This air fryer fried chicken is light, crispy, and incredibly juicy. Made Asian-style without buttermilk or egg. Lightly breaded fried chicken that everyone will enjoy!
This air fryer fried chicken recipe is similar to the Korean Fried Chicken wings recipe I made. It’s lightly coated in cornstarch mixture with baking soda and then dipped into soda water to create a light crispy fried chicken. You can make this with chicken thighs or drumsticks (bone-in and skin-on).
How to make Air Fryer Fried Chicken
Step 1. Season the Chicken. Combine all the spice rub ingredients; salt (to taste) garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, ginger powder, black ground pepper, and optional chilli powder. Then season the chicken. Set aside the remaining spice rub.
Step 2. Coating the Chicken. In a medium-sized bowl, add cornstarch, flour, baking soda (for an extra crispy skin), and the remaining spice rub. Mix until well combined. Dredge the chicken into the cornstarch mixture using a kitchen tong or by hand. Place the chicken on a baking sheet. Press or squeeze the chicken to ensure the coating will adhere to the chicken.
In another bowl, add the soda water and dip the chicken one at a time then back to the cornstarch mixture. Press and shake off excess coating.
Step 3. Air fry the Chicken. Place the chicken in the air fryer basket and spray generously with cooking oil. Cook with the skin side up in a preheated air fryer at 375°F for 25 to 30 minutes. Flip twice every 10 to 12 minutes and spray with cooking oil as needed.
Step 4. Double air fry the fried chicken. Air fry at 400°F for 3 to 5 minutes with the skin side up until blistering and crispy to your liking.
The chicken pieces’ safe internal temperature is 165°F (recommended for chicken breast). It depends on your liking. I like mine at 180°F to 185°F (recommended for bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks) with golden-blistered chicken skin.
What to serve with air fryer fried chicken?
It’s perfect to serve with mashed potatoes, french fries, or fried rice; try my vegetable fried rice and mushroom fried rice recipe. Also a great pair with salads, such as macaroni salad, creamy cucumber salad, and seven-layer salad.
More Air fryer Recipes to try
Air Fryer Whole Chicken Barbecue
Storing
Refrigerate for 3 to 4 days in a sealed container. Freeze (best quality) for up to 2 months in a sealed container.
To reheat:
From the fridge– 3 to 5 minutes in the preheated air fryer at 375°F.
From the freezer– 10 to 15 minutes in the preheated air fryer at 375°F.
Air Fryer Fried Chicken (thighs)
Watch How to Make It
Equipment
- air fryer
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs or drumsticks bone-in, skin-on
- 1 cup soda water
- cooking oil spray
Spice Rub Ingredient (divided)
- ¾ tsp salt or to taste
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp ginger powder
- ¼ tsp black ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp chili powder optional
Cornstarch breading
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 2 tbsp rice flour or sub with AP flour
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp spice rub
Instructions
- Combine all the spice rub ingredients and season the chicken. Set aside the remaining spice rub.
- In a medium-sized bowl, add cornstarch, flour, baking soda, and the remaining spice rub. Mix until well combined.
- Dredge the chicken into the cornstarch mixture using a kitchen tong or by hand. Place the chicken on a baking sheet.
- In another bowl, add the soda water and dip the chicken one at a time then back to the cornstarch mixture. Press and shake off excess coating.
- Place the chicken on the air fryer basket and spray generously with cooking oil. Cook with the skin side up in a preheated air fryer at 375°F for 25 to 30 minutes. Flip twice every 10 to 12 minutes and spray with cooking oil as needed.
- Double air fry the fried chicken. Air fry at 400°F for 3 to 5 minutes with the skin side up until blistering and crispy to your liking.
What brand Airfryer is used?
Hi, I use Frigidaire EAFO111-SS Air Fryer Oven, Digital, 26 Quart 10-in-1 Countertop Toaster Oven & Air Fryer Combo. Thank you😊