Air Fryer Chicken - Southern Fried Style!

Introducing THE juiciest chicken you’ll make in your air fryer.  Wrap it in a flatbread. Plate it up with fries. Or dribble it with hot sauce. Just put it in your mouth, stat.

This recipe is on loan from BBQ expert @robbishfood, who shared the secret to tender, flavoured air fryer chicken. “Mix your spice through the buttermilk and marinade the chicken ideally for 24 hours; because it’s buttermilk it does actually tenderize the chicken, as it’s acidic. But do it last minute if you have to- it’s all good.”

We used Southern Fried Chicken seasoning from M&S, but you can use any spice blend (Prymat chicken seasoning is another test kitchen favourite!).

Choosing chicken cuts

Wondering which chicken fillets to buy?  Chicken breast is the most expensive type of cut, and cooks quickly in the air fryer. It can dry out, but the buttermilk marinade prevents it! Chicken thighs and wings are cheaper and will take a bit longer, but can be juicier – especially if they still have the bone in.

We asked @Robbishfood for advice about prepping the chicken pieces. “I did wings, but thighs are better in terms of getting more meat!  If using wings, chop off the wing tips and halve the wing to maximise space. If using thighs, I’d trim off excess skin.”

The secret to making tender air fryer chicken

How does it work?  Buttermilk contains lactic acid. Leave your meat sitting in the buttermilk for 3-24 hours and the acid breaks down the connective fibres in the meat, preventing it from shrinking and toughening when cooked.

Buttermilk is also a great vehicle for adding flavour to your chicken: if you stir in plenty of seasoning, it will permeate the meat while it marinates.

No buttermilk? It’s not always easy to find. You can make a simple substitute, which also works well in this recipe: blend a cup of milk with 1 tbsp natural yoghurt and the juice of half a lemon. Leave it to sit and then whisk together before adding seasoning and chicken pieces.

Air Fryer Buttermilk Chicken

Serves 2

300ml buttermilk
(or 250ml milk with 1tbsp yoghurt and juice of half a lemon)
500g chicken breast fillets (if using wings or thighs, see note below*)
3 tbsp seasoning blend (we used M&S Southern Fried Seasoning).
200g plain flour
Salt (if needed)
Olive oil spray

1 – Blend your buttermilk with 2 tbsp seasoning mix in a large bowl, adding 1-2 tsp salt if there isn’t any in your spice mix.  

2 – Cut each chicken breast into 4 pieces and add to the marinade. Leave for 3 hours or overnight.

3 – In a bowl, mix the flour with 1 tbsp of the seasoning mix. Lift the chicken pieces out of the marinade and coat in flour; if you have enough marinade left at the end, coat them all in buttermilk and then flour again.

3 – Place the crisper rack into the glass drawer of your Clear Mini.  

4 – Arrange the chicken pieces on the rack in a single layer and spray lightly with olive oil. (You will need to cook in batches.)

5 – Cook at 200°C for 11-15 minutes (or wings for 15-20 mins and thighs for 20-25 mins). Check for doneness: the juices should run clear, and a meat thermometer should register 74°C for at least two minutes.

*COOKING DIFFERENT CUTS: “I cooked the wings at 20 mins at 180°C, just keep an eye on them for the last few mins – you want to make sure they have a nicely browned batter (also check internal temp). Thighs would need longer – about 25 mins and check temp.”

HEY, CHICKEN

Been cooking up a storm?  Share your beautiful buttermilk chicken pictures with our community @KelenandWillian – and find your next delicious dinner idea there, too!

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