Air Fryer Chicken Breasts – juicy every time!
Posted: 02/08/2021
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Ready in less than a half hour, these really delicious air fryer chicken breasts are tender, juicy, and flavorful.
Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: This is a quick way to cook chicken which you can eat as is, or add to recipes that call for cooked chicken.
How long it takes: 28 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: air fryer
Servings: 2 (but it’s easy to make more)
Table of Contents
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You’ll be amazed at how tasty plain ol’ boneless skinless chicken breasts can be. With just a minimal amount of seasoning and very little prep time, low calorie chicken breasts can be transformed into a really delicious meal.
When you slice into an air fried chicken breast, expect to see juicy meat with a perfectly done exterior. It’s almost surprising. There’s no breading or fancy tricks.
I don’t know why I would be surprised because pretty much everything I’ve tried in my air fryer has been very, very good. If you haven’t tried air fryer salmon yet, don’t wait, it’s a total game changer. Or try air fryer breaded pork chops — so juicy and tender, you won’t believe it. Vegetables can be cooked in your air fryer, too, like air fryer Brussels sprouts and air fryer broccoli.
Serve the chicken with dill potato salad, crockpot mac and cheese (ready in just 2 hours), or zucchini casserole for a win at the dinner table. Top the chicken with hot honey, smoky chipotle salsa, or homemade BBQ sauce for exciting flavor.
About this recipe
Air fryer chicken breasts are so versatile. In just a minute, I’ll show you how to season them to your hearts’ content. But the versatility doesn’t end there. The chicken can be marinated before cooking. Try one of these 9 great recipes for chicken marinades.
Perfectly cooked chicken can be used in so many ways. Keep reading for lots of ideas. It can easily be made ahead and frozen for meals later on.
I’ll get you started on the recipe here with extra tips and photos. You’ll find the printable recipe card near the end of the post with complete instructions, measurements, and nutrition information.
What you’ll need
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts: This recipe is written for 2 boneless breasts, about 6 oz. each. You can do larger quantities if you like. Keep reading if you prefer dark meat or a different cut of chicken.
- Olive Oil: I like the flavor of olive oil and the fact that it is heart-healthy. Any type of oil will do so use what you have.
- Salt and Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Paprika, Dried Parsley: This basic seasoning mix can be used on all types of meat and vegetables.
How To Make This Recipe
It’s really quite easy. Mix together the seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and dried parsley). If you happen to have a jar of my homemade all-purpose seasoning mix, you can simply substitute that.
Add a spoonful of oil and stir it into the seasoning. Coat the meat with the oil and seasoning mix, rubbing it on all sides.
Air fry for ten minutes; flip, and air fry another six to eight minutes or until the chicken is done. The FAQ section has more information about how to tell if the chicken is completely cooked through.
Let the chicken rest for five minutes or so to let the juices settle down. At this point, you can serve it whole or slice it before you serve it.
FAQs
How long do you cook chicken breast in an air fryer?
The answer depends on the size of the chicken breasts. If you’re cooking two six ounce portions, plan on around 18 minutes. If the portions are closer to eight ounces, air fry time will be about 20 minutes.
Not sure how much your chicken weighs? The internal temperature of the chicken on an instant read thermometer should be close to 165°F. The juices should run clear, not bloody or pink.
Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving. The temperature will continue to rise a bit. Don’t overcook the chicken because it will get dry and tough.
How do you prevent chicken from drying out?
Most importantly, don’t overcook it! Use an instant read thermometer to make sure you don’t cook it too long. You can also marinate your chicken. We love balsamic chicken marinade, honey mustard chicken marinade, and Italian chicken marinade.
Make It Your Own
The easiest way to make air fryer chicken breasts your own special recipe is by changing up the seasoning. Choose a seasoning, homemade or purchased, that best complements the meal you’re preparing. If you’re going Mexican, try seasoning the chicken with taco seasoning or fajita seasoning. Thinking of pasta tonight? Season the chicken with Italian seasoning. Having a salad? Try ranch seasoning or a dry bbq rub.
If you prefer dark meat, try air fryer chicken drumsticks, air fryer chicken wings, or air fryer chicken thighs.
Rather have breaded chicken? Try air fryer chicken nuggets or air fryer chicken tenders. Don’t worry if you don’t have an air fryer. You can easily make breaded chicken nuggets or chicken tenders in your oven, too.
If you’re looking for beef, air fryer steak bites with cowboy sauce from Best Beef Recipes look incredible! I can’t wait to try that sauce!
Make-Ahead Ideas
Air fryer chicken is great for meal prepping. Buy a large pack of boneless skinless chicken breasts and air fry the whole pack (in batches depending on the size of your air fryer). Cool and freeze or refrigerate the meat in resealable bags for easy meals later on. The chicken is really perfect sliced on a salad, and works great for tons of other meals, too (see the list below).
If you are making a vegetarian meal but have that one person who needs his meat, you have him covered with a perfectly cooked chicken breast.
Storage & Reheating Tips
Cooked chicken can be stored in the fridge, well-wrapped, for up to 4 days. Store in the freezer for up to one month.
If the chicken is frozen, thaw it overnight in the fridge. Reheat gently in the microwave or in a skillet on the stove. It’s great cold, too!
Recipes For Cooked Chicken
While these chicken breasts are perfectly good on their own, they also are wonderful used in other recipes. Slice the chicken and put it on a bun with your favorite toppings. Or try:
- Southwestern BBQ Chicken Salad (best chopped salad!)
- Southwestern Quinoa Bowl with Chicken
- BBQ Chicken Burrito Bowls
- Farro Salad with Chicken, Beets, and Red Wine Vinaigrette
- Healthy Curried Chicken Salad
- The Best Cauliflower Nachos
- BBQ Chicken Pizza
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
servings
Ready in less than a half hour, these really delicious air fryer chicken breasts are tender, juicy, and flavorful.
Ingredients
- 2 (6 oz. each) boneless skinless chicken breasts (see note)
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 375°F for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together oil and seasonings. Rub all sides of the chicken with seasoning mixture.
- Place in air fryer and cook for 10 minutes, flip, and continue to cook for 6-8 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165ºF when checked with an instant read thermometer. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- For 8 ounce chicken breasts, cook for 10 minutes, flip, and continue to cook for 9-11 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165ºF when checked with an instant read thermometer.
- Substitute my all-purpose seasoning for the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and parsley. You’ll need 2¾ teaspoons.
- Leftover chicken can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for at least 1 month. For best results, thaw frozen chicken overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 169kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 24g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 72mg, Sodium: 714mg, Potassium: 439mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 74IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 10mg, Iron: 1mg
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
Rosana Alabama says
I just got my brand new air fryer! I’m going to start with this recipe, wish me the best of luck. By the way, I’m practicing a lot of english thanks to your blog, there’s so many new words that I can use now.
Rachel Gurk says
Thanks Rosana! I hope you love the air fryer! Thanks for leaving a comment!
Mandy says
Did you use fresh or frozen chicken breasts?
Rachel Gurk says
I used fresh! We haven’t tested it with frozen, but I did some googling and it looks like it’s possible: https://forktospoon.com/air-fryer-how-to-cook-frozen-chicken-breast-in-the-air-fryer/#:~:text=If%20you%20want%20to%20cook,need%20to%20cook%20it%20longer.
Denise says
looks so good–and easy!
I almost bought an air fryer yesterday.
Rachel Gurk says
I love mine more and more every time I use it!