Salt Depends on The Amount of Chicken: And the salting is important. Here’s what I recommend.
- 1 pound of chicken breasts: 3/4 teaspoon table salt (as written)
- 1.5 pounds of chicken breasts: 1 teaspoon table salt
- If using coarse kosher salt: 1 teaspoon salt for 1 pound of chicken breasts
Marinating: You can let the chicken sit with the spices for an extended period of time – up to 24 hours in the fridge – but for best results, wait to add the cornstarch until just before you throw it in the air fryer.
Paprika: For this recipe, paprika refers to the ground spice labeled “ground paprika” or “paprika”. Paprika is great here for flavor and color. There are tons of varieties of paprika out there, including smoked paprika, hot paprika, Hungarian paprika, or sweet paprika. If you follow the amounts as written, you’ll get just a teeny tiny bit of the smoky paprika so it’s just a bit more rich and savory – just that little extra something that makes you go “mmmm” – without being overwhelmingly smoky. To me, as written, it’s the perfect blend. But if you like to play, try other paprika ratios or bring in other spices to your tastes!
Cheat Code for the Seasoning: This recipe is very clutch with McCormick Rotisserie Chicken Seasoning blend. Not sponsored, just so easy and so good. I found a neglected bottle of it when I was cleaning out my spice cabinet and it is DELICIOUS on this chicken. For a pound of chicken, just use about 1 tablespoon of the seasoning mix in place of the paprika, salt, onion and garlic powders. Then add your cornstarch and brown sugar to it and love your juicy, delicious chicken life!
Amazing Gochujang Dipping Sauce: This is my current favorite sauce to have with this chicken, either in a bowl, a salad, or just dipping the chicken pieces straight in. Mix 1/2 cup mayo with about 2 tablespoons gochujang sauce (table sauce, not paste), 1 clove grated garlic, a shot of soy sauce, and a dash of rice vinegar if you want. Season with salt and pepper. Oooof. So good.