Crispy Old-Fashioned Fried Chicken in the Air Fryer
Crispy Chicken with Oil Drained! Old-Fashioned Fried Chicken Recipe Made in the Air Fryer
Introducing a recipe for crispy fried chicken made healthily in the air fryer without deep-frying. It’s in the old-fashioned whole chicken style, crispy on the outside and moist on the inside, with a coating for an even richer taste. Enjoy delicious chicken that the whole family will love, made conveniently at home, with less greasiness and more savory flavor!
Chicken Ingredients
- 1 pack of chicken for stir-fry (approx. 1kg)
- 1 bag of fried chicken powder (store-bought)
- 1/2 Tbsp salt
- Pinch of black pepper
- 500ml milk (for removing gamey smell)
- A little cooking oil or oil spray
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare and clean the chicken meant for stir-fry. Get one pack (about 1kg) of chicken for stir-fry. You can also use just drumettes or drumsticks if you prefer. Thoroughly remove any remaining innards, fat chunks, or blood from inside the chicken under running water. Carefully trim off excess fat from around the skin with scissors for a cleaner taste. After rinsing the chicken, soak it in about 500ml of milk for 20 minutes to effectively remove any gamey odor. After 20 minutes, discard the milk, rinse the chicken again, and drain it completely in a colander. Ensuring the chicken is dry is crucial for the coating to adhere well and for it to cook up extra crispy.
Step 2
Score the chicken to allow the flavors to penetrate deeply. Make 2-3 deep scores on thicker parts of the chicken, such as drumsticks or breast meat. Scoring helps the seasoning absorb quickly and evenly, and also speeds up the cooking time, ensuring the chicken cooks through uniformly.
Step 3
Marinate with salt and pepper for a savory flavor that goes all the way through. After scoring, sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon of salt and a pinch of black pepper over the chicken and mix well to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour. If you have more time, marinating for 2-3 hours will allow the flavors to penetrate even deeper, resulting in even more delicious chicken.
Step 4
The secret to a crispy coating: apply the fried chicken powder thoroughly. After marinating, generously pour the store-bought fried chicken powder over the chicken and coat it completely. Gently pat the chicken to ensure the powder adheres evenly without clumping, which will help achieve a crispier texture. Lightly shake off any excess powder after coating.
Step 5
Add a little oil to maximize the crispiness of the coating. Lightly drizzle cooking oil over the chicken coated with fried chicken powder and spread it evenly. Using an oil spray can make this process even more convenient. Adding a little oil will help the coating become golden and crispy during air frying, mimicking the flavor of deep-fried chicken.
Step 6
Arrange the chicken in the air fryer basket without overlapping. Place the coated chicken pieces in the air fryer basket in a single layer, ensuring they do not overlap. Overlapping can prevent even heat circulation, resulting in less crispiness, so spacing them out is important. If necessary, cook in two batches.
Step 7
Start cooking using the air fryer’s convenient ‘Chicken Drumstick’ preset. Select the ‘Chicken Drumstick’ or ‘Chicken’ menu on your air fryer, or set the temperature to 200°C (390°F) for 22 minutes. (Cooking time and temperature may vary depending on your air fryer model.) Once cooking begins, the delicious aroma of chicken will start to fill your kitchen.
Step 8
While the chicken is cooking, make a delicious Yangnyeom chicken sauce. In a saucepan, combine 220g corn syrup, 75g ketchup, 45g gochujang, 3.5 tablespoons soy sauce, 65g minced garlic, 3 tablespoons chili powder, and 50g sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring to combine. Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for another 2-3 minutes until it thickens. Be careful not to burn it. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly; it will thicken further as it cools.
Step 9
Flip the chicken halfway through to ensure even cooking on both sides. About halfway through the air fryer cooking time (around the 10-minute mark), carefully remove the chicken and flip each piece over. This helps ensure that both sides of the chicken become evenly golden and crispy. Continue cooking for the remaining 10-12 minutes. To check for doneness, insert a skewer into the thickest part; if clear juices run out, the chicken is fully cooked.
