If you’ve been searching for chicken that’s impossibly crispy on the outside while staying juicy on the inside, you need this Air Fryer Chicken recipe! It delivers restaurant-quality results with minimal effort, creating that perfect golden-brown skin that the whole family will love.
before you get started / kelley’s tips
- Don’t skip the marinating time! It makes a big difference in flavor and ensures flavorful, moist chicken.
- Pat the chicken dry before adding oil and seasonings! This is important to get that perfectly crispy skin.
- Place chicken in a single layer in the air fryer basket. The pieces can be touching each other, but make sure that they are not on top of each other. If you need to, cook the chicken in batches!
- No need to flip! The beauty of the air fryer is that it will crisp all sides of the chicken without flipping.
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Ingredients Needed
- Chicken: Using bone-in, skin-on pieces gives you the best flavor and prevents the meat from drying out. You can use a whole chicken and break it down into pieces, or buy different pieces of bone-in chicken like thighs and legs.
- Olive Oil: To help the seasonings stick!
- Granulated Garlic: Granulated garlic provides better coverage than garlic powder and won’t burn like fresh garlic!
- Paprika: For a subtly smoky flavor and beautiful color!
- Italian Seasoning: The perfect blend of herbs that complements the chicken without overwhelming it.
How to Make Crispy Air Fryer Chicken
- Prep Chicken: Break down chicken by removing thighs, legs, wings, breasts. I like to cut the breasts in half so they cook quicker. Make sure to leave skin on.
- Season Chicken: Toss chicken pieces in olive oil and all remaining seasoning to coat. Let marinate for 1 hour covered in fridge.
- Air Fry: Arrange on wire rack in air fryer basket. Fry at 425°F for about 35-40 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thighs reeds 165°F.
Serving Suggestions
This air fryer chicken is a versatile main dish that can be served in so many different ways! I recommend serving it with some nutritious and easy side dishes like roasted broccoli, macaroni salad, mashed potatoes or even some easy fried rice!
You can also top the chicken off with your choice of sauce like cilantro yogurt sauce, bourbon barbecue sauce, or avocado crema!
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know when the chicken is done?
The chicken will be golden brown and crispy when it is done! However, if you are unsure if the chicken is thoroughly cooked, use an meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. It is fully cooked through when it hits 165 degrees F!
How long does leftover chicken last?
You can store any leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days! To reheat, pop it in the air fryer again until heated through to keep the skin crispy.
More Easy Air Fryer Recipes to Try
- Air Fryer Salmon
- Air Fryer Chicken Breast
- Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings
- Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
Air Fryer Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces or 8 mixed pieces of bone-in chicken, thighs, legs, wings, breasts
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp granulated garlic
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Break down chicken by removing thighs, legs, wings, breasts. I like to cut the breasts in half so they cook quicker. Make sure to leave skin on.
- Toss chicken pieces in olive oil and all remaining seasoning to coat. Let marinate for 1 hour covered in fridge.
- Arrange on wire rack in air fryer basket. Fry at 425°F for about 35-40 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thighs reeds 165°F.
Nutrition Information
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