Air Fryer Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Air fryer buttermilk fried chicken is my answer for when you want that Southern-style crunch without pulling out a deep fryer. This recipe leans on the same techniques I’ve been sharing for years, a good buttermilk soak, well-seasoned flour, and letting the chicken cook the way it’s supposed to. The air fryer handles the crisping, the chicken stays juicy, and you still get that golden crust that makes people do a double take.
Servings 5
Calories 594kcal
Ingredients
- 2 ½-3 pounds whole chicken wings Feel free to use split wings if you wish.
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- Chicken Rub Seasoning to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
- cooking oil I use olive oil.
Instructions
- Pat the chicken wings dry and add them to a large bowl. Drizzle with the buttermilk. For best results, cover and store the chicken in the fridge for 30 minutes to 3 hours. This will tenderize the chicken. I typically marinate for an hour minimum, you can go up to overnight.
- Combine the flour, chicken seasoning, salt and pepper in a bowl large enough to dredge the chicken. Stir and mix well.
- Dredge the chicken in the flour and seasonings. Ensure both sides of the chicken are fully coated. Use a spoon to get areas of the chicken wing that were missed.
- Spray the air fryer basket with cooking oil.
- Add the chicken wings to the air fryer. Do not overcrowd the basket. Cook in batches if necessary. Spray the chicken with cooking oil.
- Cook for 20 minutes on 400 degrees. Stop and flip the chicken every 5 minutes, a total of 4 times.
- Use a meat thermometer and ensure the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Add additional time if you prefer the chicken is crisper.
- Remove the chicken from the air fryer. Cool before serving.
Notes
- You can use ¼ cup of milk plus 1 tablespoon of either white vinegar or lemon juice.
- You can substitute the chicken seasoning for ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon paprika, and salt and pepper to taste.
- If there are areas of the chicken that are still white from the flour, spritz it with oil.
- If you have trouble with getting the chicken to crisp, spritz more oil.
Nutrition
Serving: 0.5pound | Calories: 594kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 39g