Skip to content
Open menu Close menu

Feed your appetite for cooking with Penguin’s expert authors

penguin logo

Bored of Lunch’s Air Fryer Crispy Fried Chicken

Skip the takeaway and serve up this healthier take on fried chicken that takes just 20 minutes in the air fryer.

From the book

Introduction

You know where we’re going with this one – yes, that’s right, it’s the one you’re thinking about. I recommend pairing this with air-fried skinny fries and a little pot of baked beans just like the Colonel does. This is a true fakeaway – all the flavour of the original but with fewer calories.

Read more Read less

Ingredients

1.2kg chicken drumsticks and thighs, skin-on
200ml buttermilk or 4 beaten eggs
120g plain flour
120g cornflour
2 tbsp paprika
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried basil
1 tbsp mustard powder
½ tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp garlic granules
1½ tbsp white pepper
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil
olive oil spray (not low-calorie)

Essential kit

You will need an air fryer.

Method

411 calories per serving.

Coat the chicken pieces in the buttermilk or beaten egg.

Mix together all the dry ingredients in a bowl, then dredge the chicken first in this mix, then back into the buttermilk or beaten egg, then coat in the dry mix one more time.

Add the vegetable oil to your air fryer and preheat for 2 minutes at 200°C.

This next step is very important; coat the chicken VERY well with the olive oil spray – the flour needs to look mostly yellow from the spray. Air-fry at 200°C for 20 minutes, turning and re-spraying halfway through cooking.

As your air fryer will be at capacity with the chicken, you could just pop some chips in the oven and heat some baked in the microwave or on the hob to accompany.

TIP: If you’re using buttermilk, you could leave the chicken to marinate in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight for an extra tender result.

Reviews

Have you tried this recipe? Let us know how it went by leaving a comment below.

Please note: Moderation is enabled and may delay your comment being posted. There is no need to resubmit your comment. By posting a comment you are agreeing to the website Terms of Use.

There are no comments yet

Be the first to leave a review

newsletter

Subscribe to The Happy Foodie email newsletter

Get our latest recipes, features, book news and ebook deals straight to your inbox every week