Paula Deen Air Fryer Crispy Fried Chicken

Paula Deen Air Fryer Crispy Fried Chicken turns thin chicken breast cutlets, panko and Italian seasoning into a golden, crunchy Southern dinner in 34 minutes. Save this easy air fryer chicken dinner for a weeknight dinner, Sunday dinner or game day, because it's a lighter way to get that fried crunch.

Let the breaded chicken stand for 5 minutes before it goes into the basket, because that rest lets the coating cling to the meat. Skip it and the panko slides off in the air fryer, leaving you with bare, patchy cutlets.

Paula halves each breast and pounds the pieces to 1/4 inch, so every cutlet cooks through in just 14 minutes. Spraying both sides with cooking spray before and after the flip is what turns the panko deep golden without any deep frying.

Paula Deen Air Fryer Crispy Fried Chicken

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Course: DinnerCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

14

minutes

Calories

410

kcal

Thin chicken cutlets get a seasoned flour dredge, an egg dip and a panko crust, then crisp up in the hot air fryer basket. You flip them halfway, so both sides come out golden with juicy meat inside.

Ingredients

• 3 skinless boneless chicken breasts
  

• 3½ teaspoons Kosher salt, divided
  

• 1¾ teaspoons ground black pepper, divided
  

• 2⅓ cups panko bread crumbs
  

• 1¼ teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
  

• 1 cup All-purpose flour
  

• ¾ teaspoon onion powder
  

• ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
  

• ¾ teaspoon paprika
  

• 3 large eggs
  

• Lemon wedges , to serve
  

• chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
  

Directions

• Cut and flatten chicken: Pat 3 skinless boneless chicken breasts dry, cut off the tenderloins and set them aside, then halve each breast horizontally. Place each piece between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound it to 1/4-inch thickness with a mallet, small skillet or rolling pin.
• Season the chicken: Sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper all over the breasts and tenderloins. Then, if your air fryer manual recommends it, preheat the fryer to 400°F.
• Set up the dredging dishes: In one shallow dish, stir together 2 1/3 cups panko, 1 1/4 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. In a second dish, whisk 1 cup flour, 3/4 teaspoon each onion powder, garlic powder and paprika, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Whisk 3 eggs in a third dish.
• Dredge and bread: Working with 1 piece at a time, coat the chicken in the flour mixture and shake off the excess. Dip it in the eggs, let the extra drip off, then press it into the panko mixture until fully coated.
• Let the coating set: Place the breaded chicken on a large plate or rimmed baking sheet and let it stand for 5 minutes. That short rest helps the crumbs stay put once the hot air hits them.
• Air fry the first side: Spray both sides of the chicken with cooking spray, then place it in the basket in batches. Set the fryer to 400°F and cook for 7 minutes.
• Flip and finish: Turn the chicken and spray it again with cooking spray. Cook about 7 minutes more, until it's golden brown and an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part reads 160°F.
• Serve with lemon: Serve the hot chicken with lemon wedges for squeezing. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

Tools for this recipe

• Ninja AF101 4-quart air fryer, OXO Good Grips meat tenderizer, ThermoPro instant-read thermometer, Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 3 lb. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts?

Boneless, skinless thighs work if you pound them to about 1/4 inch so they cook as fast as the breasts. They run juicier, so check that the thickest part still reaches 160°F before you pull them out.

Can I bread the chicken ahead of time?

You can bread it a few hours ahead and keep it in the fridge on a rack or baking sheet. The 5-minute stand time is what sets the crust, so spray and air fry it right out of the fridge. Add a minute or two if it's very cold.

How do I reheat leftover air fryer fried chicken?

Store the cutlets in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat them in the air fryer at 350°F for a few minutes, because the microwave turns the crust soft.

Can I make this without an air fryer?

A hot oven works, though the crust won't be quite as crunchy. Set the breaded cutlets on a wire rack over a baking sheet, spray them well and bake at 425°F, flipping once, until they reach 160°F inside.

Why is my panko coating falling off?

The most common cause is skipping the 5-minute rest after breading, or pressing the crumbs on too lightly. Press the panko firmly into each cutlet and let it stand, and don't crowd the basket, since pieces knocking together shave off the coating.