Air Fryer Chicken Breast

Learn how to make the juiciest Air Fryer Chicken Breast recipe in 25 minutes. It is easy, tender and bursting with flavor!

And for last minute dinner, here is how to cook frozen chicken breast in air fryer.

Time for juicy air fryer chicken breast because we love chicken breast recipes around here! And we do not settle on dry and flavorless chicken!

I’ve already perfected recipes for grilled chicken breast, baked chicken breast, Instant Pot chicken breast and crock pot chicken breast. Now it’s time to perfect it in my latest gadget, the air fryer!

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• It’s quick and easy: You can have healthy dinner on the table in about 25 minutes without preheating and dealing with a giant oven.
• You don’t have to brine chicken breasts in salt water!
• Delicious, failproof results: Cooking chicken breast in air fryer results in juicy, tender chicken breast with a light, flavorful crust and tender, moist middle. Every single time!
• The oil amount is minimal: Just enough to help the seasonings adhere and lock in the juices.

Ingredients for Air Fryer Chicken Breast

One of the best things about this air fryer recipe is that it is so simple and made up of entirely clean ingredients and pantry staples. You only need 6 basic ingredients!

• Boneless skinless chicken breasts: I use 8 – 9 ounces and around 2-inches thickness breasts. If your chicken breasts are larger or smaller, you may need to adjust the cook time. Please see below.
• Oil of choice: I use avocado oil or olive oil.
• Seasonings: A simple combination of onion powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, and smoked paprika. And salt and pepper.

How to Cook Chicken Breast in Air Fryer

Here is a quick overview how to make air fryer chicken breasts. There is full recipe card below.

• Preheat the air fryer and prep chicken: Preheat it to 380 degrees F for 5 minutes. Add chicken breasts to a bowl and drizzle with oil. Then rub using your hands or toss with tongs to coat.
• Rub chicken with seasonings: Add the spice blend, salt and pepper, and then rub chicken breasts to make sure all sides of the chicken are evenly coated.
• Air fry chicken breast: Spray the basket of air fryer with cooking spray, place chicken breasts in air fryer in a single layer and cook chicken for 16 minutes. No need to flip chicken breasts or shake the basket. 
• Check the temperature: Open and insert meat thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken breasts to make sure it has reached at least 150 degrees F.

How Long to Cook Chicken Breast in Air Fryer?

Air frying time depends on the size of your chicken breasts. For average-sized chicken breast that’s around 2-inches thick, I recommend between 16-18 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the chicken breast reaches 150 degrees F.

As per food safety website, to be safe to eat, chicken must reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. However, there’s no need to cook chicken breasts in air fryer until that point. Cook until it’s 150 degrees F and let it rest covered. The residual heat will continue to increase the internal temperature while the chicken rests.

This way, you get to avoid dry, overcooked chicken. It is my secret to juicy and not dry air fryer chicken breasts!

Here is a handy timetable for quick reference:

Size	Weight	Cook Time
Small Chicken Breasts	5 to 7 ounces	14 minutes
Medium Chicken Breasts	8 to 9 ounces	16 minutes
Large Chicken Breasts	10 ounces or more	18 minutes

Serving Ideas

Use this air fryer chicken breast recipe for weekly meal prep. I recommend slicing it against the grain. I love it for lunch with simple spring mix salad!

Or turn it into one of easy healthy dinner ideas for family serving with:

• Roasted cauliflower
• Mediterranean quinoa salad
• Instant Pot mashed potatoes and garlic green beans
• Grilled vegetables
• Sauteed zucchini

Variations

Once you have the basic method down, then you can experiment with different spices, marinades, and more.

• Sauces: Try it with Thai chili sauce or healthy BBQ sauce.
• Fresh garlic: If you have a little extra time, feel free to use fresh grated or minced garlic over the chicken breasts like I do in air fryer lamb chops.
• Add vegetables: If you have enough space in the basket, you can add some veggies directly in with the chicken breasts to cook simultaneously. You could include zucchini, brussel sprouts, red peppers, broccoli and asparagus. 
• For even juicier results: You can marinate the chicken breasts using one of these 5 chicken marinades. When marinated, place the chicken breasts straight into the air fryer basket and cook. There’ll be a little more “cleanup” afterward of the basket but otherwise it couldn’t be more simple.

How to Store and Reheat

Store: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Make sure to move it to the refrigerator within 2 hours for food safety and keep it whole for the juiciest results.

Freeze: Cool completely before transferring the chicken breasts to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. I recommend slicing or shredding the chicken breasts before freezing. That way, it’ll thaw faster and can be added to meals immediately.

You can thaw them overnight in the refrigerator before eating or reheating. 

Reheat: Here is how to reheat chicken breast in air fryer.

Or reheat air fryer chicken breast in a lidded pot with a splash of water or broth to steam them until warm. This will keep the chicken tender and moist compared to trying to reheat them in the oven.

FAQs

More Air Fryer Recipes to Try

• Air fryer chicken tenders
• Air fryer chicken wings
• Air fryer chicken drumsticks
• Air fryer turkey breast

More Chicken Breast Recipes

• Pan fried chicken breast
• Spinach stuffed chicken breast
• Cajun chicken breast
• Baked BBQ chicken breast
• Garlic butter chicken breast
• Baked chicken tenders