Air frying chicken has become an incredibly popular cooking method in recent years. The air fryer allows you to make deliciously crispy chicken using little to no oil, resulting in a healthier version of fried chicken. But one common question remains – how long should you actually air fry chicken to achieve the perfect texture?
The air fryer cooking time can vary substantially depending on several factors. To help you nail beautifully cooked chicken every time, this comprehensive guide will outline everything you need to know about air frying chicken, including ideal cooking times for different cuts and pieces. Let’s dive in!
Factors That Affect Air Fryer Chicken Cooking Times
There are several elements that impact how long chicken takes to cook in an air fryer:
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Type and cut of chicken – Breasts, thighs, wings etc all require different cooking times Larger, thicker cuts need longer.
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Bone-in or boneless – Bone-in chicken takes longer to cook through
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Frozen or thawed – Frozen chicken requires longer cooking than thawed.
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Quantity you are cooking – Cooking large batches takes longer than smaller amounts.
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Your air fryer model – Different air fryers heat up at different rates
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Crispiness level – The longer you cook, the crispier it gets.
So as you can see, there are several variables involved! Now let’s look at general cooking times for popular chicken cuts.
Recommended Air Fryer Cooking Times for Chicken
Chicken Breasts
- Boneless breasts: Cook at 375°F for 12-15 minutes
- Bone-in breasts: Cook at 375°F for 18-22 minutes
Chicken Thighs
- Boneless thighs: Cook at 375°F for 15-18 minutes
- Bone-in thighs: Cook at 375°F for 22-28 minutes
Chicken Wings
- Cook at 400°F for 18-25 minutes
Whole Chicken
- Cook at 360°F for 50-60 minutes
These cooking times are based on thawed chicken pieces. If working with frozen chicken, add 5-10 extra minutes to the times above.
Always use a meat thermometer to confirm chicken reaches 165°F internally before serving. Now let’s go over some extra tips and tricks for perfectly air fried chicken.
Handy Tips For Crispy, Juicy Air Fried Chicken
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Dry brine the chicken – Salt the chicken and let it rest in the fridge for up to a day before cooking. This seasons it and keeps it extra juicy.
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Preheat properly – Give your air fryer 3-5 minutes to preheat before adding chicken. This improves texture.
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Don’t overcrowd – Leave space between pieces for optimal airflow and even cooking. Cook in batches if needed.
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Flip halfway – Flipping the chicken promotes browning and even cooking on both sides.
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Use a light coating – Brush with oil or coat lightly in flour/breading for an extra crispy exterior.
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Check often – Monitor cooking so you achieve the perfect doneness without overcooking.
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Let rest before serving – Allow chicken to rest 5 minutes after cooking so juices can redistribute.
Handling Leftovers
One of the bonuses of air frying chicken is that leftovers reheat wonderfully! To reheat air fried chicken:
- Preheat air fryer to 300°F
- Place chicken pieces in air fryer basket
- Reheat for 4-6 minutes until heated through
The air fryer will keep the chicken skin crispy and delicious.
Common Air Fryer Chicken Mistakes to Avoid
While air frying chicken is quite simple, there are a couple pitfalls to be aware of:
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Not preheating – Skipping preheating can lead to uneven cooking. Always preheat!
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Overcrowding – Too much chicken prevents air circulation and crisping.
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Overcooking – Cook just until chicken reaches safe temp. Overdoing it dries it out.
As long as you keep proper cooking times and temperatures in mind, you will be rewarded with perfectly cooked, tender and crispy air fried chicken every time. Ditch the oil and unlock the possibilities with your air fryer. Your taste buds (and your waistline) will thank you!
Why Air Fry?
There are two reasons why you might want to make air fried chicken instead of classic fried chicken.
- First, there is a health benefit to air frying over deep frying or pan frying. While I do recommend very lightly spraying the fried chicken with oil before and during air frying, you don’t submerge the pieces entirely in oil, and as a result, they undoubtedly absorb less oil in the process.
- For me though, the bigger advantage is time savings. It takes 30 seconds to flip on the air fryer, and the cleanup is worlds easier than dealing with big pots of hot oil.
There are some recipes that I don’t think adapt well to the air fryer, but fried chicken works really well. The chicken will come out crispy and browned. It’s definitely worth a try!
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What’s the Best Chicken to Use?
For my money and taste buds, nothing beats buying a whole chicken and cutting it up yourself. This way, you get some dark meat and some white meat. I also believe in using skin-on and bone-in chicken, which leads to more flavorful and juicier chicken.
That said, my family is not actually a huge fan of the same kind of fried chicken I like. They prefer simple chicken strips, so I did some of those, too, and they work really well.
Chicken strips cook faster than bone-in pieces, so you run the risk of overcooking them and drying them out. Be sure to check strips frequently until they’re just cooked through (165° to 170 ̊F in the thickest part).
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How to Make PERFECT Air Fryer Chicken Breasts – JUICY & TENDER!
FAQ
How long does chicken need to be in the air fryer?