Air Fryer Chicken Breast Recipe
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Say goodbye to dry chicken forever with this air fryer chicken breast recipe. It’s quick, foolproof, and ridiculously tender, with a perfectly seasoned crust that locks in all the flavor. It’s simple, hands-off, and ready in under 30 minutes. Perfect for a busy weeknight dinner as it is for Sunday meal prep.
I always have chicken breast in stock to make quick and easy dinners like marry me chicken, chicken francese, and chicken ala king. However, when I learned how to cook chicken breast in the air fryer, I wondered why I didn’t make chicken this way sooner. This recipe makes a simple but flavorful dinner that’s easy to pair with your favorite sides. Great in lunchboxes, too!
Why My Recipe Works
- 5-minute prep
- Easy, fuss-free dinner: The air fryer does all the work, no flipping or babysitting required.
- Diet-friendly: Lean protein, low-carb, and naturally gluten-free.
- Juicy every time
- Versatile: Season it simply or dress it up with marinades, spice rubs, or sauces to match your mood.
How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Breast
You get the satisfaction of juicy, flavorful chicken without all the heavy oils with this air fryer boneless chicken breast. It comes together in just 27 minutes from start to finish, so you can enjoy a delicious dinner in no time.
Scroll to the bottom of this post for a printable recipe card with a full list of ingredients, measurements, and step-by-step instructions.
Ingredients You Need
- Chicken breast: I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but you can swap in boneless, skinless or bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. Just adjust the cooking time if needed based on the thickness of the chicken thighs.
- Spices and seasonings: We will be using smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, dried onion, and dried garlic for this recipe.
- Avocado oil: The high smoke point of avocado oil makes it perfect for air frying.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Making air fryer chicken breast can’t be easier! Just prep the simple marinade, coat the chicken with it, and air fry. Enjoy as is or serve with your favorite garnishes.
Step 1: Prep the marinade
Preheat your air fryer to 380 F for about 3 to 5 minutes.
Mix smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, dried onion, dried garlic, and avocado oil together in a small mixing bowl.
Step 2: Marinate the chicken
Place the chicken breasts in a shallow dish or resealable plastic bag and coat them evenly with the marinade. Let them sit and rest for at least 15 to 20 minutes to absorb the flavors.
Step 3: Air fry
After marinating, remove the chicken breasts from the liquid and place them in the air fryer basket in a single layer (rounded side down).
Cook the chicken breasts in the air fryer at 380 F for 22 minutes, flipping them halfway through the cooking time, until they are golden brown on the outside and reach an internal temperature of 165 F.
Step 4: Rest, garnish, and serve
Once cooked, remove the chicken breasts and let them rest for a few minutes before slicing or serving. Garnish with fresh herbs or lemon wedges if desired, and serve with your favorite side dishes.
Substitutions
- Spices and seasonings: You can swap all the individual spices for an all-in-one blend like Cajun, Italian, BBQ rub, taco seasoning, or even simple salt and pepper. Just adjust for salt since many mixes are already seasoned.
- Avocado oil: Substitute with olive oil, canola oil, or melted butter for extra flavor.
Expert Tips
- Pound the chicken: Pound chicken breasts to an even thickness before cooking to prevent dryness and ensure even cooking.
- Go simpler: Omit dried garlic and onion if you prefer a simpler flavor profile. The chicken will still be delicious with just the paprika, salt, pepper, and avocado oil.
- Marinate longer for better flavor: Marinate the chicken breasts overnight in the refrigerator for even more flavor. Just make sure to let them come to room temperature for about 15 minutes before air frying.
- Use a meat thermometer: Use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature of the chicken breasts has reached 165 F (74 C) before serving.
How to Store This Recipe
Store leftover air fryer chicken breast in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 days. If you’d like to freeze, let the chicken cool completely, then wrap each breast tightly in plastic wrap or foil before placing in a freezer-safe bag or container. They’ll keep well for up to 1 month.
To reheat, cover with foil and reheat in a 350 F oven for about 10 to 12 minutes to keep them juicy. To reheat from frozen, thaw overnight in the fridge for best results, then warm in the oven or air fryer until heated through.
How to Serve Air Fryer Chicken Breast
Air fryer chicken breast is best served warm after resting for about five minutes, which allows the juices to redistribute and keeps each slice tender and flavorful. Cut against the grain for maximum juiciness, then plate it up with classic dinner pairings like roasted vegetables (we love this with roasted Brussels sprouts or roasted eggplant), cauliflower mash, or avocado and tomato salad.
Beyond dinner, this versatile chicken shines in so many ways – toss it into salads, roll it into wraps, layer it in sandwiches, mix it into pasta dishes, or build hearty grain bowls.
More Easy Chicken Recipes To Try
- Cheesy ranch chicken
- Sheet pan chicken thighs with broccoli
- Chicken quesadillas
- Parmesan chicken wings
- Chopped chicken salad
Quick And Easy Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 3 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried onion
- ¼ teaspoon dried garlic
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 380 °F for about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Mix smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, dried onion, dried garlic, and avocado oil together in a small mixing bowl.
- Place the chicken breasts in a shallow dish or resealable plastic bag and coat them evenly with the marinade. Let them sit and rest for at least 15 to 20 minutes to absorb the flavors.
- After marinating, remove the chicken breasts from the liquid and place them in the air fryer basket in a single layer (rounded side down).
- Cook the chicken breasts in the air fryer at 380 °F for 22 minutes, flipping them halfway through the cooking time, until they are golden brown on the outside and reach an internal temperature of 165 °F.
- Once cooked, remove the chicken breasts and let them rest for a few minutes before slicing or serving. Garnish with fresh herbs or lemon wedges if desired, and serve with your favorite side dishes.
Notes
- Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness so they cook evenly and stay juicy.
- Skip the dried garlic and onion if you like a simpler flavor. The paprika, salt, pepper, and avocado oil are enough.
- Marinate overnight for extra flavor, then let the chicken sit out for about 15 minutes before air frying.
- Use a meat thermometer to make sure the chicken reaches 165 F (74 C) before serving.
Nutrition & Macros
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