Air-Fried Southern Chicken: Golden, Crispy, And Delicious

If you're craving some Southern-style fried chicken but don't want to deal with the mess of deep frying, then an air fryer is your best friend! You can still get that crispy, golden, crunchy texture without all the oil and fuss. The key to getting that perfect fried chicken texture and flavour is to brine or marinate your chicken in buttermilk, hot sauce, and spices, before coating it in a well-seasoned flour mixture and air frying to perfection.

How to get the right texture

The key to achieving the right texture for your Southern fried chicken in an air fryer is to get a crispy exterior and a juicy interior. Here are some tips to help you achieve that:

Brining and Marinating

Before coating your chicken with the dry dredge, it is important to brine or marinate it first. This not only adds flavour but also helps to lock in moisture, ensuring your chicken is juicy. A combination of buttermilk, pickle juice, hot sauce, and honey is a great base for your brine or marinade. The lactic acid in the buttermilk is gentler on the meat than other acids, so you can leave the chicken in this mixture for up to 24 hours.

Drying

After removing the chicken from the brine or marinade, it is important to pat it dry. This step helps to ensure a crispy exterior. If there is too much moisture, your chicken may turn out soggy.

The Dry Dredge

The dry dredge is a mixture of flours and seasonings that will give your chicken a crunchy coating. A combination of wheat flour and rice flour will help to improve the crispness and texture of the final coating. Wheat flour contains gluten-forming proteins, which can make the coating tough, so adding rice flour will reduce the amount of these proteins while still providing starch to absorb moisture. Adding a small amount of brine to the dry dredge will create little lumps, leading to a craggy fried chicken exterior. Don't forget to season your dry dredge generously with salt and spices like onion powder, granulated garlic, and smoked paprika for a robust flavour.

Oil

While you need much less oil when using an air fryer, it is still necessary for achieving a crispy texture. First, add oil to the air fryer basket. Then, use cooking spray to coat the chicken all over before frying. Be generous with the oil spray, ensuring that you cover all areas of the chicken. This will create a micro-layer of oil for the chicken to "fry" in.

Cooking Temperature

Cooking your chicken at the right temperature is crucial. Air fry at 350°F to 390°F (some sources recommend 380°F as the "Goldilocks" spot) until the chicken is golden brown and crispy. Cooking at a lower temperature will result in soggy chicken, while a higher temperature may cause it to overbrown and burn before the meat is cooked through.

Don't Overcrowd

When placing your chicken in the air fryer, make sure there is space between each piece. The hot air needs to be able to circulate around the chicken to crisp it up evenly. If you have a lot of chicken, cook it in batches.

Reheating

If you have any leftovers, it is best to reheat them in the air fryer or a preheated oven. Do not use a microwave, as this will make the chicken soggy.

The best cuts of chicken to use

When making Southern fried chicken in an air fryer, the best cuts of chicken to use are bone-in and skin-on chicken pieces. This includes chicken thighs, drumsticks, and breasts. Using bone-in and skin-on chicken results in more flavorful and juicier meat.

If you prefer, you can also use skinless chicken, but the breading may not stick as well and it may not be as crispy. Additionally, boneless chicken is not recommended as it will not crisp up properly.

For those who like chicken strips, you can cut the chicken breasts into strips and cook them in the air fryer. However, be careful not to overcook them as they cook faster than bone-in pieces and can dry out.

The importance of buttermilk

Buttermilk is an essential ingredient in achieving the distinctive flavour and texture of Southern fried chicken. It is used in two key stages of the cooking process: as a brine or marinade, and as a liquid in the dredge or batter.

Brining and Marinating

Brining the chicken in buttermilk is a crucial step in infusing the meat with flavour and ensuring it remains moist and tender during cooking. The buttermilk acts as a tenderiser, breaking down muscle fibres and increasing the meat's ability to retain moisture. This process, known as brining, results in chicken that is ultra-juicy and flavourful. The lactic acid in buttermilk is particularly effective at gently tenderising the meat without turning it mushy, even when marinated for extended periods.

Additionally, the buttermilk brine can be seasoned with various spices, herbs, and other ingredients like hot sauce, honey, mustard, and garlic powder, further enhancing the flavour of the chicken.

Creating a Craggy Crust

Buttermilk also plays a vital role in achieving the desired craggy, extra-crispy crust that characterises Southern fried chicken. By adding a small amount of buttermilk to the dry flour dredge, you create little lumps that, when fried, result in a delightfully crunchy exterior with lots of nooks and crannies. This technique ensures that the fried chicken has a unique texture and a "cosmic oneness" between the breading and the skin.

Furthermore, a buttermilk and egg mixture can be used as a wet batter to coat the chicken before dredging in the flour mixture. This double-dipping process adds extra thickness and structure to the crust, enhancing its crunchiness.

In summary, buttermilk is indispensable in preparing Southern fried chicken. It is the key to achieving both the signature juicy texture and the crispy, flavourful crust that have made this dish a beloved classic.

How to season your chicken

The key to achieving that authentic Southern fried chicken flavour is to brine the chicken in a combination of buttermilk, pickle juice, and seasonings. This will ensure the meat is juicy, tender, and seasoned throughout. For the brine, you'll need buttermilk, eggs, pickle brine, hot sauce, honey, and salt. Soak the chicken in this mixture for at least 4 hours, or up to 12 hours for maximum flavour.

After brining, it's important to pat the chicken dry before moving on to the dredging step. This will help you achieve that coveted crispy crunchy exterior in the air fryer.

Now, let's talk about the dry dredge. This is a mixture of flour, seasonings, and a leavening agent like baking powder. The flour can be a combination of wheat flour and rice flour, or you can use all-purpose flour. Rice flour helps improve the crispness and texture of the coating by reducing the amount of gluten-forming proteins. For the seasonings, you'll want to be generous with the salt, and also include onion powder, granulated garlic, and smoked paprika. These spices will give your chicken a robust Southern flavour. The leavening agent, such as baking powder, will help create an extra-crispy coating.

Mix the dry dredge ingredients together in a large bowl, and then generously coat each piece of chicken with this mixture. Make sure to press the chicken into the dredge to ensure an even and complete coating. You can also add a small amount of brine to the dry coating to create little lumps, resulting in a craggy fried chicken exterior.

After dredging, give the chicken a light coating of cooking spray or olive oil spray. This step is crucial for achieving an evenly browned and crispy exterior. Make sure to get into all the nooks and crannies, and don't be shy with the oil spray!

How to store and reheat your chicken

Storing your fried chicken in an airtight container in the fridge will ensure it stays fresh for up to four days. Try not to stack the chicken, as this can cause the coating to come off.

When it comes to reheating your chicken, the oven is the best option to keep it crispy. Preheat your oven to 400°F and let the chicken sit at room temperature for 10 to 30 minutes. Place the chicken on a wire rack on a baking sheet and cook for 12 to 20 minutes.

If you want to reheat your chicken in an air fryer, let it come to room temperature first, then cook at 370°F for about 7 minutes.

You can also reheat your chicken in the microwave, but this will make it soggy. If you choose this method, heat the chicken in short bursts of 20 to 40 seconds, turning it over after each burst.

Finally, you can reheat your chicken on the stove by frying it again in a skillet. This will make the breading more oily, but it will also make the chicken crispy. Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a cast-iron skillet to 300°F and cook the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes on each side.

Frequently asked questions