Gluten-Free Fried Chicken: Air Fryer Magic

If you're looking for a healthier alternative to deep-fried chicken, then air-fried chicken is the answer. Using an air fryer to make fried chicken is not only healthier, but it's also quicker and easier to clean up. You can make gluten-free fried chicken in an air fryer by coating chicken pieces in a gluten-free flour mix and cooking them in the air fryer for around 20 minutes. The result is a crispy, crunchy, and tender fried chicken that's hard to tell apart from its deep-fried counterpart.

How to make gluten-free fried chicken in an air fryer without flour

Ingredients

You will need:

• Chicken, bone-in, skin-on (drumsticks, thighs, wings, or breasts)
• Buttermilk (or a dairy-free alternative)
• Cornstarch or cornflour (ensure the brand is gluten-free)
• Gluten-free plain flour (if desired)
• Olive oil or avocado oil spray
• Salt and pepper
• Other seasonings of your choice (e.g. paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, etc.)

Method

• Prepare your chicken by patting it dry with paper towels. If desired, you can also soak the chicken in buttermilk while you prepare the other ingredients. This can be done overnight for extra tender chicken.
• In a small bowl, combine your chosen seasonings with cornstarch or cornflour, and gluten-free flour (if using). Mix well.
• Dip each piece of chicken into the seasoning mixture, ensuring it is thoroughly coated.
• Preheat your air fryer to 380-390°F.
• Lightly spray the air fryer basket with oil. Place the chicken in a single layer, ensuring the pieces are not touching.
• Spray the tops of the chicken with oil.
• Cook the chicken for 10 minutes, then flip and spray with oil again.
• Cook for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. The internal temperature should reach 165°F to ensure it is safe to eat.
• Serve and enjoy!

Tips:

• If you want a crispier coating, you can double-coat the chicken by dipping it into the seasoning mixture a second time.
• You can also try brushing the chicken with melted butter before cooking for extra flavour and crispness.
• Always ensure your work area and utensils are free from gluten to avoid cross-contamination.

How to make gluten-free fried chicken in an air fryer with buttermilk

Ingredients:

• Chicken (bone-in, skin-on)
• Buttermilk (or a dairy-free alternative)
• Gluten-free plain flour
• Cornflour or potato starch
• Oil in a spray bottle
• Salt and pepper
• Other herbs and spices (e.g. smoked paprika, garlic powder, thyme)

Method:

• Place your chicken in a large bowl and pour buttermilk over it, ensuring the chicken is well-coated. Leave to sit for as long as possible (up to 12 hours in the fridge, but a minimum of 15 minutes).
• In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, starch, herbs, and spices.
• Preheat your air fryer to 190-200°C.
• Add a couple of tablespoons of buttermilk to the coating and mix (it will look clumpy).
• Take each piece of chicken out of the buttermilk, cover it in the coating, and compact the coating against the chicken.
• Place the chicken pieces into the air fryer basket, ensuring they don't touch. Spray generously with oil and set the timer for 25 minutes.
• After 15 minutes, turn the chicken over, spray any uncoated areas, and cook for a further 10 minutes.
• Check that the chicken is golden, crispy, and cooked through (a cooking thermometer should read 74-75°C).
• Repeat with any remaining chicken.

Tips:

• If you don't have buttermilk, you can make your own by adding lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to dairy/dairy-free milk.
• You can also make this recipe vegan by replacing the chicken with king oyster mushrooms.

How to make gluten-free fried chicken in an air fryer with breadcrumbs

Ingredients

• Chicken (bone-in, skin-on)
• Buttermilk (or a dairy-free alternative)
• Gluten-free plain flour
• Cornflour or potato starch
• Oil in a spray bottle
• Breadcrumbs

Method

• Place your chicken in a large bowl and pour over the buttermilk, ensuring the chicken is well coated. Leave to sit for as long as possible (up to 12 hours in the fridge, but a minimum of 15 minutes).
• In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, starch, herbs, and spices.
• Turn on your air fryer to preheat (around 190-200°C).
• Add a couple of tablespoons of buttermilk to the coating and mix through.
• Take each piece of chicken, one at a time, out of the buttermilk and cover in the coating. Use your hands to compact the coating against the chicken.
• Transfer the coated chicken to a plate and wait for the air fryer to finish preheating.
• Place the chicken into the air fryer basket, ensuring the pieces are not touching. Generously spray the chicken with oil.
• Set the timer for 25 minutes and close the lid.
• After about 15 minutes, check on your chicken and turn it over. Spray any uncoloured parts with a little more oil.
• Close the lid and allow to cook for a further 10 minutes.
• Check that the chicken is golden, crispy, and cooked through (you can use a cooking thermometer to check the internal temperature).
• Repeat with any remaining chicken.

Tips

• You can make this recipe dairy-free by replacing the buttermilk with a dairy-free alternative.
• You can also make this recipe vegan by using large chunks of king oyster mushroom instead of chicken.
• If you don't have an air fryer, you can shallow fry the chicken in a frying pan and then finish in the oven.

How to make gluten-free fried chicken in an air fryer with cornmeal

Ingredients:

• Chicken (bone-in, skin-on)
• Buttermilk (or a dairy-free alternative)
• Gluten-free plain flour
• Cornflour/cornstarch or potato starch
• Oil in a spray bottle
• Cornmeal
• Lemon zest
• Thyme
• Garlic powder
• Smoked paprika
• Black pepper
• Egg

Method:

• Place your chicken in a large bowl and pour over the buttermilk, ensuring the chicken is well coated. Leave to sit for as long as possible (up to 12 hours in the fridge).
• In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, starch, herbs, and spices.
• Preheat your air fryer to 190C/390F.
• Add a couple of tablespoons of buttermilk to the coating and mix through.
• Take each piece of chicken out of the buttermilk and cover in the coating. Use your hands to compact the coating against the chicken.
• Place the chicken in the air fryer basket, ensuring the pieces are not touching. Spray the chicken generously with oil.
• Set the timer for 25 minutes. After about 15 minutes, check the chicken and turn it over. Spray any light-coloured bits with more oil.
• Your chicken is ready when it is golden, crispy, and cooked through (internal temperature of 74-75C).

Tips:

• You can use boneless chicken, but bone-in will be quicker to cook.
• If you don't have an air fryer, you can shallow fry the chicken in a pan and then finish it in the oven.
• You can also deep fry this chicken if you prefer.

How to make gluten-free fried chicken in an air fryer with almond flour

Ingredients

• Chicken (bone-in, skin-on, or boneless)
• Buttermilk (or a dairy-free alternative)
• Gluten-free plain flour
• Cornflour/potato starch
• Oil in a spray bottle
• Arrowroot flour
• Almond flour
• Eggs
• Avocado oil spray
• Spices (salt, celery seed, black pepper, thyme, garlic powder, etc.)

Method

• Prepare your dredging station with three shallow bowls.
• Place arrowroot flour in the first bowl.
• Whisk eggs in the second bowl.
• Combine almond flour and spices in the third bowl.
• Dredge chicken pieces in arrowroot, then eggs, and finally in the almond flour mixture.
• Preheat your air fryer to 390ºF.
• Spray the air fryer basket with avocado oil.
• Place the chicken pieces in the basket, spraying them with oil as well.
• Cook at 390ºF for 12 minutes, then flip and spray with oil again.
• Cook for an additional 8-10 minutes, until the chicken is golden and crispy.
• Check the internal temperature of the chicken to ensure it has reached at least 165ºF.
• Serve and enjoy!

Tips

• You can also add other spices like cayenne, coconut sugar, and paprika to make hot fried chicken.
• If using boneless chicken, pound it to a uniform thickness before coating.
• You can substitute buttermilk with a dairy-free alternative or pickle juice.
• Make sure to spray the air fryer generously with oil to prevent sticking.
• An instant-read thermometer is helpful to check the internal temperature of the chicken.

Frequently asked questions