Crispy air fryer lemon pepper chicken breasts are made with “made from scratch” lemon and pepper seasonings and a cornstarch and flour mixture.

Getting Air Fryer Crispy Lemon Pepper Chicken

The secret to achieving the crispiest chicken is by using cornstarch.  It’s the most important ingredient to getting that desirable airy and crunchy texture when biting into a piece of fried chicken.

Using flour alone won’t create the crispiest chicken; you need cornstarch to elevate your crispy chicken to the crispiest chicken!

Corn Starch is a Star Ingredient

Corn Starch​ is the secret ingredient you’ve been looking for – bringing endless possibilities to the table and providing a worry-free solution to thicken, adjust texture and elevate your cooking and baking.

Using cornstarch​ isn’t only great for creating crispy chicken; it also is great for making crispy vegetables when roasting your favorites in either the oven or air fryer.

It’s simple to do; follow your usual recipe for roasting and toss your vegetables to be roasted in just about 1/2 tbsp of corn starch.  This method is also great for crisping vegetables on the stove!

One of my favorite ways to use corn starch is by using it in desserts!  Whenever I make cheesecakes, usually in my pressure cooker, I use cornstarch to help bind the cheesecake mixture together.

It produces beautiful results and without a floury taste.

Another great use for cornstarch is to use it as a thickening agent in soups and gravies.  It takes less corn starch than flour to get creamy, delicious results.  I often create a slurry of corn starch and water to thicken my soups at the end.  It makes watery and brothy soups thick and creamy.

Corn starch is also gluten-free, so it’s a great alternative for recipes that call for flour, such as soups and vegetable dishes!

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The Crispiest Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Chicken Breasts

There are just a few main ingredients in making these crispiest chicken breasts – lemons, coarsely ground pepper, cornstarch, flour, and cooking spray for coating.

Creating the dry mixture and batter is fairly simple in making these chicken breasts.

To ensure getting not only the crispiest chicken but also the juiciest – don’t skip the brine!  This allows the chicken to tenderize and makes it juicy and flavorful.

I recommend leaving the chicken in the brine for at least 24 hours.

Although, you can take it out earlier than that.  I recommend 24 hours to maximize the tender and juicy results.

RELATED: Lemon Yogurt Bread

This recipe uses both lemon juice and lemon zest.  When zesting the lemons, be careful not to get grate the white peel of the lemon.  Doing so will make your chicken more bitter.

After zesting the lemons, squeeze the lemons to release them of their juices.  Remove any seeds that may have fallen into your juice and set them aside.  You’ll be using the lemon juice for the batter to dredge your chicken!

Air Fryer Crispy Lemon Pepper Chicken

Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook your chicken breasts in batches.  It’s also important to shop for chicken breasts that aren’t too large for your air fryer!  This could result in uneven cooking, and they may not even fit!

If using a basket-style air fryer, you will need to cook only two chicken breasts at a time, flip your chicken breasts, and coat them with oil during cooking.

When using the oven-style air fryer, you may be able to fit all four chicken breasts but will still need to turn and rotate the trays.  You’ll also need to spray any dry spots with cooking spray to get an even cook.