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This is a simple method for making juicy, super tender, and wonderfully delicious chicken breasts in the Air Fryer! This basic air fryer chicken breast recipe is quick, healthy, and can be prepped ahead of time.
This chicken recipe is your key to easy, effortless preparation for a tasty dinner or for creating salads and sandwiches throughout the week. This flavorful chicken breast recipe, seasoned to perfection and tender juiciness, completely shatters the common misconceptions about dry chicken breasts. The secret to achieving mouthwateringly tender and juicy chicken in this recipe is BRINING!
Brining, combined with the use of an Air Fryer, ensures you can consistently achieve wonderfully moist chicken breasts with minimal effort. The quick cooking time promotes tenderness, while the brine guarantees a juicy and flavorful outcome. If the Air Fryer isn’t your preference, check out my popular recipe for Oven Baked Chicken Breasts.
Why You Should Make This Recipe
- Juicy and Delicious. With this simple guide, you’ll cook up juicy chicken breasts every single time.
- Customizable. You can customize the flavors by using any combination of herbs and seasonings.
- Nutritious. This chicken recipe is perfect for those who prefer lighter, no-breading options. However, if you’re a fan of crispy textures, the alternate Air Fryer Fried Chicken recipe has got you covered.
- Meal Prep. This air fryer chicken is a meal-prep superstar. You can prepare it beforehand and use it to add to your meals throughout the week, serving it hot or cold.
Air Fryer Chicken Breast Cooking Times
The time needed to cook chicken in the air fryer can fluctuate depending on the size of the chicken breasts.
- For smaller, 5 to 7-ounce chicken breasts, you’re looking at a quick 8 to 10-minute cook time at 375˚F.
- For chicken breasts that are around 8 to 10 ounces, the cooking time is approximately 10 to 12 minutes.
- As for the larger, 11-ounces or more chicken breasts, you can expect a cook time ranging from 12 to 16 and up to 18 minutes.
How To Air Fry Chicken Breast
In essence, this air fryer chicken recipe provides an excellent balance of taste and convenience, making it a hit with everyone who tries it. The simple method goes a little like this: brine, rub, cook, rest.
- Brine the chicken. Create a brine and soak the chicken breasts in it for 15 to 20 minutes. Then, rinse and pat dry the chicken.
- Season. Next, spray the chicken breasts lightly with cooking oil. Mix a bit of salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, dried oregano, or other seasonings of choice in a small bowl and rub onto the chicken.
- Cook. Place chicken breasts in the air fryer basket, cook at 375˚F for 10 minutes, flip, and cook for another 6 to 8 minutes until done. Check the temperature of the chicken a few minutes early to ensure it doesn’t overcook.
- Rest. Let rest for 8 to 10 minutes before cutting.
How To Air Fry Frozen Chicken Breasts
- Preheat the Air Fryer to 390˚F.
- Season chicken breasts and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping over halfway through cooking. Chicken is done when the internal temperature registers at 165˚F.
Recipe Tips
- Chicken breasts can be brined for up to 6 hours in the fridge, but avoid over-soaking thin pieces. Frozen chicken can be brined for up to 2 hours or until thawed. After brining, rinse and pat dry the chicken.
- Do not overcook the chicken breasts. You should use an instant-read meat thermometer to check for doneness. Once the chicken’s internal temperature has reached 160˚F to 165°F, it’s done!
- Do not overcrowd the Air Fryer or stack the chicken breasts in the air fryer basket. Make sure each piece of chicken has enough space around it for the hot air to circulate.
- Flip the chicken halfway through to cook the chicken evenly and get a crispy texture on both sides.
- Allow the chicken to rest for several minutes after air frying to ensure a juicy result.
Serving Suggestions
Start by serving Oven Roasted Asparagus on the side, or these Easy Oven Roasted Vegetables with your air fryer chicken breasts. For a different take, consider my Tomato Avocado Corn Salad. If you’re after a heartier complement, Maple Mustard Roasted Potatoes provide a flavorful match.
Honey Garlic Butter Roasted Carrots bring a hint of sweet and savory, while Instant Pot Mashed Cauliflower offers a creamy, low-carb option. Also, some old-school Creamed Spinach could be the comfort food sidekick your chicken needs.
Storage
- Refrigerate chicken breasts in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days or freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- To reheat the chicken, place it in an air fryer or oven and set the temperature to 350˚F.
Easy Air Fryer Recipes
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Air Fryer Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 4 cups warm water
- ¼ cup kosher salt
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- olive oil cooking spray, you can also use butter cooking spray OR avocado oil spray
- ¼ teaspoon salt, this is optional because, keep in mind that the chicken will have absorbed some of the salt from the salted water.
- fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano, or any other dried herbs that you want to use
Instructions
- Place chicken breasts in a large bowl.
- In a mixing bowl or a large measuring cup, combine warm water and salt; stir, then pour over the chicken breasts. Set aside for 20 to 30 minutes. You can also cover the bowl and refrigerate for up to 6 hours.
- In the meantime, stir together the salt (optional), ground black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and oregano.
- Take each chicken breast out of the brine and rinse under cold water; pat dry with paper towels.
- Spray chicken breasts with cooking oil on all sides. Sprinkle the seasoning blend evenly over the chicken breasts and rub in on all sides.
- Place 2 to 3 chicken breasts in the air fryer basket. Leave enough space between the breasts to ensure even cooking.
- Cook at 375˚F for 10 minutes.
- Using tongs, flip the chicken over and continue to cook for 6 to 8 more minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness.
- Remove chicken breasts from the air fryer basket and let rest on a cutting board for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Air fryers and cook times may vary depending on the size of the chicken breasts.
- Always use an Instant Read Meat Thermometer to make sure your chicken is cooked all the way through.
- Do not crowd the Air Fryer basket. If you stuff the air fryer, the food will steam rather than roast or crisp up.
- Always turn your food or shake the basket to ensure even cooking.
- Store cooked chicken in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
The chicken was sooooo good and my husband loved it and wants left overs tonight lol We had it with tomatoes and okra over rice.So happy I came across this recipe.
I’m so glad to hear you both loved the chicken! That sounds like a delicious pairing with tomatoes, okra, and rice. Thanks for trying the recipe! ๐
can I substitute smoked paprika for the sweet?
Hi!
Yes, use any kind you like.
My husband called it excellent! It really was tender and no need for extra salt.
Would this work the same way using chicken tenders? Obviously I would decrease the cooking time, but I’m wondering if I should reduce the salt for the brine?
Delicious, flavorful, juicy, and tender! Definitely a keeper!
I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! ๐
This was very good. My husband loved it. Thank you for recipe.
This was easy peasy, quick and delicious!! Followed the recipe exactly and it was perfect!! Thank you for sharing!!
That’s great! I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! ๐
This is quite possibly the most exquisite chicken breast I have ever eaten in my life, no lie! Iโm never making chicken any other way.
That’s great to hear! I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! ๐
Thank you. Looking fforward to trying your other recipes
I hope you enjoy them! Thank YOU! ๐
Hello, should a thick and/or uneven chicken breast be flattened with a meat mallet to ensure even a Cooking? Thanks