Crispy chicken thighs in the air fryer that actually crunch, stay juicy, and don’t taste like “fake fried” chicken. This is my go-to method when you want proper texture without a deep fryer.
I’m in full fried chicken mode as a finalist for a fried chicken championship, but Sunday is always a recipe you can cook at home. The key is getting the coating to stick, using enough fat for colour and crunch, and giving the chicken space so it fries in hot air rather than steaming.
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Air Fryer Crispy Chicken (Recipe)
Ingredients (serves 2–3)
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs/drumsticks
250 ml buttermilk (or 200 g Greek yoghurt + splash of water)
1 tsp fine salt
Coating
60 g plain flour
30 g cornflour
10 g rice flour (or use more cornflour)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp white pepper
½ tsp black pepper
½–1 tsp chilli powder/cayenne (optional)
½ tsp fine salt (adjust depending on how salty your buttermilk mix is)
1-2 packets of Ramen noodles and seasoning packet (optional)
To finish
Oil spray (or 1–2 tbsp neutral oil brushed on)
Optional: spring onion, lime, chilli flakes, sesame
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#friedchicken #testkitchen #crispychicken #cooking #chef #londonfood
44 Comments
Who's this guy Dry Brian?!
I'm going to make these with drum sticks I have, thanks auntie Liz
You’re a chef not a health expert. Turned you off when you took the fat off. Chicken fat is not bad for you!!! Especially, you’re expensive organic free range bullshit
Never thought of using instant noodles 🤔
I love my air fryer. I gotta try this out!
Chef, can you explain the difference between cultured buttermilk (the thick buttermilk you appear to be showing in this video) and the watery buttermilk that you get as a byproduct from churning heavy cream to make butter? To me, it seems that you are referring to two different products. All of the research I have done, One has to start with heavy cream and a culture additive (store-bought buttermilk, sour cream, yogurt or a culture starter). It seems that there may a way to make a cultured buttermilk with this byproduct but I haven't found the answer yet. I churn butter a lot so I am interested in an answer.
Edited for typos…
Instant noodles! Hot drink with chew! My favourite go-to teatime treat!
Remove the natural chicken skin…… add extra MSG chemicals'… yes of course
Any relation to Florence Pugh? There's a strong resemblance.
. Nice and well done Chef ! I love the Ninja Speedi Air fryer used to to own two of them but gave one away to one of my daughters. Looking forward to more recipes on the Speedi.
Hi Liz, have you seen Babish's take on getting a good fried chicken crunch? Might be worth testing his version to see what you can take from it.
I love cooking and if I can make something rather than buy it I will give it a go. Now and again I buy supermarket southern fried chicken (mini fillets) just to put in wraps for lunch as a change. So I have for a while been trying to make them but using the air fryer to be healthier. Have just finished cooking this recipe using chicken mini fillets …..I’m going to start with a negative……….when I cooked them and turned them, some (a little at this stage) of the crumb came away from the fillets. When I took them out a bit more came away. I could not fit all in the first batch so at the next cook I turned the air fryer up. This seems to be better. It held, but felt quite fragile taking them out! However, when I cut one in half it all broke up and came away again. So….not too sure what can be done about this, it’s a reoccurring thing with my efforts to make southern fried chicken. (Before anyone comments my husband and I do not like boney meats and would not eat legs or thighs). Now that all said….this was by far the best tasting crumb I’ve tried! I followed the recipe legs and thighs aside 😂 to the T. Dry rubbed the chicken fillets put them in buttermilk with the rest of the rub. Mixed in the eggs. Dredged the mini fillets (shaken a little to make sure not too much batter) in the flour mix….placed on greaseproof paper and then sprayed with avocado oil and placed oil side down into fryer. I did not shake half way😂 but left them go and turned for the final few minutes. I will definitely use this recipe again it was delicious, just need to work out how to make it stick! Thank you for such a tasty recipe.😊 ps….i was wondering if i let them sit in the fridge for a couple of hours or overnight may help? Any ideas??
Fantastic 🤩 recipe that I simply must try but there’s one minor glitch… the written version of the ingredients mentions “baking powder”, a whole tablespoon no less – but the video, and I listened carefully (twice!) neither mentions it in the dredge nor in the dry ingredients…
It looks delicious but I'm guessing sodium is through the roof.
The video doesn't mention when to use the BICARB
Or use avocado oil to deep fry them.
You put ‘tsp’ in your recipe, but it looks more like a tablespoon rather than a teaspoon of the seasoning and herb you use
I love how Brits pronounce words compared to Americans, it’s hilarious 😂
Did you not pay the electric bill?
Where does the 1tsp baking powder go?
Fuiyoh!!
Auntie Liz! It’s the first time I’m seeing you without Uncle Roger fawning over you 😂
all an air fryer amounts to is a weak circulating air toaster oven. I haven't seen one that gets hotter than 450F. My residenial convecton oven goes to 550 F . I should think one would want 800F for an air fryer.
Hmm, 6 out of 10.
Previous….Left a review about how all the crumb fell off …….however the flavour was amazing. Update! Made the rub and put chicken with rub into buttermilk. Left. Then I took them out and plastered with crushed panko, really pressed. Then left overnight (uncovered) in fridge. Cooked tonight…spray oil and air fry…..yea! Crumb did not budge! One thing I have to do though it try and introduce a little more flavour into the crumb to get the fantastic flavour my first attempt had which did not stick! Did I say it was amazing flavour?😂 Think the noodle flavouring had something to do with that!! I may even give it another go but leave it overnight!! My go to …from now on. Thanks!
Can I please have 6 pieces please!
I've tried something similar and I wonder if you'd confirm but I left the skin on and it seemingly made the breading unable to stay on post baking for some reason. One other thing, you said it was saving time but alternatively you'd have the egg seperate, does that imply you'd be double dredging or going from the buttermilk to the egg to the breading?
Auntie Liz and Peanut Allergy Guy have an adorable kid.
Completely overseasoned …. and then you add bouillon cubes …. no comment. Keep that shit in the US.
Buttermilk is like $7, added cost not practical for most people.
Brilliant! I have done fried chicken in the air fryer before and it never came out well. Watching your video I now realise I was being too stingy with the oil. Also going to try the ramen trick. Great video
That’s one thick ass buttermilk
How did you come up with the idea of using instant noodles?
Amazing, going to give this a go!
Would love to see the stuffed, deboned chicken wings you mentioned too?
Instant ramen in fried chicken?? UNCLE ROGERRR WHERE ARE YOU
oh no must not have the urge of crushing the instant ramen and eating them raw
0:42 : Its cute that you got confused between garlic powder and onion powder 😄
You remind me of Kate Winslet. 😊😊 Awesome recipe
1:45 it looks like you are marinating the chicken in moisturizer 😂😂😂
I am definitely going to try this recipe. But has anyone told you that you look a little like the actress, Florence Pugh? It's probably just me.
Edit:
Please take it as a compliment; I don't want to offend you.
Years ago I found a KFC recipe. It apparently had the herbs & spices & it did taste like KFC. I tried it in a pressure cooker, deep fryer & air fryer… I can honestly say, if you know what you're doing with the airfryer, you will get the best fried chicken.
Don't use instant noodles, instead use breadcrumbs. Noodles used like this will be difficult to digest and if eaten by kids in heavy quality may very well cause upset stomach.
Please don't use music. British accent and asmr is the way forward. Trust me
Too much effort to be use as a daily driver. Maybe once in a while