Recipe of the Week: Spicy Air-Fried Chicken Thighs

Man do I love me some fried chicken. I had some at a restaurant a couple of weeks ago and that got me thinking how could I still have this delicious meal but with slight better macros. And BAM that is how this recipe was born.

The thighs were perfectly cooked with a good crunch and juiciness to them. This recipes is the closest I have found to traditional fried chicken. If you don’t have a air fryer, I would imagine that they turn out similarly in the oven.

Let me know how you enjoy this recipe! Message me any healthy dishes you would like to see on recipe of the week!

INGREDIENTS:
​2 cups low-fat buttermilk
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons water
2 cups breadcrumbs
Kosher salt
Cooking spray
Hot sauce

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine buttermilk, paprika, and cayenne pepper in a large bowl. Add chicken thighs, and turn to coat. Cover and marinate in refrigerator at least 6 hours or overnight.
2. Place flour in a shallow dish. Lightly whisk together eggs and water in a second shallow dish. Place panko in a third shallow dish. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Sprinkle chicken with salt. Dredge in flour, shaking off excess. Dip in egg mixture, allowing excess to drip off. Dredge in panko, pressing to adhere. Coat chicken on both sides with cooking spray.
3. Lightly spray air fryer basket with cooking spray. Place chicken in single layer in the basket, and cook in batches at 400°F until a thermometer inserted in chicken registers 165°F and coating is golden brown and crispy, 16 minutes, turning chicken over halfway through cooking.
4. ​To serve, place a chicken thigh on each plate, and drizzle with 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Information
Serving: 1 chicken thigh
Calories: 469
Protein: 52 g
Carbohydrates: 36 g
​Fat: 13 g