Air fried chicken? Is it sorcery? No, frying chicken with air is not magic. Air frying is a new way to enjoy some of your favorite fried foods without the guilt, excess oil, and fat. This is accomplished through a new kitchen appliance called an air fryer. Keep reading to find out how you can make succulent air fried chicken.
Why Is Air Frying Healthier?
An air fryer cooks food by circulating hot air around the food, producing a crispy exterior. With air frying, you're still using oil but 70 to 80% less oil than deep frying. When frying with air you would only have to use about a tablespoon of oil, versus regular frying which calls for about 1-4 quarts of oil. Air fried foods are considered healthier because it contains less fat and calories than deep-fried foods.
Air Fried Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1lbs chicken drumsticks
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 breadcrumbs
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
- 1/4 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoon melted butter
Directions
- Start by placing chicken in a plastic bag. Then, pour buttermilk into the bag. Squeeze out the air and seal bag. Place in the refrigerator and let marinate for 30 minutes.
- In the meantime, combine breadcrumbs, flour, baking soda and seasonings in a large bowl.
- Preheat your fryer to 390 degrees.
- Remove chicken from the buttermilk and place in the flour mixture, ensuring to coat it evenly on both sides. Repeat this process for the remaining drumsticks.
- Place chicken in the air fryer basket for 10 minutes.
- Next, pause the air fryer and brush on melted butter on both sides of the drumsticks.
- Lower the temperature to 300 degrees and fry for another 10 minutes.
- To ensure that the chicken is done, use a food thermometer. The internal temperature of the chicken should be 165 degrees.
- Remove the drumsticks from the fryer and let cool for 5 minutes.
- Feel free to add a dollop of classic Tabasco or pair it with a parmesan dipping sauce or homemade honey mustard sauce.
Tips for Air Frying
Add water.
When cooking fatty foods like bacon and sausages, add water to the tray of the air fryer. Doing this will prevent the oil from getting too hot and smoking.
Don't overcrowd the basket.
Putting too much food in the basket will prevent it from crisping and browning. Most importantly, it would take longer to cook.
Shake It.
No, not your tailfeather. While cooking with an air fryer, give the basket a good shake at least once. This will allow the hot air to circulate and reach every inch of the food.