This Air Fryer Chicken Breast recipe is a delicious and easy main dish. Juicy chicken breasts seasoned with simple flavours and cooked to perfection from fresh or frozen in 20 minutes or less.
Boneless skinless chicken breasts are a staple in our diet because they’re easy to make, they’re packed with healthy protein, they’re low in fat, and they’re versatile – they can be used in so many dishes! This Air Fryer Chicken Breast recipe is our favourite way to cook basic chicken breasts – we use this recipe at least once a week in the Busy Baker kitchen and serve up these juicy and delicious chicken breasts on salads, in wraps, alongside roasted veggies and baked potatoes, and even toss them into fried rice, soups and pasta dishes.
You can’t go wrong with a good, solid recipe for cooking chicken breasts that leaves them juicy on the inside, perfectly caramelized on the outside, with tons of flavour, and ready in about 20 minutes flat. This is our go-to chicken breast recipe, and we think it should be yours too!
The air fryer is one of our absolute favourite kitchen tools for so many reasons!
- Crispy Exterior with Less Oil: Air frying produces chicken breasts with a crispy and golden-brown exterior, similar to pan frying, but with significantly less oil and fat. Air fryers use hot air circulation to create a crispy texture, reducing the need for too much oil.
- Faster Cooking Time: Air frying chicken breasts typically takes less time compared to oven roasting. The circulating hot air in the air fryer cooks the chicken breasts more efficiently, resulting in faster cooking times. Our favourite oven-baked chicken recipe requires at least 5-10 more minutes of cooking than this air fryer recipe.
- Even and Consistent Cooking: The air fryer’s convection technology ensures that the chicken breasts are evenly cooked throughout. The circulating hot air helps to distribute heat evenly, reducing the chances of undercooked or overcooked spots. The outside of the chicken won’t become dry while the centre stays undercooked.
- Healthier Cooking Option: Air frying requires minimal oil, making it a healthier alternative to pan frying. By using hot air circulation, the air fryer can achieve a crispy texture with a fraction of the oil used in traditional frying methods, reducing your calorie intake.
- Convenient and Easy Cleanup: Air fryers require minimal cleanup. Many air fryer models have removable and dishwasher-safe components, making it easy to clean up after cooking the chicken breasts.
- Energy Efficiency: Air fryers typically consume less energy compared to ovens, making them a more energy-efficient option for cooking chicken breasts. This can be particularly beneficial when cooking smaller portions or during hot summer months when you want to avoid heating up your kitchen.
- Reduced Odour and Smoke: Air fryers generate minimal smoke and odour compared to pan frying. This is especially important if you prefer to minimize lingering cooking smells in your kitchens, or live in a small space like an apartment or studio.
- Pat your chicken dry before air frying. Drying the outside of the chicken breasts with some disposable kitchen paper towels will help the spices flavour the chicken and ensure the outside of the chicken breast doesn’t get dry.
- Don’t skip the spices. Rub the herbs and spices on with your hands, ensuring you get them into every nook and cranny of the chicken and on both the top and bottom.
- Use a meat thermometer. Using a meat thermometer to cook just until the chicken breasts reach 74 degrees Celsius (165 Fahrenheit) will ensure the chicken stays perfectly moist and juicy. If you don’t have a meat thermometer, it’s a worthwhile investment that won’t break the bank. THIS ONE is one of my favourites (affiliate link).
- Let the chicken rest. Let it rest for at least 5-7 minutes before slicing into it. Tent some aluminum foil over the chicken while it rests. As a result, it will stay nice and juicy inside!
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Cooking frozen chicken breasts in the air fryer is so easy! Just follow these steps:
- To start, separate the frozen chicken breasts (unseasoned) and if there’s excess ice buildup on the chicken, rinse them under water and dry them with paper towels.
- Pat the seasoning onto the frozen breasts as directed in the recipe.
- Spray the inside of the air fryer with cooking spray. Place the frozen chicken inside and air fry for about 12 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius (355 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Open the air fryer, flip the chicken breasts and air fry for another 10-12 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius (355 degrees Fahrenheit) or until the chicken breasts reach an internal temperature of 74 degrees Celsius (165 degrees Fahrenheit).
Here are some of our favourite side dishes and salads to serve with this recipe for a quick and easy weeknight meal:
- Easy Classic Pasta Salad
- Easy Caesar Salad
- Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes
- Air Fryer Potato Wedges
- Olive Garden Salad
Here are some recipe ideas for using up leftover chicken breasts:
- Chicken Salad
- Low Carb Chicken Shawarma Bowls
- Easy Caesar Salad
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
- Quick and Easy Chicken Fried Rice
If you’ve been gifted an air fryer for the holidays and it’s been sitting on your shelf collecting dust, or if you’ve been thinking about picking up an air fryer for awhile but haven’t yet, we’d HIGHLY recommend getting started. An air fryer is a fantastic kitchen appliance for achieving that oven-crisp or fried texture in a fraction of the time with next to no added fat, and to be honest it’s a kitchen appliance we’d have a hard time living without!
Here are a few air fryers we recommend (affiliate links):
- A great Air Fryer for space-saving (2 quart capacity)
- The perfect Air Fryer for large families with a dual basket feature
- A standard Air Fryer for everyday use (works well for a family of 2 to 4 people)
- A large Air Fryer for everyday use (works well for a family of 2 to 4 people)
In addition to an air fryer, you’ll also need these items to make this recipe (affiliate links):
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this Air Fryer Chicken Breast recipe
- boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Italian seasoning
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- seasoning salt
- black pepper
- smoked paprika (optional)
- cooking spray
- Lemon Herb:
- Marinate the chicken breasts in a mixture of lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, and a blend of fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, and parsley. Air fry as directed.
- Spicy Cajun:
- Coat the chicken breasts in a blend of Cajun spices, including paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and dried herbs like oregano and thyme. Air fry as directed.
- Parmesan Crusted:
- Add some parmesan cheese in with the spice mixture and air fry as directed. You’ll end up with a thin, savoury, crispy crust.
- Honey Mustard Glazed:
- Whisk together a mixture of honey, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Brush the glaze onto the chicken before air frying as directed.
- Teriyaki:
- Combine soy sauce, brown sugar, minced ginger, minced garlic, and a splash of rice vinegar in a bowl to make the teriyaki sauce.
- Marinate the chicken breasts in the teriyaki sauce for 30 minutes (or overnight for maximum flavour), and then brush on more teriyaki sauce half-way through air frying.
Time needed: 20 minutes
Follow these steps for the PERFECT chicken breasts in the air fryer!
- Preheat your air fryer.
Preheat your air fryer to 180℃ (355℉) while you get everything else ready. This cuts down on cooking time.
- Pound the chicken
Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board or clean work surface and pound the thick side of the breasts gently with the flat side of a meat mallet, making sure to pound them to an even thickness (to help them bake evenly).
- Season the chicken well.
Pat the chicken breasts dry with some kitchen paper towel and set them aside. Season well with the seasonings on all sides.
- Air fry.
Spray the air fryer basket/tray with oil and place the chicken breasts in. Air fry them for 8 minutes at 180℃ (355℉).
- Test with an instant read thermometer.
Flip them and air fry them for 6-8 more minutes or until an instant read thermometer (try this meat thermometer) inserted into the middle of one of the chicken breasts reads 165 Fahrenheit (74 Celsius).
- Let rest before serving.
Remove the chicken breasts from the air fryer and rest them on a plate, covered well with some aluminum foil for about 5-7 minutes before slicing and serving.
How long to cook chicken breast in air fryer?
The cooking time for air fryer chicken breasts depends on the thickness of the chicken, the temperature of the air fryer, and personal preference. As a general rule, boneless, skinless chicken breasts typically take about 16-20 minutes at 355°F (180°C). However, it’s important to use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) so the chicken is safe to eat.
How do I prevent chicken breasts from drying out in the air fryer?
It’s important not to overcook the chicken and to monitor the internal temperature to prevent dryness. Once the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C), it’s done. Resting the chicken for 5-7 minutes after cooking also helps keep it juicy.
Can I use frozen chicken breasts in the air fryer?
Yes. To cook frozen chicken breasts, prepare as directed in the recipe and add several minutes of cooking time to account for the chicken being frozen.
Should I preheat the air fryer before cooking chicken breasts?
Yes, this helps speed up the cooking process.
Can you put raw chicken in the air fryer?
Yes! Cooking chicken breasts from raw is the best way to cook them in the air fryer.
Why was my chicken rubbery in the air fryer?
If your chicken is rubbery, chances are you’ve overcooked it by cooking it too long or at too high a temperature.
We hope you love this chicken recipe as much as we do! Let us know in the comments below, what’s your favourite air fryer recipe? We’d love to know!
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Air Fryer Chicken Breasts
Recipe: Equipment
Recipe: Ingredients
- 4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika optional
- spray oil
Recipe: Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 180℃ (355℉) while you get everything else ready.
- Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board or clean work surface and pound the thick side of the breasts very gently with the flat side of a meat mallet, making sure to pound them to an almost even thickness (this will help them cook evenly).
- Pat the chicken breasts dry with some kitchen paper towel and set them aside.
- Combine all the spices, salt and pepper in a small bowl, mixing them together well with a spoon.
- Using your hands, rub the spice mixture over the chicken breasts on all sides.
- Spray the air fryer basket/tray with oil and place the chicken breasts in. Air fry them for 8 minutes at 180℃ (355℉). Flip them and air fry them for 6-8 more minutes or until an instant read thermometer inserted into the middle of one of the chicken breasts reads 165 Fahrenheit (74 Celsius). Get one of my favourite meat thermometers HERE.
Recipe: Notes
Storage Instructions
This chicken keeps well in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-5 days.Reheating Instructions
Reheat the chicken in the air fryer at 180℃ (355℉) for a couple of minutes or until warmed through. It’s better to reheat the chicken breasts before they are sliced.Instructions for Cooking the Chicken Breasts from Frozen
- Separate the frozen chicken breasts (unseasoned) and if there’s excess ice buildup on the chicken, rinse them under water and dry them with paper towels.
- Pat the seasoning onto the frozen breasts as directed in the recipe.
- Spray the inside of the air fryer with cooking spray. Place the frozen chicken inside and air fry for about 12 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius (355 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Open the air fryer, flip the chicken breasts and air fry for another 10-12 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius (355 degrees Fahrenheit), or until the chicken breasts reach an internal temperature of 74 degrees Celsius (165 degrees Fahrenheit).
Recipe: Nutrition
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
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Buy 3, save 30%!
Buy 4 or more, save 40%!