Boneless, skinless chicken breast cooked to tender and juicy perfection in your air fryer. With simple steps and common ingredients, this recipe is sure to become a favorite. We don’t use any breading at all, but rather a marinade that creates a beautiful char on the outside, and is tender and juicy on the inside.
Air Fryer Chicken with No Breading
We start with boneless skinless chicken breasts. We’ll want to select a size that is about 6-8oz. If using large chicken breasts, slice them in half horizontally. This will produce the very best results.
We’ll be seasoning the chicken breasts with a marinade of very common ingredients, many of which you probably already have on hand – brown sugar, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, onion powder, garlic powder, crushed rosemary, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Mix all the ingredients together in a shallow dish, then place the chicken breasts in the mixture and let them marinate. You’ll want to let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes. But if you have more time, a couple of hours is better and overnight is best!
When we’re ready to make our meal, we start by preheating the the air fryer for 5 minutes at 360 degrees. I always like to spray a little non-stick cooking spray on the bottom of the air fryer basket. I use cooking spray that has no propellants and says that its safe for use in air fryers. Cooking spray that’s in traditional aerosol cans can damage the finish in the air fryer basket or tray.
After the air fryer has preheated, place the marinated chicken breasts in the basket or on tray. You can brush on some additional marinade if you want. I like to add just a bit of fresh ground black pepper with just a twist or two of the pepper mill. I also like to add some additional sea salt or kosher salt. This is just personal taste but I find it adds that little extra boost of flavor. Close the air fryer and set the time to 18 minutes at 360 degrees. After 10 minutes, flip the chicken breasts over and continuing cooking. When done, remove the chicken to a plate and let them sit for 5 minutes before slicing and then enjoy!
Best Damn Air Fryer Chicken Breast
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 18 min
- Total Time: 23 minutes
- Yield: 2 chicken breasts
Description
Tender and juicy boneless skinless chicken breasts cooked to perfection in an air fryer.
Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 6-8oz each
- 3 tbs olive oil
- 3 tbs balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbs soy sauce
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tbs brown sugar
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp dry crushed rosemary
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients, except chicken, in a shallow baking dish and whisk together.
- Add chicken and coat well so it’s all submerged in the mixture. Marinate for at least 30 minutes. 2 hours is better; overnight is best!
- Preheat air fryer to 360 degrees for 5 minutes.
- Add chicken breasts to air fryer and air fry at 360 degrees for 18 minutes, turning after 10 minutes.
- After time is complete, remove chicken and place on a plate or cutting board to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- You can marinate chicken in a ziploc bag.
- Make double the marinate mixture to create a delicious glaze. Set aside half and reduce in a pot on the stovetop for about 5 minutes on low heat until sauce thickens. (Do NOT use marinade that raw chicken has been in for this part. Set aside half the mixture for this.)
- Air frying time can vary by a minute or two depending on the size of the chicken breast and the particular air fryer. Always make sure the chicken has an internal temperature of 165 F.
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: chicken breast, air fryer, balsamic vinegar
Christie
This was excellent! Even the kids loved it. Thanks for the recipe!
★★★★★
Mckenzie
I’ve tried this multiple times in the air fryer and it’s SO good!!
But, do you think the chicken would turn out as juicy and tender being cooked on the grill instead of the air fryer? And keep everything the same?
RecipeTeacher
You certainly could give this recipe a go on the grill.
Laura
Mine did not come out crispy on outside and I think 18 minutes over cooked it inside. Trying to figure out what I did wrong.
Ilene
This was the best air fryer chicken I’ve made! So flavorful and moist! I had slightly larger breasts so I added a few minutes to cooking time.
Served with cauliflower rice that my daughter dressed up with herbs and spices.
A delicious meal, will definitely make again!
★★★★★
Michelle
Delicious!!
★★★★★
Diane
SO EASY, SO JUICY AND DELICIOUS!!!!!
★★★★★
Lindy
SO MUCH FLAVOR! Chicken was so tender. My chicken breast was a bit larger, so the cooking time increased by about 5 min. The glaze added an extra BURST of balsamic goodness. Everyone agreed this was the “best chicken” they’d ever tasted…and I make chicken a lot! Served with Parmesan roasted potatoes and zucchini. YUM
★★★★★
Tonya Felder
I made this for dinner tonight and it is AMAZING! Even my picky husband loved it. It’s so tender and juicy, it just melts in your mouth. I also made extra marinade to drizzle over the top but I tried a bite with it and it was too strong of a taste for me. I preferred it without the extra marinade. But I will definitely be making this chicken again. Thank you for sharing!
★★★★★
Danielle
How long would you cook for thin cut chicken breasts?
RecipeTeacher
Hi Danielle,
It really depends on how thin they are, but best to knock a few minutes off the 18 minute time and just be certain to check the internal temp with an instant read thermometer.
Karren
I haven’t tried this yet. Can you use this recipe with skin on and bone in?
★★★★★
RecipeTeacher
Hi Karren. I’ve not tested this recipe yet on bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts. But I would expect it to take more time.