Air Fryer Fried Chicken Recipe (2024)

By: Author Janessa

Posted on Last updated: March 21, 2024

This Air Fryer Fried Chicken Recipe is sponsored by my friends at Bounty.

You’ve probably noticed lately that all of my new recipes have been air fryer recipes. I’ve become pretty obsessed with fixing just about everything in our air fryer. It makes foods taste SO good and it’s so easy to use! With Memorial Day weekend coming up, I thought this would be the perfect time to share my air fryer fried chicken recipe. You will love how crisp and delicious the chicken turns out!

Air Fryer Fried Chicken Recipe

Fried chicken is one of those recipes that is basically an American tradition. It is right up there with hamburgers and hot dogs! However, unlike hamburger and hotdogs, making fried chicken typically causes a huge, and I mean HUGE mess in the kitchen! I remember when my mom or grandmother would fix it growing up. We would have splattered grease all over the kitchen and it seemed to take days before we finally got it all cleaned back up again. Not to mention the little burns I’d get from the hot grease flying out of the pan.

This air fryer fried chicken recipe lets you enjoy this classic meal without the huge mess to clean up afterward!

Air Fryer Fried Chicken Recipe

Janessa

Equipment

XL Air Fryer
Bounty

Ingredients

2 cup All Purpose Flour
3 tbsp Cajun Seasoning like Old Bay
2 tsp Seasoning Salt
2 tsp Garlic Powder
4 Eggs
2 Tbsp Salted butter melted
10 pieces Chicken Legs and/or Chicken Thighs
Canola Oil Spray
Bounty Paper Towels

Instructions

Rinse chicken and then pat dry with a sheet of Bounty. (Pro tip - I always use Bounty so there is no lint left behind).
Preheat your air fryer to 360 degrees. Preheating is easy. Simply turn the air fryer on at 360 and let it run for about 5 minutes before you place the chicken into the basket.
Mix dry ingredients together (flour, cajun seasoning, seasoned salt, garlic powder)
Seperate the flour mixture into 2 bowls. Put approximately 1/3 of it into one bowl and the remaining 2/3 into a second bowl.
Place melted butter into 3rd bowl. Using a fork, beat in 4 eggs.
The chicken will go through a 3-step dredging process. Begin by dredging the chicken in the bowl with 2/3 of the flour mixture, then the egg and butter, followed by the 1/3 flour bowl.
Spray the bottom of the basket in the air fryer with canola oil.
Spray each piece of chicken with canola oil then place chicken into the preheated basket. It's okay if the pieces tough but don't overcrowd them.
Cook chicken legs at 360F for 25 minutes or until chicken reaches 180F. Cook boneless thighs at 360F for 18 minutes or until chicken reaches 180F. Half way through cooking you'll want to flip the chicken over and spray again with canola oil. Use an instant meat thermometer to be sure it has reached 180F.
Serve hot and enjoy!

Notes

Tip One: As you work through the chicken, you will eventually need to take some of the flour from the first bowl and add it to the other flour bowl.
Tip Two: The butter in the butter/egg bowl may start to thicken up somewhat. That's to be expected and perfectly fine. Stir it periodically to keep everything mixed together well. Don't brush the pieces of butter off of the chicken! This is the secret ingredient that really helps moisturize your chicken and give it extra flavor!
Tip Three: As you are dredging the chicken, your fingers will become coated in the flour/egg mixture. You'll want to wipe your hands off after every other piece of chicken, otherwise the coating on your hands could cause the coating on the chicken to come off. I keep a few sheets of Bounty (already torn from the roll) on the counter so I can use them to easily clean my hands off between dredgings.

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Tips to make this Air Fryer Fried Chicken recipe the best you’ve ever had!

Purchase your chicken fresh not frozen. It just tastes better that way!
Purchase chicken then is free-range and organic. Even though you can find chicken labeled as such at the grocery store, I also notice quite a difference when I purchase from a local butcher. We are lucky enough to have an Amish market about 30 minutes from our home and that’s where I go for the very best chicken. It’s also so flavorful and moist.
As mentioned in the recipe, you will need paper towels to dry the chicken after rinsing and also to soak up the little bit of grease that’s leftover once you fry them. I only trust Bounty for this job because it won’t leave lint behind. No one wants that in their chicken!!
Keep Bounty on hand for quick clean up afterward too!
It’s worth it to invest in a good meat thermometer. Chicken is always better when it is cooked just right. You certainly don’t want to undercook it but you don’t want to overcook it either!

Tips for using your Air Fryer

It’s important to remember that, just like ovens, all air fryers are unique and therefore one won’t cook exactly like another one. The first time you make this recipe (or any recipes in your air fryer for that matter), make sure you check it periodically to make sure it’s not overcooking, especially as you near the end of the suggested cook time. Many people also don’t realize that preheating your air fryer can help your food to cook better. To preheat your air fryer, simply set it to the desired temperature and run it for about 4-5 minutes before you put the food into the basket.

Also, since your basket is probably coated with a non-stick coating, make sure you don’t use anything abrasive when cleaning it. Mine usually cleans up really easily with just a little bit of hot water, Dawn, and a washcloth.

What to Serve with Air Fryer Fried Chicken

If you’re looking for ideas of what to serve with your fried chicken, I have some for you!

Air fryer fried chicken always pairs well with corn on the cob. Here’s a recipe for air fryer corn on the cob if you’d like to try that. Here’s a tip I recently learned that makes shucking the corn so much easier. Once you pull the outside pieces off of the ears of corn, hold a sheet of Bounty in your hand, wrap it around the ear of corn, and quickly rotate the ear of corn back and forth inside of the paper towel. This helps to get all of the remaining silk off of the ear of corn quickly and easily.

I also like to fix this air fryer onion rings recipe sometimes to go with our fried chicken or macaroni and cheese. Of course, biscuits always make a great side dish for fried chicken. This easy butter biscuit recipe tastes just like the ones you’ll find at your favorite restaurant! Of course, you can’t forget dessert! These red, white, and blue dessert ideas are perfect for Memorial Day weekend of July 4th!

This recipe is so delicious and easy, you’ll want to fix it every week! Alternate the type of chicken you use (legs, wings, things, etc.) to change things up for a different meal each time!