Kristin Maxwell
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Air Fryer Chicken Breasts
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Air Fryer Chicken Breasts will be your new favorite way to cook chicken! The meat is perfectly seasoned with my own versatile spice blend, needs very little oil and takes just minutes to prepare.
Faster than baking, this juicy chicken breast is ready after just 15 minutes in the air fryer! Air Fryer Chicken Breasts are the perfect protein for a simple meal. Pair with some Garlic Cheese Toast and a Kale Salad for an easy weeknight dinner.
Chicken breast is pretty much a staple protein in our home, and we like to mix it up using all our favorite chicken recipes, like Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches, Baked Chicken and Rice, and for making Homemade Chicken Nuggets. I’m pretty well known for my baked chicken breasts, so once I got an air fryer that was the first thing I wanted to try.
Air fryer chicken breast recipes are bring tested weekly so I can bring you my favorites.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Air frying your chicken is just like baking – you get tender chicken that’s so juicy with a ton of flavor – but you never have to turn on your oven!
- My signature DIY spice blend is so simple but incredibly flavored.
- Use this recipe weekly and create make-ahead meals.
Ingredients
- Chicken Breasts – My recipe used boneless, skinless chicken breasts. It’s best if the breasts are about the same size and thickness for even cooking. Large breasts may require a lightly pounding so they are too thick.
- Olive Oil – A little oil brushed on the meat helps the seasoning stick to the chicken and it helps to keep it juicy by locking in moisture.
- DIY Spice Blend – My Chicken Seasoning has the perfect blend of salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. It sounds super simple but it adds so much flavor you’ll want to make a big batch and put it on everything! It’s pretty excellent on pork chops too.
How to Make Chicken Breasts in the Air Fryer
- Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Don’t worry about washing it – that just spreads bacteria around your sink and really isn’t necessary.
- While your air fryer is heating to 375 degrees, rub the chicken all over with olive oil and seasonings. If you’d prefer, you can just use a cooking spray instead of olive oil.
- Place the meat in the air fryer basket, and cook chicken breast for 15 minutes. Flip over after about 10 minutes and finish cooking.
FAQs
Is air fried chicken healthy?
Air Fryer Chicken Breasts need only 2 tablespoons of oil, and you could probably use half of that if you really wanted to. Chicken breasts in the air fryer use about 70-80% less oil than traditional fried chicken, making this method a much healthier option.
Can you put frozen chicken breasts in the air fryer?
Yes! Follow the recipe and just add about 10 minutes to the cooking time. Cook any cut of chicken to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. If you don’t have a digital instant read meat thermometer, I highly recommend picking one up. They are inexpensive and one of the most useful tools you can have in your kitchen.
Storage
Using up leftovers: Keep leftover cooked chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use it in salads, sandwiches and wraps. Air Fryer Chicken Breasts are great for healthy meal prep and delicious cold or warm.
Freezing: Wrap chicken in plastic wrap to keep out freezer burn and place in a resealable freezer bag. Freeze for up to three months. Reheat in the microwave for small portions and in the air fryer for larger portions.
Make Ahead: I recommend cooking as soon as possible because you don’t want chicken sitting in your fridge for too long. However you could season the chicken several hours in advance of cooking them.
Tip Title
- Make sure to let your chicken rest for about 5 minutes after cooking. This gives the juices time to redistribute throughout the meat so they won’t spill out all over your cutting board.
- Note that this recipe uses 4 chicken breasts but makes 6 servings. The recommended serving for chicken is 4 ounces, and the average chicken breast is 6-8 ounces. You can fit about 4 medium sized breasts in your air fryer.
- Can I double the recipe? What if I just want to feed 2 people? Double the recipe means cooking two separate batches in the air fryer, but yes you can absolutely do that. You can also cut the recipe in half to feed 2 people, although I’d recommend cooking all 4 pieces and saving some for easy weekday lunches.
- Feel free to use different seasonings. I love lemon pepper or cajun spices.
More Air Fryer Recipes
- Air Fryer Hot Dogs
- Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
- Air Fryer Frozen French Fries
- Air Fryer Hamburgers
- Air Fryer Fish Sticks
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Air Fryer Chicken Breasts
Air Fryer Chicken Breasts are the best way to cook chicken! The meat is perfectly seasoned, needs very little oil and cooks in 15 minutes!
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 20 mins
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts 4 medium sized breasts
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika. Set aside.
- Brush the chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle seasoning mix over both sides.
- Place the chicken in the basket of the air fryer and cook at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.
- Flip the chicken over and cook for an additional 5 minutes or until the outside is golden brown and the inside is cooked through to 160-165 degrees F.
- Let the chicken rest 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
The seasoning blend used in this recipe is my go-to for chicken, pork and even fish. You can switch it up and use any seasoning you like.
Frozen chicken breasts can be cooked in the air fryer – just add about 10 minutes to the cook time and use a meat thermometer to ensure it’s cooked through.
Nutrition
Calories: 216kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 32gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 97mgSodium: 563mgPotassium: 559mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 127IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 8mgIron: 1mg
This recipe is so simple and so delicious! Our picky 10 year old LOVES this chicken, even ate 2 whole chicken breasts for dinner last night! I made up a big batch of the seasoning and put in a spice shaker to make it even quicker and easier going forward, as this will definitely be a staple in our home! As always, such an easy and delicious recipe!
Awesome feedback Amy! Thanks for stopping by.