Enjoy crispy, golden-brown fried chicken, made in the air fryer, with none of the splattered grease or the pile of dishes that usually comes with it. This air fryer fried chicken thighs and legs come out of the air fryer crispy, with real fried-chicken flavor that’ll make everyone think you stood over a pot of oil for an hour.
Fried chicken used to be a special-occasion thing at my house, because the cleanup alone was enough to make me question my choices. Dealing with big pots of hot oil and grease spatter everywhere is not my idea of fun. Once I tried it in the air fryer, it moved into regular weeknight rotation.
What makes this recipe work is the batter. A seasoned flour coating clings to each piece and crisps up fast in the circulating heat, giving you that craggy, crunchy crust with just a light spray of oil. Thighs and legs are the best choice here because they stay juicy and tender.
The biggest advantage of using an air fryer for fried chicken is that it uses much less oil. Using less oil means the chicken is better for you and has fewer calories. It also makes cleanup much easier, which is a necessity for busy weeknights.
If you’ve tried homemade fried chicken before and been disappointed, give this recipe a try. I’m talking golden-brown perfection that crisps up beautifully in the air fryer.
In the rest of this post, I’ll walk you through the simple steps to get every piece out golden and cooked through, plus all my tips for avoiding common mistakes like overcrowding the basket or ending up with soggy spots. Whether you’re making drumsticks for a weeknight dinner or a full batch for Sunday supper, you will love this recipe.
Looking for more easy air fryer chicken recipes? Try my air fryer recipes for chicken parmesan, teriyaki chicken, or Doritos chicken tenders.
Ingredient Notes
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
- Chicken pieces: I use skin-on chicken legs and thighs for this recipe because the dark meat stays incredibly juicy.
- Buttermilk: The acidity helps break down the proteins and makes the meat more tender. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can make a quick substitute by adding a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to regular milk and letting it sit for five minutes.
- Eggs
- Flour
- Seasoning: You will need salt, pepper, seasoned salt, garlic powder, paprika, and onion powder. It is essential to use a good amount of seasoning in the flour so your chicken isn’t bland.
- Oil for spraying.
How to Make Air Fryer Fried Chicken
- Wash and dry the chicken pieces thoroughly. Wet chicken won’t hold the coating well, so I pat mine really dry with paper towels.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, salt, and black pepper.
- In another large bowl, combine the flour, garlic powder, seasoned salt, paprika, onion powder, black pepper, and salt. Whisk to evenly distribute all those seasonings.
- Spray your air fryer basket lightly with oil. This prevents sticking and makes cleanup so much easier.
- Take one piece of chicken and dip it into the flour mixture first. Make sure it’s coated, then tap off any excess flour. You don’t want big clumps.
- Dip the floured chicken into the buttermilk mixture, making sure it’s completely coated. Let the excess drip back into the bowl.
- Dip the chicken into the flour mixture again. This double coating is what creates those crispy, crunchy bits. A light, even coating works best.
- Place the breaded chicken in the air fryer basket. Don’t stack the pieces or crowd them too close together. The air needs to circulate around each piece for even cooking and maximum crispiness. Repeat the breading process until the basket is full (but not overcrowded).
- Spray the tops of the chicken pieces with oil.
- Set your air fryer to 370 degrees F and cook for 15-20 minutes.
- Open the air fryer and take a look. If you see any spots where the flour looks dry or white, give those areas another light spritz of oil.
- Using tongs, carefully flip each piece of chicken. Spray the newly exposed side with oil.
- Cook for another 5-10 minutes until the chicken is golden brown and gorgeous.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to check that your chicken has reached 185°F for dark meat (legs and thighs) or 165°F for chicken breasts. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, avoiding the bone.
- If you couldn’t fit all your chicken in one batch, keep the cooked pieces warm in a 200°F oven while you cook the rest.
Serving Ideas
This recipe works well for casual family dinners, and any leftovers hold up beautifully for meal prep. I like to serve it straight up with the classics. I like to serve fried chicken with a side dish that I can make ahead of time, that way I’m not trying to make a side dish while I’m dipping chicken.
Pair your golden-brown chicken with creamy coleslaw, buttery cornbread, and baked beans. I love how the crispy coating stays crunchy even when you plate it alongside traditional sides. Check here for even more ideas of what to serve with fried chicken.
Cold fried chicken travels well, making it perfect for school lunches, picnics, or days when you need something quick to grab from the fridge. Pair it with some fruit and crackers, and you’ve got a complete meal that doesn’t require reheating.
How to Store
Air-fried chicken will keep for up to 4 days in the fridge. The coating stays surprisingly crispy even after refrigeration, especially if you don’t stack the pieces on top of each other.
I usually eat leftovers cold. Whatever you do, don’t microwave it or the chicken will turn rubbery. If you want it warm, pop it back in the air fryer at 350°F for about 5 minutes to reheat and restore that crispy coating.
Tips & Tricks
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- Resist the urge to cram every piece into the basket at once. Overcrowding is the enemy of crispy chicken. The air needs room to circulate around each piece; you’ll end up with soggy spots.
- The first flour coating helps the buttermilk stick, and the second creates those crispy, craggy bits that make fried chicken so irresistible.
- Skip the commercial cooking spray. Aerosol sprays can actually damage the nonstick coating on your air fryer basket over time. I use a mister spray bottle filled with regular vegetable or canola oil, or sometimes I brush it on with a pastry brush.
- The cooking times I’ve listed are a solid starting point, but your air fryer might run a little hotter or cooler than mine. The first time you make this recipe, stay close and keep an eye on things. Once you’ve got your air fryer figured out, you’ll be able to nail it every single time.
Reader Questions
Sure. Chicken breasts work great in the air fryer, though the cooking time will depend on whether you use boneless or bone-in. Start checking them around the 20-minute mark and pull them when they hit 165°F.
Nope, you don’t have to. This recipe calls for dipping the chicken in the buttermilk mixture right before coating, which is plenty to tenderize the meat and add flavor. That said, if you want to marinate the chicken in buttermilk for a few hours or overnight, go for it. It’ll make the chicken even more tender, and you can add the eggs, salt, and pepper when you’re ready to start breading.
If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can make a quick substitute by adding 2 tablespoons of white vinegar or lemon juice to 2 cups of regular milk. Let it sit for about 5 minutes.
First, make sure you’re spraying oil on the chicken, both before and after you flip it. Second, don’t overcrowd the basket. Finally, check that your air fryer is actually reaching the temperature. Some models run cooler than their settings suggest.
Sure, but you’ll need to adjust the cooking time. Boneless pieces cook faster, so start checking around the 12-15 minute mark. And bone-in chicken stays juicier and has more flavor, so if you have the option, I’d stick with that.
While I always recommend using an instant-read thermometer for accuracy and safety, you can also check by piercing the thickest part of the chicken with a knife. If the juices run clear (not pink), it’s done. But food poisoning is not fun, and thermometers are cheap and take all the guesswork out of it. They’re one of the best investments you can make for your kitchen.
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Air Fryer Fried Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken legs and thighs skin on
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- oil for spraying
Coating
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon seasoned salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Wash and dry chicken pieces.2 pounds chicken legs and thighs
- In a large bowl mix together the buttermilk, eggs, salt and pepper.2 cups buttermilk, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper
- In another large bowl mix together the flour, garlic powder, seasoned salt, paprika, onion powder, black pepper and salt.2 cups flour, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon seasoned salt, 1 ½ teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon salt
- Spray the air fryer basket with a little bit of oil to prevent the chicken from sticking to the bottom.oil
- Dip a chicken piece into the flour mixture. Tap off any excess flour.
- Dip the piece into the buttermilk mixture. Let excess buttermilk drip back into the bowl.
- Dip the chicken into the flour again. A light coating of flour is best.
- Put the chicken in the air fryer basket. Then repeat steps 5-8 until the basket is full. Do not stack the chicken and make sure there is room for the air to circulate.
- Spray the chicken with oil to coat the topside.
- Air fry the chicken at 370 degrees F for 15-20 minutes.
- Check the chicken. If there is any visible flour on the chicken spray it with a little more oil.
- Then flip the chicken with tongs and spray it with more oil.
- Cook for another 5-10 minutes, until it is golden brown.
- Test the temperature with an instant read thermometer and make sure it has reached 185 F for legs and thighs or 165 F for chicken breasts.
- Once the chicken is done make another batch if necessary.
Notes
- Resist the urge to cram every piece into the basket at once. Overcrowding is the enemy of crispy chicken. The air needs room to circulate around each piece; you’ll end up with soggy spots.
- The first flour coating helps the buttermilk stick, and the second creates those crispy, craggy bits that make fried chicken so irresistible.
- Skip the commercial cooking spray. Those aerosol sprays can actually damage the nonstick coating on your air fryer basket over time. I use a mister spray bottle filled with regular vegetable or canola oil, or sometimes I brush it on with a pastry brush.
- The cooking times I’ve listed are a solid starting point, but your air fryer might run a little hotter or cooler than mine. The first time you make this recipe, stay close and keep an eye on things. Once you’ve got your air fryer figured out, you’ll be able to nail it every single time.
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
Just tried this recipe and the coating kept falling off the chicken as it cooked and as I turned it. Any recommendations?
I’m not the author of this recipe obviously but I have had that problem before with a recipe like this! For starters make sure you first dip the chicken in the flour before the buttermilk mixture. Secondly I found after you have finished breading the chicken, if you put them on a sheet pan and let them rest for 30 min to an hour in the fridge, the breading sticks much better. Also- generously spray the air fryer basket or line it with foil if you can so it doesn’t stick and come apart when you attempt to turn or remove them. Good luck 🙂
I followed your recipe and it turned out prefect!
Just made this and it turned out way better than I expected. Will be using this recipe more in the future. Thanks for sharing.
What is the best air fryer for one person frying chicken..
Flour is missing in the list of ingredients but indicated in the instructions. But how much flour should one use?
It is 2 cups of flour, it is in the coating section.
Delish!