Air Fryer Fried Chicken

It's easy to make delicious Southern fried chicken in the air fryer.

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine air fryer, American, southern, Western

Prep Time 4 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 4 20

Servings servings

Calories 422kcal

Start preparing the chicken thighs by rinsing the chicken and patting them dry. Then cover all the pieces with 2 cups of buttermilk. Soak in the refrigerator for 4 - 24 hours.
30 minutes prior to cooking, move chicken from fridge to the counter and allow to come up to room temperature.
Prepare the breading by adding flour and all seasonings to a medium bowl. Pour in the remaining half cup of buttermilk. Mix with a fork until slightly lumpy.
Take four pieces of chicken at a time and thoroughly coat both sides of each piece with the breading, then set aside on a plate.
Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees F / 200 degrees C.
Place breaded chicken in the Air Fryer basket, making sure they don’t touch. Lightly spray with oil.
Cook for 10-16 minutes depending on the size of the chicken. Halfway through, flip the chicken and spray again with oil, if needed.
Check for doneness usin g a meat thermometer to make sure the internal temperature is 165 degrees F / 74 degrees C.

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

Marinating the chicken in buttermilk not only imparts great flavor but also helps tenderize the meat. For best results, let the chicken soak in the buttermilk for at least 2 hours, or even overnight, in the refrigerator.
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 homemade poultry seasoning but feel free to use a store-bought one.
Don’t let the chicken sit long once coated in flour or it will become soggy.
Shake off excess flour before air frying.
Use parchment paper to help prevent the chicken from sticking to the bottom of the air fryer basket. Poke holes in the paper to allow air to continue to circulate around.
Don't overcrowd the air fryer basket. Cook in batches if necessary.
Flip chicken over halfway through the cooking time to ensure even cooking.
Air fryer temperatures vary depending on make and model, so I recommend shooting for a cook time of 12 minutes, then checking for doneness with an instant-read digital thermometer.
Always check chicken with a meat thermometer to make sure the internal temperature is at least 165 degrees F / 74 degrees C.
Storage - keep leftovers in an airtight container inside the fridge for 3-4 days.
If you replace the oil with a calorie-controlled cooking spray, there are 9 WW Blue Plan SmartPoints in a serving.