Air Fryer Fried Chicken (Gluten-Free)

AirFryer Fried Chicken is gluten-free and seasoned with lemon and herbs. With next to no oil, it's crispy on the outside, and juicy on the inside. Perfect!

This is a sponsored post brought to you by GoWISE USA. All opinions are my own, based on my experience with the product. Thank you for supporting my sponsors, who help make Cooking On The Weekends possible.

I work with – and love – traditional cooking equipment and methods.

So when I was given a couple of GoWISE USA Air Fryers, I was a bit skeptical. I was however intrigued because I know Air Frying is extremely popular.

Ingredients

• chicken
• corn meal
• thyme
• smoked paprika
• garlic powder
• lemon zest
• salt, pepper

Recipe Substitutions

• I used cornmeal in my recipe, to keep in gluten-free. You can use gluten-free bread crumbs also, and of course, any breadcrumbs you’d like to. If keeping it gluten-free isn’t important, I’d suggest Panko.
• I love the thyme with the lemon, but you can use any fresh herbs you like. Oregano and/or rosemary would also be lovely.

How to Make it

- Add the corn meal, lemon zest, thyme, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper to a large, shallow bowl. Mix to blend evenly and set aside.

- Add the flour to a second large, shallow bowl, and the egg to a third.

- Sprinkle the chicken breasts lightly with salt and pepper, and one at a time, coat them with the flour lightly and evenly. Then dip them into the egg, being sure they’re well coated. Now place each breast on top of the corn meal mixture and gently press down so that it adheres to it, and do the same thing on the other side, and edges.

- Line the bottom of the air fryer with foil and lightly spray the rack with olive oil. Place the coated chicken on the rack and then spray the top surface of each one with the olive oil.

- For the GoWISE Air Fryer, use the Preset Chicken setting for 25 minutes at 430° F.

If you use the smaller GoWISE air fryer with a basket (pictured above), use the preset chicken setting for 20 minutes at 400° F.

- Let the air fryer cool down and wait for the indicator that it’s ready to open. Serve!

How does the air fryer work?

• Air fryers have a fan that circulates hot air around the food at a high speed. The combination of this rapid air, and targeted heat, the air fryer cooks foods quickly and efficiently.

How is an air fryer different than a convection oven?

• Air fryers have a smaller area where food is held, and the air circulates at a higher speed than in a convection oven. Therefore, in an air fryer, it takes less time to cook foods.

Beyond fried chicken, what can you cook in an air fryer?

• Almost anything -- from bacon and rack of lamb, to cakes and pizza. It’s not just for "fried” foods!

While it’s possible to cook a variety of foods in the air fryer, my goal was to make something that's normally cooked in oil, by deep frying and have it taste really good!

I’m happy to report that my Air Fryer Fried Chicken is truly delicious.

Benefits to Cooking in the Air Fryer

• Generally, 75% to 80% less oil is required. (In the case of my Air Fryer Fried Chicken recipe, about 90% less!) I found that the best way to use a minimal amount of oil in the air fryer is to use a spray. I used an olive oil spray, which worked perfectly to evenly coat the basket and food.
• It’s incredibly easy to clean.
• There's no preheating, and cooking times are fast.

Side note: I've also been making bacon in the air fryer. Sure it's greasy in and of itself - but all of the fat drips into the pot (lined with foil for easy clean-up). It turns out just as crispy as it does in a pan, but without the mess or need to drain it on paper towels before serving.

More Must-Try Gluten-Free Fried Chicken Recipes

• Tortilla Chip Crusted Chicken Strips
• Quinoa Fried Chicken

And if you want to get really creative with your air fryer, try Pumpkin Glazed Air Fryer Donut Holes.

I hope you love this recipe s much as my family and I do!

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