You don’t need to run out to the grocery store just to make this Air Fryer Chicken Breast. All you need are a couple of pantry staples and you’re good to go! Simply coat your chicken breasts in some seasoning and then they’ll cook up in no time in your air fryer.
Whether you want to make a couple of chicken breasts for a salad or for a quick bite, this air fryer chicken breast recipe is going to be your new go-to method. This is a simple foolproof recipe that yields juicy chicken every single time. They’re easy to make and are so flavourful without needing to brine them!
I love using an air fryer to make my juicy chicken breasts as it’s hands-off. There’s no splashing oil, no flipping, and best of all, easy. While you get the same benefit by cooking chicken breasts in the oven, you won’t heat up the whole kitchen with the air fryer as an oven would! Seriously, you really need to try cooking chicken breasts in the air fryer, it’s game changing!
I’ve been using my air fryer quite often lately, especially in the summer (again, to avoid heating up the kitchen with the oven). If you’ve got a new air fryer and want to try a few more easy recipes, try this Air Fryer Chicken Wings Recipe, Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Recipe or Air Fryer Potato Wedges if you want another air fryer recipe.
Ingredients to make Air Fryer Chicken Breasts
- Chicken Breasts — Always try to get chicken breasts that are similar in size so you don’t end up with an overcooked or undercooked chicken breast.
- Olive oil — I like to use olive oil but you can use another oil such as avocado oil if you prefer.
- Seasoning — I use a mix of salt and pepper, dried oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika to season my air fryer chicken thighs. Feel free to change things up.
How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Breast
Prepare the Air Fryer and Chicken
- Preheat air fryer to 400F degrees and pat dry the chicken breasts to help the seasoning stick better.
- Rub the chicken breasts with olive oil or use cooking spray.
Prepare the Seasoning
- In a small bowl, add all the spices such as salt, dried oregano, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika. Mix and blend all well.
- Place the chicken breasts on a shallow dish. Using your hands, rub the mixture seasoning over both sides of the chicken until they’re fully coated.
Air Fry the Chicken Breasts
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- Place the chicken breasts inside the air fryer and set the cooking time for 12 minutes. If you are worried about your chicken sticking to your air fryer basket, you can spray the basket with some oil before adding the chicken into it. You can flip the chicken halfway through cooking if you prefer, but it’s not necessary.
- Using an instant read thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken breasts. Once they reach 160F degrees, it’s ready to eat.
- Allow the chicken to rest for a couple of minutes before you slice into them so they stay juicy!
How to Meal Prep Chicken Breasts
- Double or triple this air fryer chicken breast recipe and air fry them in batches.
- Once cooled, store in an airtight meal prep container either portioned out or in one large container.
- Keep refrigerated for up to four days.
- Reheat in the air fryer or microwave when ready to eat.
More Seasoning Ideas for Air Fryer Chicken Breasts
Here are a few seasoning ideas to change things up.
- Herbes de Provence
- Italian seasoning
- BBQ chicken rub
- Lemon pepper seasoning
- Chipotle seasoning
- Mediterranean Dry Rub
- Cajun seasoning
How To Store Leftovers
- To Store: Allow extra soup to cool and place it in an airtight container. Leave it in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
- To Freeze: If you want to make these chicken breasts ahead of time to freeze for meal prepping, you can do so by allowing the breasts to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, transfer the breasts to an airtight freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- To reheat: When ready to enjoy, simply thaw in the fridge overnight and then gently reheat in the microwave or air fryer.
Frequently Asked Questions
I do not recommend stacking the chicken breasts in the air fryer basket as you want the air to be able to circulate and reach every part of the chicken breasts. Always avoid overcrowding the air fryer.
Chicken breasts are a lean protein option, making them a great healthy option. The air fryer does not require a ton of butter or oil and especially compared to deep frying, the air fryer is a great healthy way to cook chicken breasts. Excessive oil is also able to drip onto the bottom of the air fryer instead of allowing the breasts to absorb extra oil.
The total cook time will depend on the size of your chicken breasts (see below).
Small Breasts (5-7 ounces) – 14 minutes
Medium Breasts (8-9 ounces) – 16 minutes
Large Breasts (10 or more ounces) – 18 minutes
Yes you can. Just follow my recipe Instant Pot Chicken Breast for instructions and to make a flavorful chicken breasts.
Air frying chicken can become rubbery in an air fryer due to overcooking, high cooking temperatures, lack of moisture, and thin slices.
Recipes to Use Chicken Breasts For
There are many times that recipes called for cooked chicken. Usually, leftover shredded chicken works but for when there’s none in the fridge, throwing some chicken breasts into the air fryer works perfectly. Try these easy salad recipes that pair really well with my air fryer chicken breasts.
- Chicken Salad with Spicy Mayo Dressing
- Chopped Chicken Salad
- Grilled Chicken Cabbage Salad
- Grilled Chicken Avocado Salad
- Low Carb Chicken Meal Prep Bowls
I also love serving these air fryer chicken recipe with steamed vegetables like broccoli and zucchini.
More Chicken Breasts Recipes to Try
- Baked Chicken Breast Recipe: Baked chicken breast recipe is always a budget-friendly and wholesome, healthy dinner. This recipe uses a simple, 3-step process to ensure the best tender chicken every time!
- Asparagus Stuffed Chicken Breast: This fast, easy, and delicious Asparagus Stuffed Chicken Breast recipe is a perfect meal for a weeknight dinner. And, it only requires a handful of simple ingredients! You’ll be making this recipe in no time.
- Rosemary Lemon Roasted Chicken Breasts: Fresh rosemary, lemon juice, and garlic are three simple yet flavourful ingredients that create this beautiful and delicious Rosemary Lemon Roasted Chicken Breasts recipe. It is gluten-free, paleo-friendly, and low-carb too!
- Garlic Butter Baked Chicken Breast: Tender, juicy Garlic Butter Baked Chicken Breast, that’s packed with flavour from the garlic butter sauce. It’s totally a win win!
- Baked Chicken Recipe: Simple 5-step method to bake chicken breast.
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Air Fryer Chicken Breast Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon roasted garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 400F degrees. For my Air Fryer, I just turn it on to 400F for about 8 mins while I season the chicken. Using a towel paper, pat the chicken breasts dry and rub with olive oil.
- In a small bowl, add salt, dried oregano, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and paprika. Mix all well.
- Using your hands, rub the mixture seasoning over both sides of the chicken.
- Place the chicken breasts inside the air fryer and set the cook time for 12 minutes.
- Open the Air Fryer basket and using a meat thermometer check the internal temperature of the chicken breasts. If they reach 160F degrees, it’s ready to eat, but if not cook for more 2 to 5 minutes. The time will depend on the thickness of your chicken breast. Enjoy!
Tips
- Get similar-sized chicken breasts so they cook evenly in the air fryer.
- Do not stack the chicken breasts as they will not cook through. The hot air from the air fryer needs to reach every part of the chicken breasts.
- To store: Store leftover chicken breasts in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge.
- To reheat: You can reheat in an air fryer or microwave when ready to eat. You can also eat chicken cold.
- To freeze: You can freeze chicken breasts in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months.
Video
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
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Rita Bollier says
My air fryer is in my oven. How does that differ from what you are using?