Air Fryer Crispy (Un) Fried Chicken

×

Air Fryer Crispy (Un) Fried Chicken

Want the taste of fried chicken without the extra saturated fat and calories? Try our 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   Serving Size   3 ounces chicken

  • 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

Tip: Click on step to mark as complete.

  1. Preheat the air fryer to 390ËšF.
  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.

Nutrition Facts

Air Fryer Crispy (Un) Fried Chicken
CaloriesCalories
219 Per Serving
ProteinProtein
29g Per Serving
FiberFiber
2g Per Serving

Nutrition Facts

Calories 219
Total Fat 5.0 g
Saturated Fat 2.0 g
Trans Fat 0.0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5 g
Monounsaturated Fat 1.5 g
Cholesterol 78 mg
Sodium 282 mg
Total Carbohydrate 13 g
Dietary Fiber 2 g
Sugars 1 g
Added Sugars 0 g
Protein 29 g

Dietary Exchanges
1 starch, 3 lean meat

 
Want the taste of fried chicken without the extra saturated fat and calories? Try our 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.

Nutrition Facts

Air Fryer Crispy (Un) Fried Chicken
CaloriesCalories
219 Per Serving
ProteinProtein
29g Per Serving
FiberFiber
2g Per Serving
×
Calories 219
Total Fat 5.0 g
Saturated Fat 2.0 g
Trans Fat 0.0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5 g
Monounsaturated Fat 1.5 g
Cholesterol 78 mg
Sodium 282 mg
Total Carbohydrate 13 g
Dietary Fiber 2 g
Sugars 1 g
Added Sugars 0 g
Protein 29 g

Dietary Exchanges
1 starch, 3 lean meat

Ingredients

Servings   4   Serving Size   3 ounces chicken

  • 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

Tip: Click on step to mark as complete.

  1. Preheat the air fryer to 390ËšF.
  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.

 

ľ¹ÏÖ±²¥ recipes are developed or reviewed by nutrition experts and meet specific, science-based dietary guidelines and recipe criteria for a healthy dietary pattern.

Some recipes may be suitable for people who are managing diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and/or other conditions or seeking low-sodium, low-fat, low-sugar, low-cholesterol or low-calories recipes. However, this site and its services do not constitute medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always talk to your health care provider for diagnosis and treatment, including your specific dietary needs. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem or condition, please contact a qualified health care provider.

Copyright is owned or held by the American Association, Inc. (AHA), except for recipes certified by the Heart-Check recipe certification program or otherwise indicated. All rights are reserved. Permission is granted, at no cost and without need for further request, to link to or share AHA-own recipes provided that no text, ingredients or directions are altered; no substitutions are made; and proper attribution is made to the ľ¹ÏÖ±²¥. See full terms of use.