13 Air Fryer Chicken Recipes for Quick Weeknight Meals

Fried chicken is a crowd favorite among all types of cuisines and cultures and the irresistible menu item is versatile enough to be adapted with many different ingredients and flavors. While enjoying those crispy chicken wings or thighs is easy, frying chicken in oil can be messy and inconvenient. The air fryer is a simple alternative that streamlines the process while delivering the same crispy, crunchy results with a perfectly-tender center. Just take this panko- and parmesan-coated version, for example. The parmesan adds a salty flavor to the chicken that gets cooked to perfection in an air fryer rather than pan or pot of oil. Serve with steamed broccoli and tangy yogurt sauce for a chicken dinner that can be enjoyed all week long.

If you’re favorite part of roasted chicken is the crispy skin, you’ll love this whole-roasted chicken recipe. The rapid movement of air in an air fryer is perfect for cooking roast chicken— The fat in the skin renders and gets perfectly crispy while the inside stays incredibly moist and flavorful.

Crispy, crunchy fried wings are an irresistible snack, but being left with greasy fingers after diving into a dozen can be a hassle. That’s why we love these chicken wings that get crisped up in the air fryer rather than a pot of oil. They’re crunchy and tender, and they leave your fingers covered in flavor rather than oil.

This easy recipe can be whipped up in just 35 minutes, which means it’s ideal for busy weeknights. Even better, it’s a super versatile dish that can be adapted with many different flavors. Serve these lightly seasoned chicken thighs as is or toss them while still hot with your favorite barbecue or buffalo sauce to give this quick and easy anytime meal an extra kick.