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A white plate overflowing with golden, crispy Air Fryer Popcorn Chicken pieces, with a white air fryer visible in the background. The plate is surrounded by small bowls of dipping sauces like ketchup and creamy pink sauce.

Air Fryer Popcorn Chicken

Crunchy, golden, bite-sized chicken pieces made effortlessly in the air fryer — flavorful, juicy, and perfect for dipping!
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
Total Time 34 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 260
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken & Marinade
  • 1 lb boneless chicken breasts cut into small bite-sized pieces
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp salt
Coating
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
Finish
  • olive oil spray

Equipment

  • Air Fryer
  • Mixing bowls

Method
 

  1. Place chicken pieces in a bowl, pour in buttermilk, add garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix and marinate at least 20 minutes.
  2. In a separate bowl, combine flour, breadcrumbs, onion powder, and oregano.
  3. Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip off, and fully coat each piece in breadcrumb mixture.
  4. Preheat air fryer to 380°F (193°C) for 3 minutes.
  5. Arrange coated chicken pieces in a single layer in the basket. Spray lightly with olive oil.
  6. Cook for 8 minutes, shake basket, spray again, and cook another 5–6 minutes until golden and crisp.
  7. Let rest 2 minutes before serving to keep them crunchy.
  8. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce or a squeeze of lemon.

Notes

For extra crunch, double-coat the chicken by dipping it back into the buttermilk and then the breadcrumb mixture again.