Air Fryer Crispy (Un)fried Chicken

Want the taste of fried chicken without the extra saturated fat and calories? Try this super-easy, super-scrumptious unfried version — tender and juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside. It's a classic American favorite from the South.

Ingredients

Servings  4  

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley OR 2 teaspoons dried parsley, crumbled
• 1/2 teaspoon ground oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional) OR 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1/2 to 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1/2 tablespoon red hot-pepper sauce, or to taste (optional)
• 1/3 cup finely crushed whole-grain crispbread or whole-grain crackers (lowest sodium available) or whole-wheat panko (Japanese-style bread crumbs)
• 1/3 cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4 ounces each), all visible fat discarded, flattened to 1/4-inch thickness, patted dry with paper towels
• Cooking spray

Directions

1. Preheat the air fryer to 390˚F.
2. In a shallow dish or pie pan, whisk together the flour, parsley, oregano, pepper and cayenne.
3. In a separate shallow dish or pie pan, whisk together the buttermilk and hot sauce. In a third shallow dish or pie pan, stir together the crispbread crumbs and Parmesan. Set the dishes and a large plate in a row, assembly-line fashion. Dip the chicken in the flour mixture, then in the buttermilk mixture and finally in the crumb mixture, turning to coat at each step and gently shaking off any excess. Using your fingertips gently press the crumb mixture so it adheres to the chicken. Place the chicken on the plate. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 4 hours.
4. Lightly spray the chicken with cooking spray. Arrange the chicken in a single layer in the air fryer basket. (Don’t overcrowd; work in batches as needed.) Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center and the top coating is golden brown, turning once halfway through and lightly spraying with the cooking spray.

Tip: No buttermilk on hand? No worries. Whisk together 1 cup fat-free or low-fat milk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Source: American Heat Association