2 Ingredient Crispy "Fried" Chicken (No Flour or Frying) (2023)

Crispy chicken that looks and tastes like fried chicken except that this chicken doesn’t require any frying. This is a very easy way to make crispy chicken that tastes as good as fried chicken but without all the work. It is also healthier than traditional fried chicken. The chicken can be cooked in the oven or in an air fryer.

This is one of my favorite ways to make chicken. It’s a quick and easy weeknight meal that everyone in my family enjoys. The chicken stays so moist and juicy and the skin is incredibly crispy. When it is first finished cooking, you can tap on it and hear just how crispy the skin is.

Ingredients

• Chicken drumsticks, thighs or wings
• Baking Powder

The two main ingredients you need to make crispy chicken are chicken and baking powder. You can add other seasonings for flavor and you can also add oil to help create an even golden color if you are serving them plain, but they are not necessary to actually make the chicken crispy.

Chicken: I recommend sticking with drumsticks, thighs and full wings for this recipe. If you want to make party wings, I also have a recipe for crispy party wings. I don’t recommend breast meat. Chicken breast meat can get dry easily and the chicken will be cooked past the point of when the meat is done to get the skin extra crispy, so it doesn’t work with breast meat as well. Drumsticks, thighs and wings still stay juicy even if they are cooked a little longer. You can use fresh or frozen chicken. If using frozen, make sure to completely thaw before using.

Baking Powder: If possible, use aluminum-free baking powder. While it is not necessary for the baking powder to be aluminum free for this technique to work, using aluminum free will ensure there is no metallic aftertaste.

Optional Add-Ons

The chicken can be eaten just as is. This is how I usually serve it. However, you can easily add more flavor with other dry seasonings (like paprika, garlic powder, onion powder) or with a sauce (like bbq sauce).

You may also may want to add salt. This really depends on the chicken you are using. When using frozen chicken, I don’t feel the need to add salt since most frozen chicken is often treated with a saline solution so that they already have a good amount of salt added. If you are using fresh chicken that doesn’t have a lot of salt added to it, I do recommend adding a little salt with the baking powder. However, everyone’s salt preference is different. The best way to determine if you think you will need to add salt is to check the sodium level on the nutrition label of the packaging for the chicken.

How to Make Crispy Fried Chicken in the Oven

First, you will want to pull and stretch the chicken skin so that it completely covers the drumstick, thighs or wings. This is usually the most necessary with drumsticks. This step is necessary to ensure that the chicken skin is what is mostly being coated in baking powder and not the meat. In the photo below I show how the chicken looks before and after.

The chicken is then tossed in baking powder. If adding salt (or other seasonings), add it with the baking powder. Try your best to evenly distribute the baking powder across. You can use a basting brush to help spread the baking powder evenly.

Spray an oven-safe baking rack with cooking oil spray. Place it on top of a baking sheet lined with foil. You can also brush with oil if you don’t have a spray. Make sure to generously coat the cooling rack so the chicken doesn’t stick to it. Place the chicken on the rack, making sure none of the chicken pieces overlap. Spray chicken surface with cooking spray. You can also brush with oil instead.

Bake in the oven for about 40-45 minutes or until chicken skin reaches desired crispness and chicken is fully cooked inside.

How to Make Crispy Fried Chicken in the Air Fryer

The preparation for the chicken is the same as the oven version.

Spray the inner plate of the air fryer basket that the chicken will be sitting on with cooking oil. (Some air fryers just have a removable basket and some have a removable grill plate. Mine has a grill plate that is placed inside the basket.) Place the chicken on, making sure none overlap. Spray the surface of the chicken with oil or brush with oil.

Cook for about 25 minutes.

I personally prefer the air fryer version because it cooks faster, but if I am making a large amount I will use the oven instead. The chicken comes out almost exactly the same with either method.

More Easy Chicken Dishes

• Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken
• PF Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps
• Cheesy Chicken Fritters