Oh yes — crispy, juicy KFC-style chicken without deep-frying 😋🍗 The air fryer makes it golden and crunchy while keeping it tender inside. Here’s a recipe that gets close to that iconic flavor at home.
🍗 KFC-Style Chicken in the Air Fryer
Ingredients (for 4–6 pieces)
Chicken
- 4–6 pieces (drumsticks, thighs, or wings)
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
Coating
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional for heat)
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- Cooking spray or a little oil
Instructions
1. Marinate chicken
- Mix buttermilk with salt and pepper.
- Submerge chicken pieces in buttermilk and marinate 1–4 hours in fridge.
2. Prepare coating
- In a shallow bowl, mix flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, oregano, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
3. Coat the chicken
- Remove chicken from buttermilk, letting excess drip off.
- Dredge thoroughly in the seasoned flour.
- Shake off excess flour.
4. Air fry
- Preheat air fryer to 380°F (190°C).
- Spray chicken lightly with cooking spray or brush with oil.
- Arrange pieces in a single layer (don’t overcrowd).
- Cook 20–25 minutes, flipping halfway, until chicken reaches internal temp 165°F (74°C) and is golden brown.
5. Optional extra crunch
- After first 10 minutes, lightly spray again with oil to boost crispiness.
🔥 Pro Tips
- Pat chicken dry before dredging for extra crisp.
- Use medium-sized pieces — very large thighs may need more time.
- Don’t skip marinating; buttermilk makes it tender and juicy.
- For even crispier coating, double-dredge: flour → buttermilk → flour.
Variations
- 🌶️ Spicy KFC: add ½ tsp cayenne and chili powder to flour
- 🧄 Garlic lovers: add garlic powder to both marinade and coating
- 🍗 Boneless version: air fry chicken tenders 12–15 minutes
- 🥣 Extra crunchy: crush cornflakes or panko and mix with flour
If you want, I can also give a “closer-to-original KFC 11-herb spice mix” version for the air fryer — very authentic taste at home.
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