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Air Fryer Salt & Pepper Calamari Recipe

August 21, 2022 Leave a Comment

Air fryer Salt and Pepper Calamari with chilli sauce

Air fryer Salt & Pepper Calamari is a Chinese takeout classic! This air fried calamari is crispy, crunchy, and spicy. A healthy & easy copycat recipe to make at home! Delicious squid coated in seasoned flour, air fried till golden brown & topped with stir fried garlic, chili, and green onions.

Air fryer Salt and Pepper Calamari with chilli sauce

Tips on how to best prep calamari / squid

Squid / Calamari does require attention to detail when preparing for cooking, here are some tips on how best to prepare squid safely and cut into your desired shape.

How to clean calamari

The best way to clean squid / calamari will depends on whether it is purchased whole or already pre prepped into squid rings. Frozen and fresh squid rings tend to be cleaned already so just require washing under cold water and placing on paper towels to drain. For whole squid cleaning is more rigorous as you need to remove the innards, head, beak, cartilage tube, cut the tentacles off and pullback the skin. Once completed wash in cold water and prep for cooking, you should be left with clean white squid tubes.

How to tenderize calamari

Calamari can be tenderised by marinating and soaking the calamari in a bowl of buttermilk for a minimum of 30 minutes in the fridge, which will help the squid be less chewy. The acidity in the buttermilk will help to tenderise the flesh. You can rinse the buttermilk off when ready for cooking or keep the buttermilk for breaded calamari recipes.

Find more great air fryer recipes below

  • PF CHANG’S AIR FRYER ORANGE CHICKEN
  • AIR FRYER LAMB CHOPS
  • AIR FRYER KFC SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS
  • AIR FRYER GARLIC PARMESAN TRUFFLE FRIES
  • PF CHANG’S DYNAMITE BANG BANG SHRIMP RECIPE
  • AIR FRYER CHOCOLATE AND HAZELNUT HIGH PROTEIN GRANOLA RECIPE

How to cut calamari rings

Place a freshly cleaned whole calamari tube onto a chopping board, press down on the calamari with one hand so it lays completely flat and then slice vertically into thin strips.

How to cut calamari so it curls

To make calamari that curls simply slice a freshly cleaned whole calamari tube down one side, on a chopping board. The calamari should now be lying flat. Using a very sharp knife to gently score the calamari diagonally across from each side, leaving a 1cm gap approximately between each scored line. Ensure not to pierce through the calamari fully. Repeat the process again on the same side but in the opposite direction, this will create little diamond pattens on the flesh. Once completed cut into a diamond shaped calamari pieces or strips. The diagonal criss-cross pattern will help the squid curl whilst deep frying, air frying, cooked in an oven, grilled, or sautéed

Air fryer Salt and Pepper Calamari raw
Air fryer Salt and Pepper Calamari raw
Air fryer Salt and Pepper Calamari in a basket
Air fryer Salt and Pepper Calamari in a basket

How to tell if squid is bad

There are a few signs to look out for to know whether squid has gone bad.  

  • Although fish naturally has a smell and can be slippery to touch, the squid should not be excessively smelling or slimy  
  • Another sign is if the squid is no longer white and has changed colour slightly to red/yellow
  • If the squid is no longer shiny but dull this could also be a sign the squid has gone bad   

Is calamari squid or octopus

Although similar in appearance calamari is not octopus. Calamari and fresh squid are also not the same often confused as just the Italian word / pronunciation. Squid and calamari are two different species with squid tending to be cheaper compared to calamari which is more expensive and more tender in texture.

side dish
 Calamari on a plate with dip

How to bread calamari

Calamari can be breaded with various ingredients such as panko breadcrumbs, semolina flour, golden breadcrumbs, all-purpose flour, corn starch / cornflour, and rice flour. To get the breading / flour to stick to calamari you need to lightly cover the calamari in flour first then dip into an egg mixture before dipping into your chosen breadcrumbs or seasoned flour.

Can you cook calamari without flour?

Calamari can also be great without flour and served on its own with a marinade, sauteed in a frying pan with butter, olive oil or deep fried in hot oil with a gluten free flour coating as a substitute for dietary needs.

How long to cook calamari

One of the worst things you can do is overcooking calamari as it can become very chewy. Cooking calamari at a high temperature with a short cooking time will ensure its tender when eating. For this air fryer recipe, the fresh coated calamari pieces are air fried for 6-7 minutes at 374 degrees f /190°C. The size of the pieces are quite small so you would need to increase the cook time if you cut them larger. When cooking frozen calamari, you will need to increase the length of cooking time.

Calamari with sriracha mayo

Air Fryer Salt & Pepper Calamari Recipe

Copycat salt and pepper calamari can be made at home as a fakeaway recipe that tastes pretty close to the version from Chinese restaurants. This Chinese seasoning can be found on wings, chips, king prawns, chicken thighs, and calamari. You will need the following key ingredients to make at home:

Squid

  • Fresh whole small squid tubes / calamari tubes or Fresh squid ring
  • Fish Sauce
  • Shaoxing wine
  • Egg whites

Seasoned salt & pepper flour

  • Rice flour
  • White pepper
  • Ground black pepper (or ground Sichuan peppercorns)
  • Garlic powder
  • Chinese 5 spice
  • Salt  

Salt & Pepper Stir fry Vegetables

  • Fresh garlic minced
  • Spring onions / green onions
  • Red & Green chillies
  • Sesame seed oil
  • Salt

Garnishes

  • Lime wedges, sweet chilli sauce and fresh herbs (coriander)
Air fryer Salt and Pepper Calamari raw squid
Air fryer Salt and Pepper Calamari ingredients
seasoning
Air fryer Salt and Pepper Calamari seasoning in a pan

How to make calamari in the air fryer

Preparing calamari: Clean, prep and cut squid tubes (if purchased whole) into your desired shape, either a diamond pattern or squid rings. *Check the recipe notes for tips

Marinating calamari: Place the calamari into a shallow bowl, add Shaoxing wine, fish sauce, and stir.

Dredging: In a separate bowl mix together all the seasoned flour mixture ingredients. Add a handful of the marinated calamari pieces into the bowl, using your hands to coat each piece. Then dip the floured calamari into a bowl of whisked egg whites and finally dredge again in the seasoned flour mixture. The double coating will help to fully cover the calamari. Place them on a greased wire rack as you will need to do this process in batches

Air frying calamari: Add to the calamari into the air fryer basket in a single layer, use a nonstick cooking spray or brush with oil to generously cover the floured calamari. Air fry for 5 minutes at 375 °F /190°C, flip over and then air fryer for a further 2 minutes.

Salt & Pepper Stir fry Vegetables: Place a small frying pan onto the stove at a medium heat. Pour in some sesame oil and stir fry the 2 minutes, adding the green onions last.

Combine: Mix together the crispy calamari with the stir fried vegetables and serve with lime or lemon slices, sweet chilli dipping sauce with a coriander garnish.

Air fryer Salt and Pepper Calamari in a basket
Air fryer Salt and Pepper Calamari in a basket
Air fryer Salt and Pepper Calamari in a bowl
Air fryer Salt and Pepper Calamari on a plate

How to reheat calamari

Calamari is best eaten hot once cooked however leftover calamari can be reheated in 3 ways, the microwave, air fryer and in the oven. Though it should be noted reheating squid does make the texture chewier.

How to reheat calamari in microwave

Now although reheating calamari in a microwave, by placing it on a microwave safe plate, is one of the quickest options at 2-3 minutes (depending on the portion size) the texture of the calamari will no longer be as crispy if breaded and will become slightly soggy.

How to reheat fried calamari in air fryer

Place the calamari in small batches into the air fryer basket, make sure you do this in a single layer to maximise crispiness and even cooking. Air fry for 3 minutes at 356 °F /180°C.

How to reheat fried calamari in oven

Lay the calamari on an oven sheet, ensuring they do not overlap. Preheat the oven and cook for 8-10 minutes at 356 °F /180°C.

How do you cook frozen calamari in an air fryer

For the best results using fresh calamari will ensure the most tender texture. However, you can buy raw frozen calamari rings and leave to thaw overnight in the fridge in a sealed container. Once thawed you can continue, clean, season or flour coat the calamari.

How to cook calamari rings from frozen

Premade frozen calamari squid rings are a great connivence product that can be cooked in the air fryer from frozen without the need to thaw. Once the calamari rings have been removed from the packaging place into the air fryer spray or brush with oil and cook for 365 °F /185°C for total time of 8-10 minutes. Flip the calamari rings halfway through cooking.

2. Air fryer Salt and Pepper Calamari dipped in sriracha mayo
Air fryer Salt and Pepper Calamari dipped in chilli sauce
Calamari dipped in garlic mayo
Calamari collage

What do you dip calamari in

Crispy calamari taste’s even better when dipped in sauce! There are a variety of sauces and ingredients that you can add to a small bowl and serve as an appetizer.  Here are some of the best dipping sauces to choose from below:

  • Sweet chilli sauce
  • Thai Chilli Lime Sauce
  • Siracha chilli sauce
  • Cocktail sauce
  • Siracha mayo
  • regular soy sauce or light soy sauce
  • red chili pepper and garlic sauce
  • Garlic aioli
  • Chilli oil
  • Creamy lemon sauce
  • Marinara sauce
  • Ginger, garlic, oyster sauce dip
  • A squeeze of lemon juice

Nutritional information

How healthy is calamari

Calamari is a good choice as it has high levels of high levels of omega-3s, vitamin b12 and protein. Another great thing is that air frying is a healthy version of cooking calamari instead of deep frying.

Keto calamari air fryer

Calamari cooked in the air fryer can be a great low carb delicious appetizer. The rice flour could be substituted for a low carb flour alternative or the calamari without bereding ding will also be keto compliant

How many calories in salt and pepper squid

This easy air fryer calamari recipe yields for servings at 180 calories per portion approximately.

What to serve with fried calamari

Calamari can be served with many dishes or as a stand-alone dish. Here are some suggestions of what to serve calamari with.

  • Stir fried noodles
  • AIR FRYER GARLIC PARMESAN TRUFFLE FRIES
  • Stir fried vegetables
  • Egg fried rice
  • Tempura vegetables
  • Pasta dishes
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Air Fryer Salt & Pepper Calamari Recipe


  • Author: Catherine
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
Print Recipe
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Description

Air fryer Salt & Pepper Calamari is a Chinese takeout classic! This air fried calamari is crispy, crunchy, and spicy. A healthy & easy copycat recipe to make at home! Delicious squid coated in seasoned flour, air fried till golden brown & topped with stir fried garlic, chili, and green onions.


Ingredients

Scale

Squid/Calamari

  • Fresh whole calamari/squid – 4 x small squid tubes cleaned no tentacles / 230 – 250 g (do not use frozen squid, *check recipe notes below)
  • Fish Sauce – 2 x tablespoons
  • Shaoxing wine – 1 x tablespoon
  • Egg whites – 2 x eggs whisked

Seasoned flour 

  • Rice flour – 1 x Cup
  • White pepper – 1 x teaspoon
  • Ground black pepper – ½ teaspoon
  • Garlic powder – 1 x tablespoon
  • Chinese 5 spice – 1 x teaspoon
  • Salt 1 x teaspoon

Salt & Pepper Stir Fry Vegetables 

  • Fresh garlic minced – 1 x tablespoon
  • Spring onions / green onions – 2 x stalks finely sliced  
  • Small Red & Green chillies – 1-3 finely sliced
  • Sesame seed oil – 1 x tablespoon
  • Salt – ½ teaspoon

Garnish

  • Lime wedges, sweet chilli sauce and fresh herbs (coriander)

Instructions

  1. Preparing calamari: Clean, prep and cut squid tubes (if purchased whole) into your desired shape, either a diamond pattern or squid rings. *Check the recipe notes for tips
  2. Marinating calamari: Place the calamari into a shallow bowl, add Shaoxing wine, fish sauce, and stir.
  3. Dredging: In another bowl mix together all the seasoned flour mixture ingredients. Add a handful of the marinated calamari pieces into the bowl, using your hands to coat each piece. Then dip the floured calamari into a bowl of whisked egg whites and finally dredge again in the seasoned flour mixture. The double coating will help to fully cover the calamari. Place them on a greased wire rack as you will need to do this process in batches
  4. Salt & Pepper Stir fry Vegetables: Place a small frying pan onto the stove at a medium heat. Pour in some sesame oil and stir fry the 2 minutes, adding the green onions last.
  5. Combine: Mix together the crispy calamari with the stir fried vegetables and serve with lime or lemon slices, sweet chilli dipping sauce with a coriander garnish.
  6. Air frying calamari: Add to the calamari into the air fryer basket in a single layer, use a nonstick cooking spray or brush with oil to generously cover the floured calamari. Air fry for 5 minutes at 375 °F /190°C  flip over and then air fryer for a further 2 minutes.

Notes

*How to cut calamari rings: Place a freshly cleaned, whole calamari tube onto a chopping board, press down on the calamari with one hand so it lays completely flat and then slice vertically into thin strips.

*How to cut calamari so it curls: To make calamari that curls simply slice a freshly cleaned whole calamari tube down one side, on a chopping board. The calamari should now be lying flat. Using a very sharp knife to gently score the calamari diagonally across from each side, leaving a 1cm gap approximately between each scored line. Ensure not to pierce through the calamari fully. Repeat the process again on the same side but in the opposite direction, this will create little diamond pattens on the flesh. Once completed cut into a diamond shaped calamari pieces or strips. The diagonal criss-cross pattern will help the squid curl whilst deep frying, air frying, cooked in an oven, grilled, or sautéed

*Check blog post for tips on how to clean squid/calamari

*Fresh squid will provide the best tender results, raw frozen whole squid or pre cut frozen squid rings tend to be more tougher. Though you can use this if you are unable to source fresh squid  

  • Prep Time: 18
  • Cook Time: 7
  • Category: appetizer
  • Method: Air Frying
  • Cuisine: Chinese

Keywords: Air fryer chinese salt and pepper calamari squid

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @prettydeliciouseats on Instagram and hashtag it #prettydeliciouseats

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Filed Under: Air Fryer recipes, Appetisers, Baking, Dinner, Healthy Eats, Lunch, Side Dishes, Uncategorized Tagged With: air fryer, air fryer recipes, calamari recipe, copycat recipe, salt and pepper, salt and pepper calamari, salt and pepper squid

Pf Chang’s Air Fryer Orange Chicken

July 14, 2021 Leave a Comment

Air fryer orange chicken in a bowl

Crispy, Sweet and Healthy Copycat Air Fryer Easy Orange Chicken Recipe inspired by the P.F Chang’s Asian Table restaurant! This easy recipe is so mouth-wateringly good! The combination of juicy chicken thighs coated in a sweet and TASTY orange peel sauce is so DELICIOUS!

Air fryer orange chicken in a bowl

Now who doesn’t love some crispy orange chicken! Drenched in homemade sweet and sticky orange sauce! 

What is orange chicken

Orange chicken is a family favorite recipe combining boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs coated in corn starch, deep fried or air fried, mixed in a small saucepan with healthy orange chicken sauce and topped with spring onions and sesame seeds. Homemade orange sauce can be made using various ingredients similar to the takeout version: trader joe’s mandarin orange chicken recipe and other fast food chains renditions of this delicious recipe.

Who invented orange chicken

Orange chicken is such a popular takeaway dish and can be made healthier by cooking it in an air fryer ! Many versions of this recipe dish has been recreated by various restaurant and supermarket chains such as Panda express, Trader Joes – Pre cooked frozen orange chicken (in the US) and PF Chang’s Asian Table.

When I visited P.F. Chang’s Asian Table restaurant in London I was blown away by the amazing flavours. Of course, I had to recreate this amazing dish at home with a copycat recipe! P.F. Chang’s is an Asian restaurant concept founded on making food from scratch every day in every restaurant. P.F. Chang’s has 210+ U.S. restaurants, plus over 95 restaurants in more than 25 countries across the globe.

Air fryer orange chicken in bowl
Air fryer orange chicken in a bowl

Find more great air fryer recipes below

  • AIR FRYER LAMB CHOPS
  • AIR FRYER KFC SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS
  • AIR FRYER GARLIC PARMESAN TRUFFLE FRIES
  • PF CHANG’S DYNAMITE BANG BANG SHRIMP RECIPE
  • AIR FRYER CHOCOLATE AND HAZELNUT HIGH PROTEIN GRANOLA RECIPE

How to make air fryer PF Chang’s orange chicken 

(Scroll to the bottom of this page for the full list or ingredients and instructions on the recipe card)

  1. Air fryer prep: Preheat the air fryer 
  2. Prepare chicken batter: Add the diced chicken thighs into a large bowl, pour in the egg whites, then mix. In a separate large bowl mix the dry ingredients together (cornflour, salt, white pepper, garlic powder).
  3. Dredging the chicken: Pour the seasoned flour into a large food bag, slightly drain off the excess egg whites from the chicken mixture, place into the food bag and seal. Shake the food bag continuously until each piece of chicken is coated. Use your hands to massage the chicken into the flour to ensure each piece is coated well.
  4. Air fry: Brush or spray the air fryer basket with a light layer of vegetable oil or avocado oil spray. Shake off the excess flour from the chicken and then place the chicken cornstarch mixture in a single layer into the air fryer. Spray or brush the top of the dredged chicken with a little oil before cooking. Air fry the chicken for the cooking time of 15 minutes at 170°C / 340 °F , turning the chicken pieces half way through the cooking process. The crispy air fryer chicken should be golden brown. If you are unsure if the chicken is cooked you can use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken is a minimum of 165 degrees f (75ºC) or over.
  5. How to make p.f changs orange peel chicken sauce: Whilst the chicken is in the air fryer heat a pan to a medium level, add all the orange juice sauce ingredients listed into the pan, bring to the boil and then simmer for 6-8 minutes until the sauce is thick in consistency.
  6. Final step: Mix the cooked chicken pieces and orange sauce in a large serving bowl. Serve with white rice or noodles and enjoy! Store any leftover orange chicken in an airtight container once cooled.
Air fryer orange chicken pieces raw 1 inch cubes
Air fryer orange chicken ingredients
Air fryer orange chicken ingredients for the sauce
Air fryer orange chicken sauce

What ingredients are in crispy air fryer orange

This crispy air fryer orange chicken recipe comprises of fresh ingredients for the coated chicken and the flavorful orange sauce. Here’s the ingredients you need below! (you can find the full measurements for each ingredient in the recipe card at the bottom on this blog post);

Crispy air fried chicken

  • Boneless chicken thighs
  • Cornflour/ cornstarch
  • Egg whites
  • Salt 
  • Ground white pepper
  • Garlic Powder
  • Vegetable oil cooking spray

P.f changs orange peel sauce

  • Freshly squeezed orange juice
  • Orange Zest
  • Light Soy Sauce
  • Rice vinegar
  • Fresh garlic cloves
  • Fresh ground ginger
  • Siracha sauce
  • Granulated white sugar or brown sugar
  • Sesame oil
  • Cornstarch slurry – 1 x teaspoon
  • Green onions / spring onions, sesame seeds (optional)

Other alternative ingredients you can also find in orange chicken include: black pepper, potato starch, coconut aminos, oyster sauce, all purpose flour, premade orange sauce packet, olive oil, rice wine vinegar, chicken nuggets, maple syrup, orange marmalade.

Air fryer orange chicken in the basket uncooked
Air fryer orange chicken cooked in the basket

AIR FRYER ORANGE CHICKEN FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is orange chicken spicy

Orange chicken is not typically spicy however you can adjust the flavour by adding red pepper flakes or fresh chillies. Chili flakes add a medium heat to the dish whereas fresh chillies would make this great meal pack a very spicy punch!

What to serve with orange chicken

Asian recipes I find work so well with freshly boiled rice or egg fried rice. Making it an easy dinner using pantry staples from the grocery store.

What to serve with orange chicken besides rice

Besides rice you could also serve orange chicken with lo mein egg noodles, stir fried vermicelli noodles, stir fried vegetables, and brown rice.

Is orange chicken healthy

Air frying pieces of chicken instead of deep frying will reduce the amount of fat in the recipe which in turn lessens the calorific content compared to ordering the takeout version which can be quite greasy like other popular dishes such as general tso chicken, sweet and sour chicken, and sesame chicken. Also, small steps like lining a medium bowl with paper towels to place the crispy chicken pieces on top can help to train off excess oil. Swapping chicken thighs for chicken breast pieces will make the dish leaner and higher in protein.

Air fryer orange chicken in a bowl

How to make orange chicken without cornstarch

A great alternative to cornstarch which is also gluten free is Arrowroot flour. This can be a substitute for the chicken flour coating and also used as a thickening agent in the orange sauce.

Reheat orange chicken in the air fryer

The best way to reheat air fryer orange chicken is to place the leftover chicken and sauce into a small bowl or casserole dish which is oven/heat proof, add an ice cube on top, cover with foil and air fry for 5-6 minutes at 170°C / 340 °F. You can add additional time if you use a larger deep bowl rather than a shallow bowl. This technique of reheating will ensure the sauce does not spill into your air fryer and will keep the chicken moist throughout the reheating process.

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close up of Air Fryer Orange Chicken

Pf Chang’s Air Fryer Orange Chicken


  • Author: Catherine
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4 Servings
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

Crispy, Sweet and Healthy Copycat Air Fryer Orange Chicken inspired by the PF Chang’s Asian Table restaurant! This easy recipe is so mouth-wateringly good! The combination of juicy chicken thighs coated in a sweet and TASTY orange peel sauce is soo DELICIOUS!!


Ingredients

Crispy air fried chicken

  • Boneless chicken thighs – 1 pound / 450g
  • Cornflour/ corn starch – 1 x Cup / 150g

  • Egg whites – 2 x eggs

  • Salt – 1 x teaspoon 

  • Ground white pepper – 1 x teaspoon

  • Garlic Powder – 1 x tablespoon 

  • Vegetable oil (in a spray bottle)

Orange sauce

  • Freshly squeezed orange juice – 1 x Cup / 240ml / or 3-4 Oranges 

  • Orange Zest – 1 x teaspoon 

  • Light Soy Sauce – 4 x tablespoons

  • Rice wine vinegar – 1 x tablespoon 

  • Fresh garlic cloves – 2 x cloves minced 

  • Fresh ginger 1 x teaspoon minced 

  • Siracha sauce – 1 x teaspoon 

  • Granulated white sugar – 1/3 cup / 66g

  • Sesame seed oil – 1 x teaspoon 

  • Corn-starch/ cornflour – 1 x teaspoon (dissolved in 2-3 teaspoons of water to make a paste)


Instructions

  1. Air fryer prep: Preheat the air fryer 
  2. Prepare chicken batter: Add the diced chicken thighs into a large bowl, pour in the egg whites, then mix. In a separate large bowl mix the dry ingredients together (cornflour, salt, white pepper, garlic powder).
  3. Dredging the chicken: Pour the seasoned flour into a large food bag, slightly drain off the excess egg whites on the chicken,  place into the food bag and seal. Shake the food bag continuously until each piece of chicken is coated. Use your hands to massage the chicken into the flour to ensure each piece is coated well.
  4. Air fry: Brush or spray the air fryer basket with a light layer of oil. Shake off the excess flour from the chicken and then place into the air fryer. Spray or brush the top of the dredged chicken with oil before cooking. Air fry the chicken for 15 minutes at 170°C / 340 °F , turning the chicken pieces half way through the cooking process.
  5. Making the orange sauce: Whilst the chicken is in the air fryer heat a pan to a medium level, add all the orange sauce ingredients listed into the pan, bring to the boil and then simmer for 6-8 minutes until the sauce is thick in consistency.
  6. Final step: Mix together the cooked air fryer chicken pieces and orange sauce in a large serving bowl. Serve with rice or noodles and enjoy!

     

Notes

  • Do not overload the air fryer basket, cook in batches if you own a smaller air fryer model.
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 15
  • Category: Lunch
  • Method: Air Frying
  • Cuisine: Asain

Keywords: orange chicken, air fryer chicken, chicken, sweet and sour

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @prettydeliciouseats on Instagram and hashtag it #prettydeliciouseats

CLICK THE IMAGE BELOW TO PIN ONTO YOUR PINTEREST BOARDS

Air Fryer Orange Chicken Pinterest pin

NEED SOME MORE RECIPE INSPIRATION? – TRY OUT THESE AMAZING RECIPES TOO! 

  •  HOMEMADE NANDO’S PERI PERI SAUCE RECIPE
  • GOURMET BACON AVOCADO GROUND BEEF BURGER RECIPE
  • WAGAMAMA FIRECRACKER CHICKEN RECIPE – MEAL PREP
  • PF CHANG’S DYNAMITE BANG BANG SHRIMP RECIPE
  • AIR FRYER CHOCOLATE AND HAZELNUT HIGH PROTEIN GRANOLA RECIPE

Filed Under: Air Fryer recipes, Appetisers, Dinner, Healthy Eats, Lunch, Meal Prep, Sauces and Dips, Side Dishes, Uncategorized Tagged With: air fryer, air fryer orange chicken, air fryer recipes, asian food, copycat recipe, orange, pf changs

Air fryer KFC Southern Fried Chicken Drumsticks

March 12, 2021 12 Comments

cooked kfc chicken in a takeaway paper bucket

This healthy copycat KFC Southern fried chicken recipe will blow your mind! The air fryer buttermilk marinated chicken drumsticks are juicy, crispy, tender and so easy to make! The BEST homemade Fried Chicken you will ever make!

cooked kfc chicken in a takeaway paper bucket

Fried chicken is my most favourite food EVER! I’ve been making the delish dish for over 15 years and over this period I have perfected the most amazing and slightly healthier homemade recipe cooked via an air fryer!

These delicious buttermilk chicken drumsticks are also a copycat of the very popular KFC style fried chicken! 

They taste so good!

Let’s deep dive into how to make the BEST homemade fried chicken you’ve ever tasted!

close up of the air fried chicken

NEED SOME MORE RECIPE INSPIRATION? – TRY OUT THESE AMAZING RECIPES TOO! 

  •  HOMEMADE NANDO’S PERI PERI SAUCE RECIPE
  • GOURMET BACON AVOCADO GROUND BEEF BURGER RECIPE
  • WAGAMAMA FIRECRACKER CHICKEN RECIPE – MEAL PREP
  • PF CHANG’S DYNAMITE BANG BANG SHRIMP RECIPE
  • AIR FRYER CHOCOLATE AND HAZELNUT HIGH PROTEIN GRANOLA RECIPE

Why buttermilk for fried chicken? 

Homemade Buttermilk fried chicken tastes amazing, juicy and tender! There is also a science behind why buttermilk can elevate southern style fried chicken to the next level! 

What does buttermilk do to chicken

Buttermilk, which is traditionally made from lemon and cows’ milk, is used as a marinade to tenderise poultry and other meats. The science behind buttermilk is that it has an acidic and also creamy nature which breaks down the fibres of chicken or meat, resulting in tenderisation. Another benefit of marinating with buttermilk is that the flesh stays juicy and does not dry out as the acidity levels in buttermilk is quite mild.

  • Plate of fried chicken
  • Dipping air fried chicken into gravy

How long to marinate chicken in buttermilk

You can marinade chicken for up to 3 – 4 days in buttermilk. The longer the chicken is marinating in buttermilk the more tender the chicken becomes and also takes on any additional flavourings added to the buttermilk even more intensely, as opposed to marinating chicken for 24 hours for example.

Do you wash buttermilk off chicken

When preparing fried chicken which has been marinating in buttermilk, you do not wash off the buttermilk before adding to flour. When preparing chicken pieces to be dredged in seasoned flour you just simply shake off the excess buttermilk before dipping into flour. You still want buttermilk on the chicken because as well as acting as a probiotic tenderiser, the buttermilk also helps the seasoned flour adhere to the chicken pieces. This will also help the chicken get really crispy whilst cooking.

buttermilk hot sauce and egg in a bowl ready to marinate the chicken

Can I use milk instead of buttermilk for fried chicken

If you can’t get hold of buttermilk or would prefer to make southern fried chicken without buttermilk, you can definitely just use milk as an alternative. The crispy batter will be slightly thinner and lighter in texture compared to buttermilk as plain milk is quite thin in consistency. 

Where does southern fried chicken come from

Southern fried chicken is typically marinated in buttermilk before dredging in seasoned flour and then fried in oil. This delicious crispy fried chicken originates from the southern states of America.

What to serve fried chicken with?

Fried chicken is an amazing dish or appetiser eaten on its own! However southern fried chicken can be paired with so many other dishes or sauces. Here’s some ideas to pair KFC style chicken with a meal;

  • Fried chicken and gravy 
  • Fried chicken served with pickles
  • Great when served with French fries /chips 
  • Fried chicken and waffles 
  • Served with mac and cheese
  • Chicken in burgers is also a classic combination 
plate of air fryer chicken and a sauce pot of gravy

What is KFC secret recipe ingredients 

One of the most sort after commercial culinary secrets is the KFC original recipe fried chicken recipe. The global fried chicken restaurant and take out brand is widely popular throughout the world. It’s said the secret recipe includes 11 top secret spices / seasoning to give the chicken its amazing moreish taste! Opinions vary on the exact recipe however I have tested and found the combination of spices below to get you pretty close to the notorious original Kentucky fried chicken flavour.

  1. Salt
  2. Dried thyme 
  3. Dried Basil 
  4. Oregano
  5. Celery salt 
  6. Dried mustard 
  7. Paprika
  8. Marjoram
  9. Ginger 
  10. White pepper 
  11. Ground black pepper 
kfc spices on a plate

What is seasoned flour

Seasoned flour is flour that has been mixed with herbs, spices and salt for extra flavour. Usually, all purpose flour/plain flour is used when making buttermilk KFC style fried chicken. By seasoning both the chicken, the buttermilk marinade and the flour you ensure the fried chicken drumstick, wings, breasts, etc. are packed full of flavour with every bite

How to season flour for fried chicken

Simply add spices, herbs and salt to flour and mix until fully combined. Seasoned flour can be stored in an air tight jar when made in bulk, ready for your next  fried chicken meal!

spices and herbs in a bowl for the kfc seasoned flour

How to make air fried chicken like KFC original recipe 

To achieve crisp delicious coating like KFC for fried chicken when cooking in an air fryer, follow the steps below; (for more detailed recipe steps including ingredient amounts, timing and temperatures please scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post)

  1. Preheat – Preheat the air fryer (if this setting is available on the model your using) 
  2. Buttermilk Marinade – Add the buttermilk, egg and hot sauce to a large bowl. Whisk until combined then add the chicken drumsticks to the bowl, stir and set aside to use straight away or for the best results marinate overnight in the fridge. 
  3. Making the Copycat KFC Original Recipe Seasoned Flour – Add flour into another large bowl alongside with the all the 11 KFC spices & salt to make the seasoned flour. Mix until all the spices have combined with the flour evenly. Add 4 x tablespoons of the buttermilk marinade to the seasoned flour and mix. Little crumb will form which will help with the overall crispiness’ of the chicken.
  4. Dredging the chicken – Using hands take one drumstick out of the buttermilk marinade, shake of the excess liquid, then add to the seasoned flour. Use your hands to cover the drumsticks with the flour, apply pressure to ensure the flour adheres fully. Shake off the excess and place into the air fryer basket. 
  5. Air frying the chicken drumsticks – Spray the dredged chicken drumsticks generously with vegetable oil, then air fry for 10 minutes at 180c/350f . After the initial 10minutes of cooking stop the air fryer and turn the chicken drumsticks over to crisp up the other side of the chicken. Spray the chicken with oil to cover any flour patches. Then air fry for a further 7-8 minutes at 180c/350f degrees until cooked.
  • fried chicken ingredients
  • kfc chicken marinade with buttermilk
  • buttermilk marinade
  • chicken marinating in the buttermilk and then seasoned in flour
  • the dredged kfc chicken in the air fryer
  • cooked kfc chicken in the air fryer basket

How does KFC cook their chicken 

KFC deep fry their chicken drumsticks in large industrial pressure cooker fryers, this helps give the chicken a super crispy skin whilst the chicken flesh inside remains very moist. The cook time is usually slightly less than a traditional deep fat fryer or shallow frying via a cast iron skillet. Although traditional fried chicken will always have a fatty nature due to the deep-frying cooking process, pressure frying is known to alleviate some of the greasiness.

air fried kfc chicken in a takeaway bucket

Do Air fryers work for fried chicken?

Air frying is a great alternative to deep frying chicken. You can achieve pretty similar results to traditionally fried chicken. As well as being healthier due to; the reduced oil used during the cooking process & air frying negates the oil smells that can fill the kitchen when deep frying or using a cast iron skillet to make fried chicken.

How to make crispy fried chicken drumsticks in air fryer

Air fryers are such a great kitchen gadget for achieving crispy results without the hassle of deep frying or longer cook times via a traditional oven. There are a few key tips to achieving crispy, KFC style, Southern fried chicken drumsticks results when using an air fryer ;

  • Coating seasoned chicken in a seasoned flour dredge 
  • Ensure the air fryer basket is not overcrowded with chicken. If there are too many pieces at one time in the air fryer the chicken batter will stick together. Also a steaming effect will occur resulting in soggy batter and you don’t want that! 
  • Generously spraying the chicken with oil to help the flour crisp up whilst cooking 
  • For the crispiest results I prefer not to use a greaseproof air fryer liner. When testing I found moisture would form at the base of the chicken pieces, making the KFC style batter slightly soggy. Most air fryer baskets are made from non-stick materials, so a liner is not required. Also, residual oil that releases from the chicken during the cooking process also helps prevent the southern fried chicken from sticking to the air fryer base.
cooked kfc chicken in the air fryer basket

How long to cook fried chicken in air fryer 

How long the cooking time would be for fried chicken in the air fryer will depend on the sizes of chicken you are using and whether or not the chicken pieces are on the bone. For my KFC style buttermilk southern fried chicken recipe, I air fry the chicken drumsticks for a total of 18 minutes, flipping the chicken over at the 10-minute mark. If you were cooking boneless fried chicken thighs or wings, I’ve found the timings in the air fryer are a lot less, for example between the 13-15 minute mark. (subject to the temperature you’re cooking at)

Air fried kfc chicken on a plate

At what temperature do you cook fried chicken in the air fryer

I’ve tested multiple air fryer temperatures to achieve the best southern fried chicken results! The sweet spot in my opinion is 180c/350f, the chicken drumsticks, thighs, breast or wings cooked at this level achieve an even golden and crispy texture on the surface of the surface, whilst also being cooked in the centre. 

How to reheat fried chicken in air fryer

I love to use my air fryer to reheat KFC style fried chicken. Its way quicker than using an oven, results in even cooking and also eliminates sogginess that occurs when reheating fried food in a microwave. To reheat crispy fried chicken place the chicken drumsticks or other cuts of chicken into the air fryer basket, ensure you do not overcrowd!  Set the temperature to 180c/350f and air fry for 5-7 minutes.

Can you fry frozen chicken in air fryer

You most definitely can air fry frozen chicken in the air fryer. If you would like to reheat frozen pieces of KFC style buttermilk chicken place the chicken pieces back into the air fryer straight from the freezer. Air fryer for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through, at 180c/350f. 

Thank you so much for reading along. I hope you making your AIR FRYER KFC COPYCAT SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN!

If you try this recipe, I would be grateful if you could leave a review and star rating, you can find this at the bottom of the page and recipe card 

You can also share via social media. If you can take a photo and hashtag #prettydeliciouseats  — I would love to see your meals on Instagram, Pinterest,  Facebook ! 

Click the image below to save to your Pinterest boards!

pinterest pin of air fried kfc chicken in a bucket

WANT MORE AIR FRYER MEALS? – TRY OUT THESE AMAZING RECIPES TOO! 

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cooked kfc chicken in a takeaway paper bucket

Air fryer KFC Buttermilk Southern Fried Chicken Drumsticks


★★★★★

5 from 5 reviews

  • Author: Catherine
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 8-9 Pieces of chicken
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Description

This Healthy Copycat KFC Southern Fried Chicken recipe will blow your mind! The Air Fryer Buttermilk marinated Chicken Drumsticks are juicy, crispy, tender and so easy to make! The BEST homemade Fried Chicken you will ever make!


Ingredients

Chicken Drumsticks:

  • Chicken drumsticks – 1kg /2.2pounds
  • Hot sauce* (Franks hot sauce works well) – 75ml / 1/3 cup
  • Egg – 1 x egg
  • Buttermilk – 250ml (if making your own buttermilk – 250ml / 1 cup of whole milk + the juice of 1 x lemon, leave for 5 minutes to thicken)
  • Vegetable oil for spraying the chicken

     

KFC Original Recipe Copycat Seasoned flour:

  • Plain/All-purpose flour – 272g / 2 x cups
  • Salt – 3 x teaspoons
  • Dried thyme – 2 x teaspoons
  • Dried Basil – 2x teaspoons
  • Oregano – 1 x teaspoon
  • Celery salt – 2 x teaspoons
  • Dried mustard – 1 x teaspoon
  • Paprika – 3 x teaspoons
  • Marjoram – 2 x teaspoons
  • Ground ginger – 1 x teaspoon
  • Ground white pepper – 2 x teaspoons
  • Ground black pepper – 2 x teaspoons

     

 


Instructions

  1. Preheat prep: Preheat the air fryer (if this setting is available on the model your using)
  2. Buttermilk Marinade: Add the buttermilk, egg and hot sauce to a large bowl. Whisk until combined then add the chicken drumsticks to the bowl, stir and set aside to use straight away or for the best results marinate overnight in the fridge. (Optional – Check out the recipe notes section further down the recipe card for instructions on how to make your own buttermilk)
  3. Making the Copycat KFC Original Recipe Seasoned Flour: Add flour into another large bowl alongside with the all the 11 KFC spices & salt to make the seasoned flour. Mix until all the spices have combined with the flour evenly. Add 4 x tablespoons of the buttermilk marinade to the seasoned flour and mix. Little crumb will form which will help with the overall crispiness’ of the chicken.
  4. Dredging the chicken: Using hands take one drumstick out of the buttermilk marinade, shake of the excess liquid, then add to the seasoned flour. Use your hands to cover the drumsticks with the flour, apply pressure to ensure the flour adheres fully. Shake off the excess and place into the air fryer basket.
  5. Air frying the chicken drumsticks: Spray the dredged chicken drumsticks generously with vegetable oil, then air fry for 10 minutes at 180c/350f . After the initial 10 minutes of cooking stop the air fryer and turn the chicken drumsticks over to crisp up the other side of the chicken. Spray the chicken with oil to cover any flour patches. Then air fry for a further 7-8 minutes at 180c/350f degrees until cooked
  6. Serving Suggestion: Remove the cooked pieces of chicken from the air fryer basket and serve straight away.

Notes

How to make homemade Buttermilk – (if making your own buttermilk – 250ml / 1 cup of whole milk + the juice of 1 x lemon, leave for 5 minutes to thicken)     

Hot sauce – I like to use the Franks Hot Sauce for the buttermilk marinade

  • Prep Time: 8
  • Cook Time: 17
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Air Frying
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: air fryer, fried chicken, kfc recipe, buttermilk, southern fried chicken, copycat recipe, take out, take away, air fryer recipes

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Tag @prettydeliciouseats on Instagram and hashtag it #prettydeliciouseats

Filed Under: Air Fryer recipes, Appetisers, Baking, Dinner, Healthy Eats, Lunch, Meal Prep, Side Dishes, Uncategorized Tagged With: air fryer, air fryer recipes, buttermilk, copycat recipe, fried chicken, kfc recipe, southern fried chicken, take away, take out

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Hey, it's Catherine!

WELCOME TO PRETTY DELICIOUS EATS! I'm one busy city girl who is a massive foodie that loves food photography, videography and most importantly creating DELICIOUS recipes! Follow my culinary journey with recipes I have personally developed at PRETTY DELICIOUS EATS. I love to cook some of my favourite DELICIOUS dishes from all over the world and also make things easy for the busy everyday homecook with easy to follow meal prep ideas, quick meals, weeknight dinners, one pot wonders and LOTS MORE! I cant wait for you to try my recipes! Happy Eating! Catherine :) x
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