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    Home » Gluten-Free Recipes » Air Fryer Fried Chicken (Gluten-Free)

    Air Fryer Fried Chicken (Gluten-Free)

    Oct 21, 2020 · by Valentina · 28 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    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!

    Two air-fried, breaded chicken breasts with lemon in a serving dish.

    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.

    Lemon zest, fresh herbs, paprika, parmesan, pepper, and cornmeal in a glass bowl - not mixed.

    - 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.

    Two raw breaded chicken breasts in an air fryer basket.
    Two cooked breaded chicken breasts in an air fryer basket.

    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!

    Yellow rimmed bowl full with Air Fryer Gluten Free Lemon Fried Chicken breasts, with lemons in background.

    Air Fryer Fried Chicken (Gluten-Free)

    Valentina K. Wein
    Using next to no oil, this Air Fryer Fried Chicken is crispy on the outside, and juicy on the inside, and it's chock-full of delicious, fresh flavors!
    5 from 12 votes
    Print
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4
    Calories 285 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • ½ cup corn meal
    • 2 tablspoons fresh lemon zest
    • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
    • ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • ¼ cup gluten-free all purpose flour
    • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
    • 2 large (approximately 10-ounce) chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
    • olive oil cooking spray

    Instructions
     

    • 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 USA Air Fryer, use the Preset Chicken setting for 25 minutes at 430° F. Or, for the smaller fryer with a basket, use the Preset Chicken setting for 2o minutes at 400° F.
    • Let the air fryer cool down and wait for the indicator that it’s ready to open.
    • Serve!

    NOTES

    Nutritional information is automatically calculated, so it should only be used as an estimate.

    NUTRITION

    Calories: 285kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 137mg | Sodium: 474mg | Potassium: 630mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 343IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 2mg
    Keywords light and healthy, chicken for family dinner, air fryer recipes
    Have you tried this recipe?I'd love to see it on Instagram! Tag me at @cookingontheweekends or leave a comment & rating below.

    Cooking On The Weekends is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. 

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Alan Marvin

      March 24, 2018 at 11:03 am

      Sounds like it would be a healthy way to cook. I'd first make the lemon chicken.....that's a great recipe.

      Reply
    2. Sara

      March 23, 2018 at 3:32 pm

      5 stars
      Your "fried" chicken looks perfect! Thank you for your review. I'm dying to try one of these but do worry about the space for another gadget. I'm also so intrigued by the instantpot 😉

      Reply
    3. Jeanne @JollyTomato

      March 23, 2018 at 2:52 pm

      5 stars
      This looks AMAZING! I'm hooked! Would love to try it!

      Reply
    4. Lisa | Garlic & Zest

      March 23, 2018 at 11:29 am

      5 stars
      I don't have an air fryer, but the way you describe it, it makes me think of a convection oven. Is it the same concept or does it work differently? Entering the contest!

      Reply
      • valentina

        March 23, 2018 at 3:52 pm

        Hi Lisa, Yes, it's totally similar to a convection over, but 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.

        Reply
    5. Jayme

      March 23, 2018 at 11:15 am

      5 stars
      Yummy! My hubby cooks french fries in a pan with oil. This would be much less calories! 🙂

      Reply
    6. Christina Conte

      March 23, 2018 at 11:12 am

      5 stars
      This is what I've been waiting for: a review on air frying from someone I trust! Sounds absolutely brilliant, Valentina! That chicken looks and sounds perfect, so I can just imagine all the other things I normally deep fry or even pan fry being cooked in the air fryer! My friend was telling me that she got one the other day, but I think she'd only tried one thing in it so far.

      Thanks so much for this post, it's so helpful. 🙂

      Reply
    7. Judy Lyness

      March 23, 2018 at 10:46 am

      Looks fantastic. Love lemon fried chicken.

      Reply
    8. Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious

      March 23, 2018 at 10:35 am

      I'm certain I'd make your chicken recipe first...who could resist lemon fried chicken? No doubt spuds would come next.

      Reply
    9. Jill

      March 23, 2018 at 10:31 am

      5 stars
      That sliced chicken looks perfect! I always wondered how an air fryer worked. Maybe I need to invest in one.

      Reply
    10. Diana

      March 23, 2018 at 10:03 am

      5 stars
      Chicken looks PERFECTLY cooked! Now i'm thinking that i need to get myself an air fryer.

      Reply
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    Hi, I'm Valentina, certified chef, owner, recipe developer and photographer at Cooking on the Weekends. I'm also a mom of two boys and a Los Angeleno. I use seasonal whole foods to create unique and comforting recipes for casual entertaining.

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