How Shark Tank's Lori Greiner Makes The 'Crispiest Chicken Ever' (No Frying Needed)

Fried chicken is only as good as its coating, which gives it that signature crispiness that home cooks strive for. Whether you love making Nashville hot chicken or chicken katsu, you've likely spent considerable time perfecting the coating to achieve the perfect texture. Entrepreneur and TV personality Lori Greiner is no stranger to brainstorming both consumer product inventions and clever recipes, which led to her viral crispy fried chicken hack that only requires an air fryer — no need to pull out a gallon of oil. Armed with air fryer hacks that make cooking easier, you can make this recipe a breeze.

The trick is to bread your chicken in shredded hash browns and parmesan. Cover the chicken in flour — don't forget to add your favorite spices — and egg wash, then coat it fully in the parmesan-and-potato mixture. This recipe works best with boneless, skinless chicken cutlets or tenders since they provide a smooth, relatively flat surface for the potato shreds to stick to. Then, pop the chicken into the air fryer at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. A digital thermometer is the most accurate way to know when the chicken has reached the internal safe temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

The shredded hash browns crisp up nicely under the heat, as does the parmesan. Greiner recommends using a towel or cheesecloth to squeeze as much moisture as possible out of the hash browns so they brown effectively. Additionally, try swapping the parmesan for grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for a more satisfying crunch. This cheese naturally contains crunchy crystals of tyrosine, an amino acid, due to its aging process.

Though the name might give you a different impression, air-frying doesn't actually involve frying food — at least not the way you would with a conventional deep fryer. It works by moving hot air around the fryer basket much like a convection oven does, causing all sides of the chicken to get golden and crispy. The hash brown breading takes that effect to the next level because the potatoes dry and take on a crunchy texture. It's an excellent way to make restaurant-quality fried chicken without completely submerging your chicken in oil.

You still want a bit of oil to elevate the cooking process. Lori Greiner finishes her chicken cutlets by spraying them with oil before cooking them. This step prevents them from sticking to the basket and adds enough oil to help them crisp up and develop that golden look. However, cooking sprays can damage your air fryer over time, so oil up your basket with avocado or peanut oil before cooking, or brush it onto the breaded chicken.