Gluten Free Air Fryer Fried Chicken
Crispy, golden fried chicken is one of those comfort foods that can feel completely off-limits when you're avoiding gluten — but this air fryer version proves you don't have to miss out. The secret is a coating built from rice flour and cornstarch, which fries up shatteringly crisp without a single trace of wheat flour. A buttermilk brine seasoned with smoked paprika, garlic powder, and a kick of cayenne does the heavy lifting on flavor, keeping the meat juicy all the way to the bone while the outside turns deep golden and crunchy. Pressing the coating firmly onto each piece and letting it rest on a wire rack before cooking makes sure it actually sticks — no sad, flaking breading here. The air fryer circulates heat so efficiently that you get that satisfying crunch without a pot of bubbling oil on the stove, which is a genuine win on a weeknight. This recipe serves 4, making it an easy family dinner that nobody at the table will suspect is anything other than classic fried chicken done right.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the brine
- 3 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (drumsticks and thighs)
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
For the coating
- ¾ cup rice flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- olive oil spray
Instructions
- 1
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper for the brine. Add the chicken pieces, turning to coat thoroughly, then cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (up to 8 hours).
- 2
In a shallow dish, whisk together the rice flour, cornstarch, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, salt, and black pepper for the coating until evenly combined.
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