This KFC Chicken in the Air Fryer

Here’s a KFC-style Air Fryer Chicken recipe that gives you crispy, flavorful chicken without deep frying 🍗

It’s a copycat-style version—crispy coating, savory spices, juicy inside.

---

Ingredients

Chicken

• Chicken pieces (drumsticks, thighs, or tenders)

Wet coating

• 1 cup buttermilk (or milk + 1 tsp lemon juice)

• 1 egg

Dry coating

• 1½ cups flour

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp black pepper

• 1 tsp paprika

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp onion powder

• ½ tsp dried oregano

• ½ tsp dried thyme

• ½ tsp baking powder (helps crispiness)

Other

• Cooking spray or oil spray

---

Instructions

1. Marinate chicken

   • Mix buttermilk and egg.

   • Add chicken and coat well.

   • Let sit 30 minutes (longer = more flavor, but optional).

2. Mix dry coating

   • Combine flour, spices, and baking powder in a bowl.

3. Coat chicken

   • Remove chicken from marinade, let excess drip off.

   • Dredge in flour mixture, pressing firmly for a thick coating.

4. Preheat air fryer

   • Set to 375°F (190°C).

5. Air fry

   • Spray basket with oil.

   • Place chicken in a single layer.

   • Spray tops lightly with oil.

   • Cook 14–18 minutes, flipping halfway.

   • Internal temp should reach 165°F (74°C).

6. Extra crisp (optional)

   • Increase to 400°F (205°C) for the last 2–3 minutes.

---

Tips for Best “KFC” Crunch

• Don’t overcrowd the basket.

• Press the flour coating on hard—this makes craggy, crispy bits.

• Oil spray is key; dry flour won’t crisp well without it.

---

Serve With

• Mashed potatoes

• Coleslaw

• Biscuits

• Corn 🌽

If you want, I can adjust this for chicken tenders, boneless thighs, or make it extra spicy.