Air Fryer Fried Chicken

Article by Alice K. Thompson

Making fried chicken in the air fryer is a revelation. You’ll get a crispy crust and juicy interior without all the steps of deep-frying — and it takes just a spritz of added oil. We love their Air Fryer Fried Chicken recipe for classic Southern-style thighs and drumsticks: A soak in seasoned buttermilk adds flavor and tenderness, a simple spiced flour coating adds another layer of deliciousness and everything comes out perfectly moist and golden in no time. And did we say minimal cleanup?

How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Like a Pro

Here’s what our Food Network test cooks want you to know to get deliciously crunchy, perfectly juicy air fryer chicken that rivals deep-fried.

Dark meat will be the juiciest. Our test kitchen prefers bone-in, skin-on thighs and drumsticks for the best results. Dark meat has a higher fat content than white, so it’s less likely to dry out, while the skin helps moisten the meat and bones pull in heat to promote even cooking.

Marinate the chicken as long as you can. Soaking chicken in buttermilk is most associated with Southern fried chicken, but it’s such a delicious, effective brine, it has pretty much conquered the county. Marinating overnight or up to a full day is ideal, but as little as 1 hour will give you excellent results as well.

Add a little buttermilk to your dredge. Once you’ve mixed up your flour coating, drizzle a little buttermilk over it and toss to create small lumps in the mixture. These craggy bits will increase surface area and add even more crispiness during frying.

Don’t crowd the basket. An air fryer works by circulating hot air around the food, so ensure there’s adequate space for it to do its thing. We suggest cooking the chicken in two batches, but you can adjust this depending on the capacity of your machine.

Test for doneness inside. Perfectly cooked chicken will be browned and crispy on the outside, but you’ll still need to check it inside. Test by removing a piece from the fryer: The juices should run clear, not red, when a skewer or the tip of a knife is inserted almost to the bone, or an instant-read thermometer should register 170 degrees F.

Keep chicken warm between batches. To serve all the chicken at once, set your oven to 250 degrees F and place a wire rack over a sheet pan when you start frying. As batches are done, transfer them to the rack and let them rest at room temperature for at least 10 minutes, then place them in the oven to stay warm until all the chicken is cooked.

How to Store and Reheat Fried Chicken

The secret to leftover fried chicken that’s almost as good as the day it was made is in how you handle it.

Cool and store. Make sure you cool the chicken completely, preferably on a rack so steam can escape without making the coating soggy. As soon as it’s cool, transfer it to an airtight container or wrap each piece in foil. Refrigerate it for up to 4 days.

Reheat it correctly. Microwaving can leave the outside of fried chicken limp and the meat dry, so turn to your air fryer for best results: Unwrap the chicken pieces if they’re wrapped and place them directly in the air fryer basket. Cook at 375 degrees F, flipping them once, until they’re hot and crispy, about 5 minutes. You can also do this in a regular oven by placing the chicken on a sheet pan, covering it with foil and baking for 10 minutes; remove the foil and continue to bake until the crust is crispy, and the chicken is heated through.