Potato Chip Chicken (Air Fryer or Oven)
Golden, crunchy Potato Chip Chicken made with juicy chicken thighs and a crisp potato chip coating. Easy to make in the air fryer or oven and ready in under an hour.
Servings: 5 to 6 servings (1 thigh)
Ingredients
- 1¾ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs , trimmed of excess fat (5 to 6 thighs)
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 8 ounce bag potato chips (see Notes 1 and 2)
- 1 teaspoon Lawry's original seasoned salt , divided
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder , divided
- ¾ teaspoon onion powder , divided
- ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika , divided
- ¾ teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper , divided (plus additional for seasoning the thighs)
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
Instructions
- Crush your potato chips. You can either place them in a zip-top bag and roll over them with a rolling pin, or pulse them in a food processor. Aim for mostly fine crumbs, with a few pieces left slightly larger (about ¼ inch wide) for texture. You should have 2 cups of crushed chips.
- Prepare 3 shallow bowls or trays for breading. In the first bowl, combine the flour with ½ teaspoon seasoned salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, and ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika.
- Beat the eggs in the second bowl.
- In the third bowl, mix the crushed potato chips with ½ teaspoon seasoned salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper, until the seasonings are well distributed.
Bread the Chicken
- Lightly season the chicken thighs on both sides with kosher salt and black pepper.
- Bread the chicken thighs one at a time by dredging in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess. Then dip the chicken into the eggs, letting any extra egg drip back off into the bowl. Lastly, coat in the potato chip mixture, pressing well so the chips adhere to the chicken.
To Air Fry (Crispiest)
- Preheat your air fryer to 390℉ according to the manufacturer's instructions. Arrange the breaded thighs in a single layer in the air fryer basket. You will most likely need to cook them in batches. In my XL basket, I can fit 2 to 3 thighs at a time, depending on their size.
- Air Fry for 13 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the thighs are cooked through, golden, and crispy (see Notes 3 and 4).
To Bake
- Preheat to 400°F and line a rimmed half sheet pan with foil or parchment. Set a wire rack on top and lightly spray it with cooking spray.
- Arrange the thighs in a single layer and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, flipping once, until the chips are golden and the chicken is cooked through.
To Serve
- Let the chicken rest on a wire rack for about 5 minutes before serving, either on its own or with dipping sauces like honey mustard, BBQ, or Comeback Sauce (see Note 5). If needed, you can finish the chicken on the serving platter with a light pinch of flaky sea salt, depending on the saltiness of the chips you used. (Taste first, and salt only if needed.)
Notes
1. Sodium: The kettle chips I used (Herr's) have 170 mg of sodium per serving. If your chips are significantly saltier or lower in sodium, adjust the added salt in the coating so the chicken doesn’t turn out too salty—or bland.
2. Chip Style: Kettle-cooked chips give the crunchiest coating. If using regular potato chips, wavy styles (such as Lay’s Wavy) work best. Reduced-fat kettle chips (such as Cape Cod) also work, but the coating will be slightly drier since they contain less oil.
3. Chicken Internal Temperature: Cooked chicken thighs are safe to eat at 165°F, but I find they’re much more tender and juicy when cooked a bit higher—around 175–185°F. If substituting leaner chicken breast tenderloins, cook them to 165°F to keep them juicy.
4. Air Frying Cooking Times: Air Fryer performance can vary depending on the model/style, so it’s a good idea to keep an eye on your first batch. If your air fryer runs hot and the chips start browning too quickly, lower the temperature to 375°F.
5. Dipping Sauces. See my collection of Dipping Sauces for inspo, including recipes for Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce and zesty Comeback Sauce.
Nutrition
Serving: 1thigh | Calories: 405kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.05g | Cholesterol: 188mg | Sodium: 729mg | Potassium: 824mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 246IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 2mg
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