The Best Mediterranean Air Fryer Chicken

With perfectly crispy flavorful skin and juicy, tender chicken, this is by far the best air fryer chicken recipe you’ll find!

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It took a few delicious attempts, but I’ve come up with the best Mediterranean air fryer chicken to share with you. It’s ready in under 30 minutes with deliciously seasoned crispy skin and tender, juicy chicken your family will love. It’s perfect for summertime when you don’t want to turn on your oven or stand by a hot grill.

Can you fry chicken in an air fryer?

Yes! I’m not going to say that I don’t like traditional fried chicken, but anytime I can get fried chicken with fewer calories, I’m going to take it. With the air fryer, you don’t have to pre-cook the chicken in oil or use any oil on the chicken when preparing it. You just season the chicken and place it right in the air fryer. There’s no oil to prep or clean up, so it’s even quicker and easier to clean up than traditional fried chicken, too. It’s definitely a winner!

Why this is the best Mediterranean air fryer chicken

• Warm Mediterranean crispy skin
• Tender, juicy chicken
• Low calorie fried chicken
• Quick, easy, delicious fried chicken anytime!

What makes this fried chicken Mediterranean?

• Chicken quarters bone-in skin on –my favorite because it’s always juicy and cost-effective
• Juice of a lemon –substitute any vinegar if you don’t have a lemon on hand.
• Salt
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• Ground cumin –adds lots of warmth to the seasoning
• Ground coriander
• Dried oregano
• Sumac –tangy and adds great color, but if you can’t find it, you can leave it out
• Granulated garlic –or freshly grated garlic
• Crushed red pepper flakes –optional, but provide a little heat
• All-purpose flour

Tips and tricks:

A lot of people recommend using baking powder when frying chicken to make the skin crispier. So, I tried it. I found there to be a bitterness in the flavor of the chicken, so I don’t use it. If you want to try it, add one teaspoon of baking powder to the flour. Let me know what you think.

I cut slits in the chicken to help the marinade get inside the chicken and outside. Also, be sure not to skip the step of drying the chicken with paper towels. It will help your seasoning stick to the chicken and give you crispier skin. The dryer the chicken, the crispier the skin!

Freshly grated garlic would add so much more flavor, but I prefer garlic powder because it gets more evenly distributed with the other spices. Go with whichever you prefer.

How to make the best Mediterranean air fryer chicken

• Wash the chicken quarters and pat them completely dry.
• Cut 3-4 slits into the chicken and place them in a tray.
• Drizzle with lemon juice or vinegar and toss to coat.
• Season the chicken with salt, herbs, and spices and then with flour.
• Toss the chicken together.
• Place the seasoned chicken quarters in the air fryer basket and set the temperature to 400 °F.
• Cook for 20 minutes then, flip the chicken and cook for 8 minutes more until crispy.

To serve…

If you’re avoiding the heat of the oven and pulling dinner together in under 30 minutes, I say do the same with the sides. I like to serve this Mediterranean air fryer chicken with Mediterranean rice pilaf and a Greek salad. Any of your favorite quick sides will go perfectly. It really is the best Mediterranean air fryer chicken, so add it to your menu this week!

Let me know what you think and if you find a giant air fryer. I want to make even bigger batches of this delicious chicken! Enjoy!