Golden, juicy chicken pieces coated until crispy with classic Chinese five spice. Tossed with chunky sweet-crunchy onions, chillies and spring onions (scallions). A fakeaway favourite that’s lighter on oil but packed with flavour.
Nicky’s Recipe Notes
Salt and Pepper Chicken is irresistibly moreish — every time I make it it disappears in minutes. The coating is crisp yet light thanks to the cornflour (cornstarch in the USA), and the seasoning of salt, black pepper and Chinese five spice gives real depth of flavour.
Why it’s one of my top air fryer recipes:
- It crisps beautifully with minimal oil.
- Budget friendly — I use chicken thighs which stay juicy under high heat.
- A crowd pleaser for teens, grown-ups or a Friday-night fakeaway.
- Spice level is flexible — use milder peppers or hotter chiles to suit you.
Table of Contents
- Nicky’s Recipe Notes
- 📋 Ingredients
- Abbreviated recipe instructions
- Pro Tip
- Air Fryer Salt and Pepper Chicken Recipe
- 🍽️ What to serve it with
- ? Frequently Asked Questions
- 🍲 More crispy chicken recipes
📋 Ingredients
Chicken thighs – I recommend skinless thigh fillets because they stay juicier than breast when cooked at high heat. If you prefer chicken breast, use larger pieces so they don’t dry out.
Chinese five spice – essential for that authentic savoury warmth in the coating.
Chillies – choose the type to match your heat tolerance. Fresno or Serrano give a mild kick; Thai chillies are much hotter. Use bell peppers if you want no heat.
Spray oil – an even mist of a high smoke-point oil (avocado or similar) gives a great finish in the air fryer without adding excess oil.
Abbreviated recipe instructions
Full recipe and detailed steps are in the recipe card below.
Mix cornflour, Chinese five spice, salt and pepper and coat the chicken. Arrange in a single layer in the air fryer, spray with oil and cook at 200°C / 400°F for 20 minutes, shaking twice. Remove chicken. Toss chopped onion with garlic salt and pepper, spray and air fry 5 minutes. Add chillies and cook 2 minutes. Return chicken with spring onions, toss and air fry 1–2 minutes until hot. Serve immediately.
Pro Tip
Twenty minutes in the air fryer may seem long, but larger chicken thigh pieces handle the heat well and produce a golden, crispy exterior. Chinese five spice can slow browning slightly, so the longer cook time helps achieve a lovely finish.
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Air Fryer Salt and Pepper Chicken
Equipment
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Air fryer (single or double stack) — cook in batches if necessary
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Spray oil (avocado or other high smoke-point oil)
Ingredients
Chicken
- 5 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch in USA)
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp Chinese five spice
- 500 g (1.1 lb) skinless chicken thigh filletsquartered
- spray oil (about 20 squirts total)
Also
- 1 large onion peeled and cut into large chunks
- 1 tsp garlic salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 red chilli (Fresno or Serrano), finely diced
- green chilli (Fresno or Serrano), finely diced
- 3 spring onions (scallions) roughly chopped
Instructions
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In a large bowl, combine the cornflour, salt, black pepper and Chinese five spice.
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Add the chicken pieces and toss until every piece is thoroughly coated.
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Arrange the coated chicken in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Work in two batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding.
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Spray the chicken lightly with oil. Air fry at 200°C / 400°F for 20 minutes, shaking the basket twice during cooking for even browning. Remove the cooked chicken and keep warm in a bowl.
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Place the onion chunks in the air fryer basket, sprinkle with garlic salt and black pepper, spray with oil and air fry at 200°C / 400°F for 5 minutes until slightly charred and tender.
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Add the chopped chillies to the onions, toss and air fry for 2 minutes. Add the spring onions and the chicken, toss everything together and air fry for 1–2 minutes more until the chicken is heated through.
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Serve immediately with your favourite sides.
Notes
Why remove the chicken during onion cooking?
Onions release moisture as they cook; removing the chicken prevents that moisture from softening the crispy coating.
Why 20 minutes for the chicken?
Cornflour coatings and five-spice blends brown a little more slowly than panko-style coatings. Twenty minutes at high heat ensures a golden, crispy finish while thigh meat stays juicy.
Nutritional information is approximate per serving (recipe serves 4)
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
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🍽️ What to serve it with
- Egg fried rice, special fried rice or chips
- Sweet chilli sauce, sweet and sour sauce or bang bang sauce
- As part of a banquet with saucy mains such as Chinese chicken curry, honey garlic chicken or crispy orange beef
? Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, plain (all-purpose) flour will work in a pinch but produces a softer, less crispy coating. Potato starch or tapioca starch are better alternatives to cornflour if you have them.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days. Reheat in the air fryer at 160°C / 320°F with a light spray of oil for 4–5 minutes to refresh the crispiness.
🍲 More crispy chicken recipes
Appetizers
Air Fryer Crispy Chicken Wings
Asian
Crispy Sesame Chicken with a Sticky Asian Sauce
Chicken
Crispy Fried Chicken
Chicken
Hot Honey Chicken
Asian
Orange Chicken Recipe
Chicken
Chicken Schnitzel with Garlic Butter
Some links in the original post may be affiliate links and any purchases could earn a small commission that helps support the site. Nutritional information is approximate; see the original source for full terms.