then transfer into these very handy Ziploc freezer bags.
Squeeze out all the extra air and seal the bags.
Label the bags and then lay them flat in the freezer.
Store in the freezer for 2-3 months.

Thaw – Remove chicken from the freezer the night before needed and let it thaw in the fridge overnight.

Reheat – If you are looking to reheat fried chicken, try tossing them back in the air fryer on 370F/188C for about 10 mins, checking the temperature of chicken periodically.

Meal Prep – Double or triple the recipe to use as meal prep ideas for the whole week. Fried chicken goes with just about everything, so this is the supreme meal prep idea. All you need to do is find a great vegetable side and you’re good to go. It would also be a great addition to a salad for a quick lunch on the go.

a plate of air fryer fried chicken and a green salad set next to a fork

Serving Suggestions

More Amazing Air Fried Chicken Recipes

Air Fryer Chicken And Waffles.
Air Fryer Parmesan Chicken Wings.
Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas.
Easy Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Breast.
Get my complete list of Air Fryer Recipes.

Weight Watchers Points

If you make your fried chicken in the air fryer (with no butter or oil), one serving contains 9 Blue Plan SmartPoints.

Top Pick : Air Fryer Accessory

Evo Oil Sprayer Bottle

Photo Credit: Amazon.com

My go-to spraying bottle. Every Air Fryer user should have one.

Thank you for reading my Air Fryer Buttermilk Fried Chicken recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue to slice, dice and dream up affordable Air Fryer recipes, Instant Pot Recipes, Southern Recipes and more. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, food blog.

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5 from 5 votes