Description
Crispy air fryer fried chicken delivers tender, juicy meat with a golden crust using a simple buttermilk soak and seasoned flour coating. This quick, healthy recipe takes only minutes to prep and 30 minutes to cook, making it perfect for busy families seeking a low‑oil, high‑protein dinner. Follow our step‑by‑step guide for consistent results, and discover tips for extra crispiness, flavor variations, and storage ideas for leftovers. Serve with steamed greens or crisp coleslaw for balanced meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 chicken thighs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup all‑purpose flour
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Salt to taste
- Ground pepper to taste
- Cooking spray
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken thighs in buttermilk for at least 1 hour, or overnight for best results.
- In a bowl, mix the flour, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Remove chicken from buttermilk, letting excess drip off, and coat in the flour mixture.
- Spray air fryer basket with cooking spray, then place chicken in a single layer.
- Air fry at 375°F for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and cooked through.
Notes
- Let the chicken rest 5 minutes before serving to retain juices. For extra crispness, lightly spray with oil before cooking. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days
- reheat in air fryer at 350°F for 5‑7 minutes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 servings
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
Keywords: air fryer fried chicken, crispy air fryer chicken, healthy fried chicken recipe, quick chicken dinner, low oil chicken recipe, high protein chicken meal