Crispy air fryer chicken

Breading that crunches and stays on, without a pan full of oil. Forty-two grams of protein.

33 min
Total time: 33 min
Hands-on: 4 servings
Servings: 385 cal
Per serving: Easy
Difficulty: Air fryer
Method

Photo: Andy Li · CC0

Ingredients

4 servings

Nutrition facts

per serving

385cal

Protein: 42 g45 %
Carbs: 27 g29 %
Fat: 11 g26 %
Fiber: 2 g
Sugarstotal, including the natural sugars in fruit and dairy: 1 g

Approximate values, calculated from food composition tables. They vary with the brands and cuts you use.

Step by step

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Cover

Crispy air fryer chicken

Breading that crunches and stays on, without a pan full of oil. Forty-two grams of protein.

1Step 1 of 6

Toast the breadcrumbs

In a dry skillet with no oil, toast the breadcrumbs for 3 minutes over medium heat, stirring, until golden. This step is what guarantees the coating won't come out pale.

Tip: It's the most important trick in the recipe. Without it, the breading comes out the color of raw flour.

03:003 min · Toast the breadcrumbs

2Step 2 of 6

Set up three plates

One plate with the flour mixed with the paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper; another with the beaten eggs; another with the toasted breadcrumbs.

3Step 3 of 6

Bread in order

Dredge each piece of chicken in flour (shaking off the excess), then egg (letting it drip) and finally breadcrumbs, pressing firmly with your hand so they stick.

Tip: Pressing the crumbs onto the chicken is what keeps them from falling off in the basket. Don't just let them sit on top.

4Step 4 of 6

Preheat and spray

Air fryer for 3 minutes at 400 °F (200 °C). Arrange the chicken in a single layer, pieces not touching, and spray oil over the top until the surface looks moist.

03:003 min · Preheat and spray

5Step 5 of 6

18 minutes with a flip

Cook for 18 minutes at 400 °F (200 °C). At 10 minutes, turn each piece over and spray the other side with oil.

18:0018 min · 18 minutes with a flip

6Step 6 of 6

Check and serve

The chicken is done when it's completely white inside with no pink. With a thermometer, 165 °F (74 °C) in the center.

About this recipe

Breaded chicken in the air fryer has a well-known problem: the coating stays pale or peels off and ends up at the bottom of the basket. The reason is that an air fryer has no oil to fry the breading, only hot air.

Two things fix it: breadcrumbs toasted beforehand (so they go in already golden) and a spritz of oil over the surface, which seals it.

With those two changes you get chicken that truly crunches, with half the fat of fried chicken and no pan of used oil to deal with afterwards.

Tips for getting it right

Panko beats fine breadcrumbs: its big flakes give a much more pronounced crunch.
No spray bottle? Dip a pastry brush in oil and brush it on. Don't pour the oil: it soaks some spots and leaves others dry.
An empty refillable oil mister costs a few dollars and completely changes what you can do with an air fryer.

Variations

Gluten-free

Rice flour and gluten-free breadcrumbs. Just as crispy.

Nashville hot style

A teaspoon of cayenne in the flour and a brush of oil mixed with hot paprika when they come out.

Storage

3 days in the fridge. Reheat in the air fryer for 5 minutes at 350 °F (180 °C) and it's crispy again; in the microwave it goes soft.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Why does the breading fall off in the air fryer?

Because it wasn't pressed on or the chicken was wet to begin with. Dry the chicken well, shake off the extra flour and press the breadcrumbs on with the palm of your hand.

Is it as good as fried chicken?

Not identical. It's very crispy and very good, but breading fried in plenty of oil has a texture hot air doesn't fully reproduce. In exchange it has half the fat and doesn't leave your kitchen a mess.

Can I use frozen chicken?

You need to thaw it first. Frozen chicken releases water as it cooks and the breading slides off and turns soggy.

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