Air Fryer Fried Chicken Recipe

close up overhead shot of (Not Fried) Fried Chicken Recipe in a tin pan

This crispy air fryer fried chicken is the best way to fry chicken without the extra work and results in juicy chicken with a crispy crust that your taste buds will love.

Prep Time10

Cook Time24

Total Time34

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Air Fryer Fried Chicken

Servings:

Calories: 440kcal

Ingredients

4 chicken thighs, with the bone-in and skin-on (approximately 2 to 2.5 pounds)
4 egg whites
1 cup plain bread crumbs
1½ teaspoons salt
¾ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Spray the inside of your air fryer basket with a small amount of cooking oil.
Preheat your air fryer to 375°F according to your model's instructions.
Trim off any excess/overhanging skin from your chicken thighs then place them onto a plate and pat them dry with a paper towel.
In a shallow dish, big enough to use for breading your chicken, add the egg whites and give them a quick whisk, with a fork, to break them up. Set aside.
In a second dish, add the plain bread crumbs, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
Place one piece of the chicken thigh into the egg whites and coat both sides of the chicken with the egg whites.
After the piece of chicken is coated with the egg whites, place it into the breadcrumb mixture and coat both sides of the chicken thigh evenly. Once breaded, place back onto the plate. Repeat steps 6 & 7 until all the chicken thighs have been breaded.
Once your air fryer is preheated, place your chicken thighs onto the rack with the skin side facing down. Make sure that your chicken thighs are in an even layer. Cook for 12 minutes.
After the first 12 minutes of cooking time, flip your chicken thighs so that the skin side is now up. Continue cooking for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the internal temperature of your chicken reaches 165°F.
Remove from your air fryer and place them on a serving plate. Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

You can easily double this recipe to serve more people (or more pieces to each person). You will need to allow for more time before serving as you will need to cook the additional chicken pieces in batches. While you are cooking more pieces you can keep the previously cooked pieces warm in a 200°F oven with the pieces on a baking tray fitted with a wire rack. This will allow your chicken to stay warm and your coating to stay crunchy.
Make sure to check your air fryer manual for cook time guidelines for your specific model as times and temperatures vary depending on the type of air fryer you have.

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