Hey there, chicken lovers! If you’re anything like us, you dream of perfectly crispy, golden-brown chicken that’s juicy on the inside, without all the oil and mess of deep frying. Enter the humble (but mighty!) air fryer. This kitchen superstar has revolutionized the way we cook, especially when it comes to poultry. It’s no wonder so many of us are on the hunt for the best air fryer for chicken.
But with so many models out there, how do you pick the right one? You want an air fryer that delivers consistent results, is easy to use, and maybe even tackles a whole chicken or a batch of wings with ease. We’ve scoured the market to bring you our top 5 picks, helping you make an informed decision for your next delicious chicken meal.
Ready to find your kitchen’s new best friend? Let’s dive in!
Our Top 5 Picks for the Best Air Fryer for Chicken
1. Emeril Lagasse Extra Large French Door Air Fryer Toaster Oven
This isn’t just an air fryer; it’s a culinary powerhouse. The Emeril Lagasse Extra Large French Door Air Fryer Toaster Oven combines multiple appliances into one sleek unit, making it a true game-changer for anyone who loves versatility in the kitchen. Its generous 26-quart capacity means you can easily roast a 6-lb chicken or bake a 12-inch pizza, perfect for family meals or entertaining. The elegant French doors and stainless steel exterior add a touch of sophistication to any countertop, while the dual-speed fan ensures your chicken (or anything else!) gets that coveted golden-fried crisp.
-
Key Features:
- A VERSATILE AIR FRYER AND MULTI-COOKER COMBO: Elevates practically any meal, from air frying quick after-school snacks to roasting for large gatherings.
- PERFECTLY DONE TOAST: Oven turns off automatically when the toast countdown timer ends – no burnt toast! Indicator light is red while toasting, blue when timer ends and oven turns off. Place rack at indicated toast position for ideal results.
- 25 COOKING PRE-SETS: Provide a variety of cooking methods: Ribs, Defrost, Bake, Toast, Chicken, Pizza, Pastry, Slow Cook, Roast, Reheat, and Keep Warm.
- DUAL-SPEED FAN: Golden fried crisping at its finest with 360º superheated air circulation for your homemade cooking.
- 26-QUART CAPACITY: This Extra-large 26-quart capacity countertop toaster is suitable for preparing food for 4–6 people with capacity to rotisserie a 6-lb chicken, bake a 12” pizza.
- STAINLESS STEEL EXTERIOR: A stainless steel exterior provides a beautiful aesthetic to any kitchen, taking your party hosting to the next level. And Elegant French doors open with a single pull – interior light allows you to monitor food.
-
Pros:
- Extremely versatile with 25 presets and multi-cooker functions.
- Large capacity, great for families and rotisserie chicken.
- Elegant design with practical French doors.
- Dual-speed fan ensures even, crispy results.
- Toast function with automatic shut-off.
-
Cons:
- Larger footprint might take up significant counter space.
- Higher price point compared to basic air fryers.
-
User Impressions: Customers rave about its multi-functionality and large capacity, making it a go-to for everything from toast to a full roasted chicken. The build quality and aesthetic appeal are also frequently praised.
2. Chefman TurboFry® Touch Air Fryer, XL 8-Qt Family Size
Looking for perfectly crispy chicken with minimal effort and oil? The Chefman TurboFry® Touch Air Fryer is your answer. This 8-quart digital air fryer is designed for family-sized meals, offering a healthier way to enjoy your fried favorites with up to 98% less oil. Its one-touch presets simplify cooking, while the intelligent LED shake reminder ensures your chicken wings or fries are evenly crisped every single time. Plus, cleanup is a breeze thanks to its dishwasher-safe basket and tray.
-
Key Features:
- CRISPY & HEALTHY: Dive into the world of our Digital Air Fryer Oven. Relish crispy delights with 98% less oil. Ideal for veggies, pizza, frozen foods, and more. A healthier choice every time.
- ONE-TOUCH MAGIC: Large Air Fryer Presets for fries, chicken, fish, and meat. Simplify your cooking with this stainless steel air fryer. Start your air frying adventure instantly.
- LED SHAKE REMINDER: Achieve perfection with our Stainless Steel Air Fryer. The LED alarm ensures even crispiness by reminding you to shake. Every dish, evenly crisped.
- PRECISE TEMPERATURES: Air Fryer XL Range from 200-400°F caters to every dish. Whether you desire less crunch or more, our air fryer large model has you covered.
- EFFORTLESS CLEANING: Our Air Fryer 8qt ensures cleaning is a breeze. With a dishwasher-safe basket and tray, and an easy-to-wipe exterior, maintenance is simple and quick.
- INTELLIGENT SHUTOFF: Prioritizing safety, our Digital Air Fryer pauses heating when opened and resumes when closed. It also shuts off automatically post-cooking.
- FAMILY-SIZED QUICK COOKING: Designed for 4-6 people, our Large Air Fryer gets dinner ready swiftly. Perfect for those busy evenings when time is of the essence.
- SLEEK & SPACIOUS DESIGN: Our Air Fryer 8qt Model boasts elegance without occupying much space. A chic addition to contemporary kitchens.
- TRUSTED QUALITY: cETL approved with advanced safety tech. 1-year assurance by Chefman. 120 Volts/1700 Watts – RJ38-SQSS-8T.
-
Pros:
- Achieves very crispy results with significantly less oil.
- Intuitive one-touch presets for common foods like chicken.
- LED shake reminder ensures even cooking.
- Easy to clean with dishwasher-safe parts.
- Safety features like intelligent shutoff.
-
Cons:
- No multi-cooker functions like roasting or rotisserie.
- 8-quart capacity might be too small for a whole chicken.
-
User Impressions: Users frequently highlight the ease of use and how effectively it crisps food. The shake reminder is a particularly loved feature, ensuring consistently delicious results for items like chicken wings and fries.
3. Ninja Air Fryer, Roast, Bake, Air Fry, Roast, Broil
The Ninja Air Fryer is a true classic in the air frying world, renowned for its ability to deliver delicious, guilt-free food. If you’re looking for the best air fryer for chicken that focuses on excellent air frying performance without too many frills, this 4-quart model is a fantastic choice. It crisps food with up to 75% less fat than traditional frying and offers a wide temperature range, making it perfect not just for air frying chicken, but also for roasting, reheating, and even dehydrating homemade snacks.
-
Key Features:
- LESS FAT: Now enjoy guilt-free food. Air fry with up to 75% less fat than traditional frying methods. Tested against hand-cut, deep-fried French fries.
- WIDE TEMPERATURE RANGE: 105°F-400°F allows you to gently remove moisture from foods or quickly cook and crisp foods with convection heat.
- FAMILY-SIZED CAPACITY: 4-quart ceramic-coated nonstick basket and crisper plate fit 2 lbs of French fries.
- 4-IN-1 VERSATILITY: Includes 4 versatile cooking programs: Air Fry, Roast, Reheat, and Dehydrate.
- DEHYDRATE: Create flat, chip-like dehydrated foods for fun, homemade snacks. The combination of low fan speed and low temperature enables thorough dehydration.
- EASY-TO-CLEAN: Dishwasher safe parts including the basket, and crisper plate. Wipe to clean machine exterior.
- WHAT’S INCLUDED: Shark Air Fryer, 4 Quart Nonstick Basket, Crisper Plate, and 20 Recipe Booklet.
-
Pros:
- Significantly reduces fat compared to deep frying.
- Versatile with four cooking programs.
- Wide temperature range for various cooking needs.
- Dishwasher-safe parts make cleanup a breeze.
- Compact size fits well in most kitchens.
-
Cons:
- 4-quart capacity is smaller, not ideal for a whole chicken.
- Fewer presets than some competitors.
-
User Impressions: Users consistently praise its ability to cook food quickly and evenly, achieving a satisfying crisp. Many highlight its ease of use and cleaning, making it a staple for daily meals like chicken tenders or small batches of wings.
4. Typhur Dome 2 Air Fryer, Extra Large Airfryer with
When speed, efficiency, and quiet operation are your top priorities, the Typhur Dome 2 Air Fryer stands out. Recommended by America’s Test Kitchen and voted best large-capacity air fryer by Reviewed USA Today, this model boasts innovative 360° heating technology inspired by professional pizza ovens. It cooks food up to 30% faster than traditional air fryers, meaning you can get 32 chicken wings ready in just 14 minutes! Plus, its whisper-quiet operation and unique self-cleaning mode make it a joy to use.
-
Key Features:
- 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮’𝘀 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗞𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗔𝗶𝗿 𝗙𝗿𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰, 𝗩𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲-𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 𝗯𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝗲𝗱 𝗨𝗦𝗔 𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆.
- 𝟯𝟲𝟬° 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 | Inspired by professional pizza ovens, Typhur reinvented the airflow and circulation of the air fryer, reducing cooking time by up to 30%. Dual heating elements (top and bottom), ensures your food is cooked evenly with less shaking or flipping. Paired with dual temperature sensors, this innovative system delivers delicious results every time.
-
𝟭 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗱 | Dome 2 Air Fryer cooks food 30% faster than traditional air fryers. Cook 32 chicken wings in 14 minutes, 2 steaks in 8 minutes, or 10 pieces of bacon in 10 minutes.
- 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗿-𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗲𝘁 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 | Enjoy cooking with minimal noise. The Typhur Dome 2 is quiet, operating at 55dB. This means you can cook delicious, crispy food without having to shout over the noise.
- 𝟭𝟱-𝗶𝗻-𝟭 𝗠𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗖ooking | The Typhur Dome 2 is designed to save space by consolidating multiple kitchen tools in to one. It’s capable of 15 cooking functions, including Pizza, Bacon, Steak, Wings, Fries, Frozen, Air Fry, Toast, Grill, Bake, Griddle, Roast, Broil, Dehydrate, and Reheat, covering nearly every cooking need.
- 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲 | Typhur Dome’s self-cleaning function removes oil and stains form the top cavity in 2 hours, leaving your appliance spotless. Activate it on the app once a month.
- 𝗡𝗼𝗻-𝗦𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗖𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗲𝘁 | Experience effortless cooking with the Typhur Dome 2 Air Fryer’s non-stick ceramic basket coating. Enjoy the convenience of a non-stick and non-toxic surface without unnecessary details.
-
Pros:
- Incredibly fast cooking times due to advanced heating technology.
- Whisper-quiet operation, a rarity for air fryers.
- Unique self-cleaning mode for effortless maintenance.
- Very large capacity for big meals.
- Highly versatile with 15 cooking functions.
-
Cons:
- Premium price point.
- Self-cleaning function is app-activated, requiring smartphone integration.
-
User Impressions: Reviewers are amazed by its cooking speed and the quiet operation. The self-cleaning feature is a major bonus, praised for making maintenance incredibly easy. It’s often touted as a top performer for crispy results.
5. CHEFMAN Multifunctional Digital Air Fryer+ Rotisserie
For those who want to do it all with chicken – from crispy wings to a perfectly roasted whole bird – the CHEFMAN Multifunctional Digital Air Fryer+ Rotisserie is a fantastic option. This extra-large 10-liter convection oven doesn’t require preheating, getting your meals ready faster. Its rotisserie function is a standout, allowing you to achieve that perfectly golden, evenly cooked rotisserie chicken right on your countertop. With 17 preset options and a large viewing window, healthy cooking has never been so easy or fun.
-
Key Features:
- Versatile countertop cooking: Air fry, bake, dehydrate, rotisserie, or roast to crispy perfection in one convenient appliance.
- Cook faster: No need to preheat like traditional ovens. This all-in-one convection oven uses rapid air heating elements to cook fast, even, and crispy food.
- Healthy cooking made easy: Make healthy meals using 98% less oil than traditional fryers.
- Simplified set-up: Anyone can cook perfect meals in minutes with 17 preset options and an easy-to-use capacitive touch control screen.
- All-inclusive: Includes three air flow racks, stainless steel rotisserie oven spit with retrieval tool, and a drip tray.
- Family-size meals: Make meals for the family with the extra-large 10-Liter capacity. Also great for meal-prepping large quantities of food.
- Monitor cooking progress: The interior lights and extra-large air fryer oven window allow you to check your food’s cooking progress.
- Minimal clean-up: The removable drip tray and dishwasher-safe parts keep cleanup fast and simple.
- Resources: cETL approved with advanced safety technology for long-lasting durability and a 1-year assurance provided by Chefman. 120 Volts/1700 Watts – RJ38-10-RDO-V2, 11.8″D12.2″W14.6″H, 14.2 pounds (6,44kg).
-
Pros:
- Excellent rotisserie function for whole chickens.
- Large 10-liter capacity, great for families and meal prepping.
- No preheating required, saving time.
- Comes with multiple accessories, including racks and rotisserie tools.
- Clear viewing window and interior lights to monitor food.
-
Cons:
- Vertical design might be tall for some counter spaces.
- Digital interface can take a little getting used to for some users.
-
User Impressions: Users absolutely love the rotisserie feature, praising it for delivering tender and juicy whole chickens. The large capacity and quick cooking without preheating are also frequently cited as major advantages for busy families.
Conclusion
Choosing the best air fryer for chicken really boils down to your specific needs. Do you need a large capacity for whole rotisserie chickens, or are you primarily air frying smaller cuts like wings and tenders? Do you value multi-functionality over a dedicated air fryer, or is a super-fast and quiet operation more your style?
No matter which air fryer you choose from our list, you’re on your way to enjoying healthier, crispier, and incredibly delicious chicken meals with less fuss and less oil. Happy air frying!
FAQ Section
Q1: How does an air fryer make chicken so crispy?
A: Air fryers work by circulating hot air rapidly around the food using a powerful fan, similar to a convection oven. This “superheated” air creates a powerful convection effect that cooks the food quickly and evenly, crisping the exterior to mimic the texture of deep-fried food, but with minimal oil.
Q2: Can I cook a whole chicken in an air fryer?
A: Yes, many larger air fryers, especially those with rotisserie functions or extra-large capacities (like the Emeril Lagasse or CHEFMAN Multifunctional models reviewed above), are designed to cook a whole chicken. Always check the air fryer’s capacity and recommended weight limits.
Q3: What temperature and time are best for air frying chicken breast or thighs?
A: Generally, chicken breasts cook well at 375-400°F (190-200°C) for 15-20 minutes, while chicken thighs might take 20-25 minutes at the same temperature. Bone-in chicken will take longer. Always ensure internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) for food safety. Flipping or shaking halfway through cooking helps ensure even crisping.
Q4: Is air-fried chicken healthier than deep-fried?
A: Absolutely! Air frying uses significantly less oil (often up to 75-98% less) than traditional deep frying. This results in fewer calories and less fat in your finished dish, making it a healthier alternative without sacrificing that beloved crispy texture.
Q5: How do I clean my air fryer after cooking chicken?
A: Most air fryer baskets and trays are non-stick and often dishwasher-safe, making cleanup easy. For the best results, clean them after each use. Wipe down the interior and exterior of the main unit with a damp cloth once cooled. Some advanced models, like the Typhur Dome 2, even offer a self-cleaning mode!
Q6: What are some common mistakes to avoid when air frying chicken?
A: The most common mistakes include overcrowding the basket (which prevents air circulation and results in uneven cooking), not preheating the air fryer, not shaking or flipping the food halfway through, and not properly seasoning the chicken. Ensure a single layer of food for optimal crispiness.
Q7: Can I use parchment paper or aluminum foil in my air fryer?
A: Yes, you can use parchment paper or aluminum foil in an air fryer, but with caution. Ensure they are placed under the food to prevent them from flying up and potentially blocking the heating element or fan. Never preheat the air fryer with just parchment paper or foil inside, as they could catch fire.