7 Effortless Air Fryer Chicken Recipes

Crush the dinner game with these effortless air fryer chicken meals.

Air Fryer Whole Roast Chicken
Photo:

Food & Wine / Photo by Stacy Allen / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Tucker Vines

Winner winner chicken dinner! The beauty of an air fryer is turning out all kinds of tasty chicken dishes with ease. Prepare comfort food classics like Chicken Parmesan and battered fried chicken, roast the whole bird, or cook up versatile chicken breasts to cube or shred into soup, salad, or whatever dish you please — all in little time with little mess. Ready to meal plan? Read on for our favorite foolproof ways to cook chicken in an air fryer.

01 of 07

Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings with Hot Honey Glaze

Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings
Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

The key to these perfectly crispy chicken wings is to cook them in two batches, ensuring they're not overcrowded in the air fryer. The wings are first tossed with lemon pepper, then coated with a buttery hot honey glaze and served with more of the glaze for dipping.

02 of 07

Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan

Air-Fryer Chicken Parmesan
Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Hannah Greenwood

Our air-fried Chicken Parmesan yields crisp, juicy chicken and ultra-melty cheese that balances tangy tomato sauce. The dish is on the table in under an hour.

03 of 07

Air Fryer Roast Chicken with Rosemary-Orange Sauce

Air Fryer Whole Roast Chicken

Food & Wine / Photo by Stacy Allen / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Tucker Vines

A dry brine of citrus zest, herbs, and salt ensures this roast chicken skin gets nice and crispy in the air fryer; the meat stays moist thanks to citrus wedges stuffed inside the cavity. The bird cooks in only 45 minutes — just enough time to set the table, pour the wine, and make a gravy from the drippings while the chicken rests. 

04 of 07

Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

Food & Wine / Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Julian Hensaring / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless

Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs develop a crispy, crackling skin when cooked in the air fryer. Season the thighs evenly with salt, cumin, paprika, and garlic powder, or your own favorite combination of spices. 

05 of 07

Air Fryer Fried Chicken with Hot Honey

Air Fryer Fried Chicken
Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

Fried chicken without a grease-splattered stove? Yes, please! Start with a hot sauce-buttermilk soak, then coat the chicken thighs with a well-seasoned flour mixture. After a dip in beaten eggs and a final coating in the flour, the air fryer will take it from there.

06 of 07

Air Fryer Chicken Breasts

Air-Fryer Chicken

Jordan Provost / Food Styling by Thu Buser

Air-frying chicken gives you the ease of cooking something in the oven but with the speed of sautéing. Use this chicken in tacos, soup, salads, pasta, or rice.

07 of 07

Air-Fried Buffalo Wings

Buffalo Wings

Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Amelia Rampe

Cook Buffalo wings skin-side up in your air fryer for maximum crispiness, then toss them in a buttery hot sauce and serve with creamy blue cheese sauce for the classic crowd pleaser.

Was this page helpful?

Related Articles