Look at those crispy chicken thighs! Would you believe they were not deep fried? Of course the title gives it away, this chicken was cooked in an air fryer. Crispy on the outside, moist and juicy on the inside. It reminds me of the “bucket of chicken” I loved as a child! It’s hard to believe this chicken is gluten free!
Now for the real surprise. These chicken thighs are both boneless and skinless! That’s right friends, you don’t need the skin to get that delicious crispy coating. And it’s the best “fried” chicken I’ve had in years.
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4 Servings
Ingredients:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup tapioca flour/starch
- 1/2 tsp. Montreal chicken seasoning
- 1/4 tsp. paprika
- cooking spray
Preparation:
Whisk together the buttermilk (or use powdered equivalent), and Montreal chicken seasoning. Buttermilk is not a pantry staple at our house, but I always keep buttermilk powder in the pantry. Alternately, you can add 0ne tbsp. of lemon juice to regular milk and let the mixture stand for 15 minutes.
Set a clean food grade plastic bag (such as a bread bag) in a medium bowl.
Add the chicken pieces to the bag, and pour in the marinade.
Tie the bag to ensure all pieces are covered in the milk mixture, and let it sit at room temperature 1 hour.
In another plastic bag, add the tapioca starch and paprika.
Add the chicken to the flour mixture one piece at a time, shaking to coat. Coat air fryer trays with cooking spray and arrange the chicken. Use 2 trays to allow room for the air to circulate.
Refrigerate the floured chicken for 30 minutes.
Preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes at 400º. Spray the top of the chicken with cooking spray (Important: you need that little bit of cooking spray to get the crispy crust. You don’t need to saturate it, just a light even coating of oil.) Place trays in the air fryer and set to 400º for 30 minutes.
Half way through, turn the chicken over and (don’t forget) spray with cooking spray. Return to the air fryer, switching positions (the tray that was on top moves to the bottom) and continue cooking for another 15 minutes. Check the internal temperature with a thermometer. Thighs are done at 165º-170º.
Don’t they look delicious? This chicken has become a new family favorite!
Notes ♪♫ The air fryer has been a game changer in my kitchen, as I can now enjoy some old favorites that I haven’t had in years! Mine is a shelf style, so I was able to air fry all four pieces at once. If you have a smaller model, or a basket style air fryer you may be limited to how many pieces you can prepare at once.
