Looking for the best Air Fryer Chicken Breast recipe? You can end your search here! With this foolproof recipe, you’ll get the most flavorful chicken breasts, cooked until beautifully tender and golden brown.
And no need to stop at the store — most of the ingredients are likely already in your pantry. Protein-rich and delicious, this air fryer chicken recipe will enhance any meal, from salads to side dishes.
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Why I Love This Air Fryer Chicken Breast Recipe
Chicken is such a versatile protein that can be cooked in various ways, but air frying your chicken will truly take it to the next level. It gives the chicken a crispy exterior while staying nice and juicy on the inside. Not only that, the cooking time is quick, and the clean-up is easy.
We use fresh, boneless, skinless chicken breast that is expertly seasoned and marinated, then give it about 15 minutes in the air fryer. And just like that, you’ll have deliciously tender chicken breasts with mouthwatering flavor!
Another thing I just love about making these juicy fried chicken breasts is that you can cook a large amount and use them to make all sorts of easy meals throughout the week. Need a protein boost to your salad? Add some sliced chicken breast on top. Want to make a wrap? Use these chicken breasts as your filling. Need a quick dinner? Serve these chicken breasts with your favorite sides.
With these flavorful chicken breasts, there’s always an easy recipe at the ready.
Air Fryer Chicken Breast – Simple Ingredients
- Boneless, skinless chicken breast: 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.
- Seasoning blend: You’ll need a combination of brown sugar, ground black pepper, salt, crushed rosemary, garlic powder, and onion powder to create the perfect flavor for your chicken.
- Olive oil and balsamic: These ingredients are used to marinate the chicken before air frying. They add a depth of flavor and help keep the chicken moist.
- Soy sauce: Adds a nice umami flavor to the chicken that really enhances the overall taste.
- Lemon juice: Every marinade needs an acid, and lemon juice is the perfect choice. It helps to tenderize the chicken and add a bright citrus flavor.
To brine or not to brine?
You’ve probably heard about brining meats such as chicken to make it more tender and juicy. Brining means soaking the chicken in a solution of salt, water, and other spices for a period of time. While this certainly is advantageous for many chicken recipes, we can skip the brining for this one. The fact that we’re marinating the chicken before cooking will replace the act of brining.
Season and Marinate
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!
Pro Tip
You can marinate chicken in a zip-top bag rather than a dish. This allows for easy clean-up while still coating the entire chicken in the marinade.
Cooking time
When ready to make our meal, we start by preheating the air fryer for 5 minutes at 360°(F). I always like to spray a little nonstick spray on the bottom of the air fryer basket.
Pro Tip
I use cooking spray that has no propellants and says that it’s safe for use in air fryers. Cooking spray 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 the 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.
Use the air fry setting at 360°(F) for 16-20 minutes, depending on size. Flip the chicken after 10 minutes. We want the internal temperature of the chicken to be 165°(F) when measured with an instant-read thermometer.Once the chicken is done, carefully remove it from the air fryer and place it on a plate to rest for 5 minutes. This allows the natural juices to redistribute throughout the meat, giving us a nice juicy and tender chicken breast.
Serving Your Air Fryer Chicken Breast
This chicken recipe is so versatile and can be served in any number of ways. I like to serve it as-is, with maybe simple sides like white rice and some fresh vegetables.
I also enjoy it sliced up as the main protein in a big salad. Some fresh romaine lettuce, spinach, sliced radishes, cucumbers, chickpeas, and sliced carrots… talk about a tasty and healthy meal! Bring it to work for lunch, and everyone will be jealous.
This chicken would also make a great addition to your favorite pasta dish. Just slice it up and toss it in with some cooked pasta, your favorite sauce, and you’re good to go.
Best Sides to Pair with Air Fryer Chicken Breast
Where do we start? This chicken breast recipe is one of our most popular recipes and goes well with SO many different side dishes.
Our favorite sides are this Air Fryer Asparagus or these Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts. Both are really easy to make and use minimal ingredients. We also love to get our Instant Pot in action and make these Garlic Parmesan Potatoes with Green Beans.
Or perhaps you want to start the meal with a fresh bowl of warm soup. There’s really none better than our Instant Pot Creamy Tomato Basil Soup!
Storage and Reheating
Simply place the leftover chicken in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
To reheat, you’ll get the best results using the oven or stovetop. Just make sure to add some moisture as well to keep it from drying out.
- For the oven: Place chicken in a shallow baking dish and cover with some water or chicken broth, then cover the dish with foil and place in a 350°(F) oven for about 10 minutes.
- For the stovetop: Slice or shred the chicken and place into a pan with about ¼ cup water or broth. Heat through for about 5-8 minutes.
- Microwave: The microwave oven may be the quickest way to reheat chicken, but be careful not to dry it out and get tough meat. Much like the stovetop, we recommend slicing or shredding the chicken and placing it in a container with a little water or broth. Cook it in the microwave in 1-minute increments until heated through.
Meal Prepping for the Week?
The best way to meal prep your air fryer chicken breast is to portion it out into separate meal prep containers and refrigerate them immediately. This will help to prevent the growth of bacteria and keep the chicken fresh for longer.
If you need to store the cooked chicken for longer than four days, you can freeze it for up to three months. When ready to eat, simply thaw the chicken in the refrigerator overnight before reheating it.
PrintRecipe
Best Damn Air Fryer Chicken Breast
- Total Time: 23 minutes
- Yield: 2 chicken breasts
Description
Marinated chicken breasts are cooked to tender, juicy perfection in your air fryer. Excellent for a healthy meal any day of the week.
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°(F) for 5 minutes.
- Add chicken breasts to air fryer and air fry at 360°(F) for 16-20 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 zip-top bag.
- 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.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 18 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: American
Emily says
10/10
Lisa says
This was absolutely delicious! The only thing I would do different, is…make more!!!
RecipeTeacher says
Thanks, Lisa!
Monna says
So many recipes are calling for split chicken breasts, which can be so large now.
Would you recommend that and what cooking time do you think.
Thanks!
Jean says
I’ve only had my first air fryer for a few weeks and am in the learning stage. I buy the small bags of different types of marinated chicken breasts. I came across this recipe when looking for how to cook those breasts in the a/f. So, this review is for the cooking method. They came out SO moist and tender with the right amount of browning. I will definitely come back and try this recipe because it sounds very good, but thanks for getting me started with the cooking method!
ToddNS says
I assume I can’t overlap any chicken? Every recipe seems to say leave space, don’t crowd etc. But when you’re cooking for a family of four(which includes too growing boys) it’s impossible to just put 2-4 pieces in at a time. What is your opinion?
RecipeTeacher says
Indeed, you should keep the chicken from overlapping. The way air frying works, the meat needs to be able to reach all sides. Overlapping will result in very unsatisfactory results. My first air fryer was a smaller one and I wound up getting a larger one for this very reason.
Nancy Tep says
This was easy and absolutely delicious! This is now a favorite!
Dana says
I happen to have some fresh rosemary ok to sub?
RecipeTeacher says
Absolutely you can. And if using fresh, you can use a little bit more. Use 2 teaspoons.
Haley says
This really is the best slow cooker chicken recipe! I’ve made this 3 times- marinated almost an hour and also overnight- both times amazing! The marinade also leaves a bit of a crisp on the outside on some parts of the chicken and it’s so yummy! It’s now my go to quick and easy dinner -I’ve cooked it for 20mins each time since I like the crispiness
Lou A says
If using skin-on breasts, does skin go down first?
Just found you…Love this site!!!!!!
RecipeTeacher says
Hi Lou. I’m glad you found the site too! Skin side up and you can just leave it without turning.
Rosie says
Delicious. I only marinated for two hours but I think if I had left it overnight in the marinade it would have been awesome. Thank you for taking the time to research and find such a quick and tasty bite.
Sherri says
This was amazing!
Missy says
Can these be cooked on the grill after marinated?
RecipeTeacher says
Absolutely.