If you are bored of the standard oily deep-fried chicken and crave something healthier for National Fried Chicken Day (July 6), today’s air fryer buttermilk fried chicken recipe will become a fast favorite.
Coming with a beautifully crispy coating and tender meat, this air fryer buttermilk chicken ticks every box for flawless pieces of fried chicken. Plus, this finger-licking fried dish is relatively healthy.
Is This Air Fryer Buttermilk Fried Chicken Healthy?
Yes, this air-fried buttermilk chicken is healthy. Our recipe is carefully formulated to ensure its nutritional content complies with the USDA’s Dietary Guidelines.
- Calories: Each serving with two thighs and a dipping sauce provides about 484 calories. Serve it with a green salad and juice, and you have a wholesome and fulfilling 750-calorie meal.
- Saturated Fat: We only use one tablespoon of olive oil to cook the chicken so that the dish ends up having a relatively low amount of saturated fat, 5 grams. Minimum saturated fat intake is recommended since consuming less helps support your heart health and decrease the risk of some diseases such as inflammation or obesity.
- Sodium: Fried chicken shouldn’t be boring or bland, so we use a variety of seasonings, including a ¼ teaspoon of salt. This amount is enough to liven up the flavor of the meat while keeping the sodium within the recommended amount.
If you happen to be looking for more healthy air fryer dishes, check out our air fryer chicken legs recipe and air fryer chicken wings recipe. Serve the dish with some roasted vegetables or a salad and juice to help you meet your daily fiber and micronutrient requirements.
Ingredients You Will Need
- Chicken: You can use your favorite cut of chicken, from wings to thighs. A tip is to keep the bones in and skin on as this will result in a more crispy and juicy fried chicken. And if you go for breast, dice it in half to get the proper thickness to cook.
- Buttermilk: The acidity in buttermilk breaks down the protein, making the meat tender and juicy when baked. If you run out of buttermilk, scroll down for a 5-minute DIY buttermilk recipe.
- All-purpose Flour and Cornstarch: The chicken is coated with a blend of flour and cornstarch to ensure a crispy exterior. This coating creates a seal to help keep the moisture inside the meat, as well as turning out golden brown exterior perfection under heat.
- Buffalo Sauce: Besides adding color to the chicken, this sauce gives an extra kick of spiciness. Of course, this is optional but we highly recommend it for maximum flavor.
- Seasoning and Spices: We season both the chicken and the coating so that they can bring the flavor in each bite. This creates a fantastic tasting experience just like your favorite restaurant fried chicken.
Can I Use Frozen Chicken?
Yes, you can use frozen chicken for this air fryer buttermilk fried chicken recipe. However, the frozen chicken will not be able to bread and hold the coating well like its fresh counterpart.
If cooking from frozen, we recommend allowing your chicken to sit for 3 – 4 minutes before coating them.
Substitute for Buttermilk in This Fried Chicken
Buttermilk is the secret in the coating mixture for a perfect fried chicken. The acidity tenderizes the meat while its thicker liquid texture helps the flour coating stick to the chicken.
Creamy and tangy, it is an ingredient you don’t want to omit from this recipe. But if you don’t have any buttermilk on hand, there are a few substitutions you can make from ingredients you will most likely have available:
- 1 cup of milk and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
- 1 cup of milk and 1 tablespoon of vinegar
- 1 cup of yogurt and ⅛ cup of milk
Just mix each together and let it sit for 5 minutes. And there you have it, homemade buttermilk in the blink of an eye. We actually did use the blend of milk and lemon juice in this recipe, and it was a huge success.
Tips for Making Perfect Dish
The first secret for a restaurant-quality fried chicken starts with marinating with buttermilk. The buttermilk’s acidity and enzymes break down the protein in meat, making it extra tender.
The second is seasoning your batter. Many people skip this step and simply dredge their chicken in plain flour, so the chicken just ends up tasting bland.
Instead, try to add in a teaspoon of cayenne or chili powder. It provides a bit of spiciness, giving your taste buds a good kick. You can also use onion and garlic powder.
And lastly, cook the chicken at the right temperature. If the heat is too high, it will make a dark exterior while the inside is left raw.
If the heat is too low, it can take a long time to cook the chicken, and the meat will turn out dense, dry and oily. The ideal temperature for a crispy-and-cooked-through chicken is about 350℉ – 360℉.
If this dish strikes your fancy, we think this Air Fryer Chicken Recipes will also suit your likings. If you like air fryer in general, our Air Fryer Dinner Recipes have lots of ideas.
What to Serve with
When it comes to buttermilk fried chicken, the side options are infinite, from mac and cheese to baked potatoes. We served the dish with classic coleslaw and a fresh juice; a simple combination but excellent enough to impress a guest.
1. Coleslaw
The mayonnaise-based dressing adds creamy flavor to the colorful package of crunchy cabbage, corn, and carrot. Coleslaw can be served as a tasty side dish or a meatless appetizer.
2. Watermelon Cucumber Juice
A bright and light juice like watermelon cucumber juice will help balance the heartier meat and refresh your taste buds for the next bite. Additionally, it is a nice boost of vitamins and minerals.
Other Tasty Dishes You Can Make With Your Air Fryer
These 35-minute Air Fryer Chicken Enchiladas are a quick, hearty meal that even the kids will enjoy. It comes together more quickly than a traditional enchiladas.
Our Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Chicken recipe transforms regular chicken breasts into a savory and smoky treat perfect for entertaining. In just 20 minutes, you'll have tender chicken breasts wrapped in chewy bacon and served with roasted vegetables.
Air Fryer Buttermilk Fried Chicken Recipe
If you love tender chicken covered with a crispy coating, you will love our air fryer buttermilk fried chicken recipe.
- cook TIME 40 mins
- prep TIME 10 mins
- total TIME 50 mins
- COURSE Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
- CUISINE Global
- SERVINGS servings
- CALORIES 484 kcal
INGREDIENTS
- 36 oz bone-in chicken drumsticks
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (divided into 3/4 cup and 1/4 cup)
- 1 tsp paprika (divided)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil (divided into 1 tbsp and 1/2 tbsp)
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/2 tbsp tabasco
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp ground pepper
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1 tbsp homemade buffalo sauce
- 2 tsp traditional Dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise
- 1 tsp dill
- 2 tbsp plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp parsley
INSTRUCTIONS
Prep the coating batter: pour 3/4 cup milk and 1 tbsp lemon juice into a small bowl, use a wooden spoon to whisk the mixture until it thickens and becomes buttermilk. Add 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 2 tbsp cornstarch, 1 large egg yolk, and 1/2 tbsp tabasco, and whisk until well combined.
Rub 36 oz chicken drumsticks with 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp ground pepper, 1/2 tsp oregano, 1 tbsp buffalo sauce, 2 tsp Dijon mustard, and 1/4 tsp salt. Marinate for 5 minutes.
Dredge the chicken in the remaining 1/4 cup all-purpose flour and then the coating batter. Shake off any excess before dredging them in the flour again. Ensure both sides of the chicken are fully coated and transfer them to a plate.
Place a parchment round in the bottom of the air fryer. Then set a single layer of chicken on it with space in between the pieces (about 2 servings for a batch). Spray about 1 tbsp of olive oil on the chicken. Air fry at 350℉ for 20 minutes. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
Make the sauce: Whisk together 1/2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp Kewpie mayonnaise, 1 tsp dill, and 2 tbsp Greek yogurt.
Transfer the chicken to the plate. Garnish with 2 tbsp parsley. Serve the chicken hot with sauce for dipping.
NUTRITION
Tuyet Pham
Head Chef, Culinary Consultant
Luna Regina
Writer, Author
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD
Nutrition Reviewer
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