Tillie Doyle
Air fryers are a great way to cook fried chicken without the mess of deep frying. The chicken will be crispy and juicy without the excess oil. To cook non-battered chicken in an air fryer, you should first preheat the air fryer and prepare the chicken by coating it in a mixture of flour, cornstarch, and spices. Then, place the chicken in the air fryer basket in a single layer and spray with cooking oil. Cook the chicken at a high temperature for 15-20 minutes, flipping it halfway through, until it is crispy and golden.
Characteristics and Values Table for Cooking Non-Battered Chicken in an Air Fryer
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Preheat Air Fryer | 300°F to 400°F |
| Chicken Type | Bone-in, Skin-on, Chicken Breasts, Thighs, Drumsticks |
| Marinade | Buttermilk, Salt, Pepper, Smoked Paprika, Garlic Powder |
| Breading | Flour, Cornstarch, Baking Powder, Salt, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder |
| Oil | Cooking Spray, Olive Oil, Canola Oil, Vegetable Oil |
| Cooking Time | 15-25 minutes at 300°F, then 3-20 minutes at 400°F |
| Internal Temperature | 165°F |
| Storage | Airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days |
| Reheating | Air fryer or preheated oven, not a microwave |
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What You'll Learn
Preheat the air fryer
Preheating your air fryer is an important step in the cooking process. While not all recipes require preheating, it is a must for crispy fried chicken that is cooked evenly throughout. The ideal temperature to preheat your air fryer to depends on the type of chicken you are cooking and your desired level of crispiness.
For example, if you are cooking chicken breasts, you should preheat your air fryer to 300°F. This temperature will ensure that the chicken is cooked through without burning the outside. If you are cooking chicken legs or thighs, a higher temperature of 360°F is recommended to achieve a crispy, golden brown exterior.
When preheating your air fryer, it is important to prepare the basket properly to prevent the chicken from sticking. First, brush the bottom of the basket with a non-aerosol oil spray or a non-stick cooking spray. This will create a barrier between the chicken and the basket, ensuring that the chicken doesn't stick and making cleanup easier.
After preheating, you can place the chicken in the basket, leaving space between each piece to allow for proper air circulation. This will ensure that the chicken cooks evenly and crisps up on all sides. Depending on the size and type of chicken, you may need to cook it in batches to avoid overcrowding the air fryer.
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Marinate the chicken
Marinating the chicken is an important step in the cooking process. It ensures that the meat is tender and flavourful, and helps the exterior become crispy. The first step is to create a marinade. One option is to use buttermilk, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic powder. You can also add eggs, salt, and pepper to the buttermilk. Alternatively, you can use a simple brine solution.
Once you have prepared your marinade, place the chicken in a large bowl and pour the marinade over it, ensuring that all pieces are well coated. Leave the chicken to sit for at least 10 minutes to allow the marinade to thicken and for the meat to absorb the flavours. If you are using buttermilk, hold each piece of chicken over the bowl after removing it, to allow any excess to drip off. You want enough moisture for the breading to stick, but not so much that the dry ingredients can't absorb it.
After marinating, you can move on to coating the chicken. First, remove the chicken from the marinade, shaking off any excess. Then, dredge the chicken in a flour mixture, ensuring that both sides are well coated. You can use plain flour, or a mixture including spices such as garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and salt and pepper. For a thicker layer of breading, you can dunk the chicken back into the marinade and then into the flour mixture again.
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Coat the chicken
To coat the chicken, you can use a flour batter or breading. For a flour batter, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and seasonings like paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. You can also add in cayenne pepper for a spicy kick. For a thicker batter, add eggs to the mixture. Dunk the chicken pieces in the batter, shaking off any excess, and then place them in the flour mixture, ensuring both sides are well-coated.
If you prefer a breaded chicken, soak the chicken in buttermilk first. This gives the chicken a classic fried chicken tenderness and helps the exterior get crispy. After soaking, remove the chicken from the buttermilk, allowing any excess to drip off. Then, dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, ensuring an even and thorough coating. For a thicker breading, you can double-dip the chicken in the buttermilk and flour mixtures.
It is important to note that a very thick breading may not cook evenly in the air fryer, resulting in floury spots. Therefore, a single dip in the flour mixture is recommended.
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Cook the chicken
To cook non-battered chicken in an air fryer, you can follow these steps:
Firstly, preheat your air fryer to 300°F. You can use any type of chicken, but bone-in and skin-on chicken is recommended for the most flavourful and juicy meat. Cut the chicken into evenly sized pieces so that they cook evenly. If you are using breasts, they may need slightly longer to cook than other cuts.
Next, prepare your chicken. You can marinate the chicken in buttermilk, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic powder for at least 10 minutes to add flavour and help the chicken tenderise and crisp up. You can also add the chicken to a flour mixture, ensuring both sides are well coated. The flour mixture can include flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, onion powder, and garlic powder. For a thicker layer of breading, you can dunk the chicken in the buttermilk again and dredge it in the flour mixture once more.
Now you are ready to cook the chicken. Spray the air fryer basket with oil to prevent the chicken from sticking. Place the chicken in the basket in a single layer, ensuring the pieces do not overlap so that the heat can properly circulate. Spray the top of the chicken with oil.
Your chicken is now ready to be served!
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Store and reheat
Storing and reheating your non-battered chicken is an important part of food safety and maintaining the taste and texture of your cooked chicken. Here is a detailed guide to help you do it right:
Storing:
Firstly, allow your cooked chicken to cool down to room temperature before storing it. This helps prevent bacterial growth and ensures your chicken stays fresh for longer. Place the chicken in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. Properly stored, cooked chicken can be safely consumed up to 5 days after cooking when stored in the fridge.
Reheating:
The air fryer is an excellent appliance for reheating your non-battered chicken and keeping it juicy and crispy. Here are the steps to follow:
- Preheat your air fryer: Set the temperature to between 360°F and 375°F (180°C to 190°C). Preheating is important to ensure even heating and to maintain the chicken's crispy texture.
- Prepare the chicken: Take your leftover chicken out of the refrigerator and separate the pieces to ensure even heating. You can also add more seasoning or spices at this stage for extra flavor.
- Optional: Use cooking spray or a light coating of oil — This step is optional but can help enhance the crispiness of your chicken. A light coating of oil or cooking spray will help restore the chicken's crispy texture.
- Place the chicken in the air fryer basket: Arrange the chicken pieces in a single layer, leaving some space between each piece to allow for proper air circulation. Avoid overcrowding the basket, as this will compromise the even heating and crispiness of your chicken.
- Reheat the chicken: Place the basket in the air fryer and reheat for 3-6 minutes. The exact time will depend on the size and number of pieces, so keep an eye on your chicken to prevent overcooking. For thicker or larger pieces, consider flipping or shaking the basket halfway through to ensure even heating.
- Check the internal temperature: To ensure food safety, always use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature of the chicken has reached 165°F (74°C). This will kill any harmful bacteria and ensure your chicken is safe to consume.
- Serve and enjoy: Your non-battered chicken is now ready to be served! Enjoy it as is or with your favorite sides and dipping sauces.
Remember, it is best to only reheat as much chicken as you will finish in one sitting. Reheating chicken multiple times can increase the risk of contamination and compromise the taste and texture.
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Frequently asked questions
First, preheat your air fryer to 300°F. Then, mix flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, onion powder, and garlic powder in a large bowl. Remove one piece of chicken from the brine, shake off the excess, and dredge it in the flour mixture. Set it aside and repeat with the remaining pieces of chicken. Spray cooking oil in your air fryer basket until it is completely covered. Place the chicken in the basket in a single layer, making sure no pieces overlap. Spray the top of the chicken with cooking oil until thoroughly covered. Cook for 20 minutes at 300°F. Carefully flip the chicken pieces so as not to destroy the crust. Spray the top surface of the chicken again with cooking oil until thoroughly covered. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes at 400°F, or until the chicken skin is crispy and golden and the internal temperature is 165°F.
To get crispy chicken in an air fryer, make sure to cook it at high heat and arrange it in a single layer without overlapping so that the heat circulates properly around each piece of chicken. Always check the chicken with a meat thermometer to ensure it's done. The internal temperature should be 165°F.
It takes about 20-30 minutes to cook chicken in an air fryer. However, cooking time may vary depending on the size and type of chicken being cooked. For example, chicken strips will cook faster than bone-in pieces.
Vegetable oil, canola oil, or olive oil are all suitable for cooking chicken in an air fryer. It is recommended to use an oil spray or cooking spray to coat the chicken and the air fryer basket.
Leftover air-fried chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. To freeze, put the cooked chicken in a ziplock bag and freeze for up to 6 months. Reheat the chicken in the air fryer or a preheated oven to maintain crispiness; avoid using a microwave, as it will make the chicken soggy.
