Air Fryer Chicken Breasts

These flavorful air fryer chicken breasts cook up to juicy perfection in no time with only a little effort. 

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Craving a juicy and tender chicken breast, but don’t want to heat up your kitchen or oil-fry, then these air fryer chicken breasts are the perfect solution! It’s quick and easy – just prepare the chicken, pop it into the air fryer, and you’ll have delicious, crispy chicken ready in no time. 

Air Fryer Chicken Breasts Ingredients

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Juicy air fryer chicken breasts are an incredibly delicious dish. The chicken comes out perfectly cooked with a crispy outer layer that adds a delightful crunch. 

The flavorful seasonings you use will also add to the overall flavor profile of your meal. 

When cooked correctly, these air-fried chicken breasts can be moist on the inside and deliciously crispy.

Substitutions And Additions

CHICKEN: You can also use thin-sliced chicken breasts in this air fryer chicken recipe. The cook time maybe 2 to 3 minutes less. I used regular chicken breasts, but it is important that they are an even thickness. That is why we use a meat mallet – not to pound them completely thin, but just so that they are a consistent thickness.

How To Make This Air Fryer Chicken Breasts Recipe

The first step in making these crispy air fryer chicken breasts is to soak them in a brine for half an hour. The brine will help to create extra moist and juicy chicken once you cook it in the air fryer.

Next, add the seasonings to the chicken and pop them into your air fryer following the directions below.

STEP ONE: Fill a large bowl with room-temperature water and stir in the kosher salt until it dissolves.

STEP TWO: Add the chicken breasts to the salt water and allow them to soak for 30 minutes up to an hour or two. Remove the chicken breasts from the soak and pat them dry with paper towels.

STEP THREE: If using standard-sized chicken breasts, place each breast between two sheets of plastic wrap and gently pound the thicker end with a meat mallet to flatten the chicken breast to an even thickness.

STEP FOUR: In a large bowl, drizzle each raw chicken breast with olive oil and toss to coat completely.

STEP FIVE: Combine the spices in a small bowl and stir together. Sprinkle half of the spice mixture over the chicken breasts and rub it in.

STEP SIX: Spray the air fryer with non-stick cooking spray. 

STEP SEVEN: Working in batches of two chicken breasts at a time, place the chicken in the air fryer in a single layer and let the chicken cook at 380°F for 8 minutes.

STEP EIGHT: Flip the chicken breasts over and sprinkle some of the remaining seasonings over the top of the chicken breasts to make a pretty, finished presentation.

STEP NINE: Air fry chicken breasts for another 8 to 9 minutes until the internal temperature of the chicken registers 165°F on a meat thermometer.

How To Serve

Cooking chicken breast in the air fryer results in an easy and delicious main course that pairs well with a variety of side dishes. 

To complete the meal, try serving your delicious chicken breasts with roasted vegetables, such as Brussels sprouts, carrots, sweet potatoes, or squash. 

For a lighter side dish, a fresh tomato cucumber salad or citrus-dressed spinach makes a perfect accompaniment.

It can also be added to our chicken bacon ranch salad, burrito bowls, or our chicken taco casserole.

Air fryer recipes make meal prep quick and easy. Check out our air fryer fried chicken and air fryer pizzas too.

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Storage

IN THE FRIDGE: Store these flavorful chicken breasts in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. 

IN THE FREEZER: Freeze leftover chicken for up to 3 months in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

Cooking chicken breasts in the air fryer is, in my opinion, the easiest way to have juicy and moist chicken quickly and without a lot of work. This air fryer chicken breasts recipe will give you all the steps you need to make this delicious main dish.

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Air Fryer Chicken Breasts

4.75 from 4 votes

These flavorful air fryer chicken breasts cook up to juicy perfection in no time with only a little effort. 

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 16 minutes minutes

Total Time 56 minutes minutes

Servings 4

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Ingredients

  

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Brine

• ¼ cup kosher salt
• Water

Chicken

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ¾ teaspoon dried oregano

Instructions

 

• Fill a large bowl with room-temperature water and stir in the kosher salt until it dissolves.
• Add the chicken breasts to the salt water and allow them to soak for 30 minutes up to an hour or two. Remove the chicken breasts from the soak and pat them dry with paper towels.
• If you are using standard-sized chicken breasts, place each breast between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound the thicker end gently with a meat mallet to flatten the chicken breast to an even thickness.
• In a large bowl, drizzle the chicken breasts with olive oil and toss to coat completely.
• Combine the spices in a small bowl and stir together. Sprinkle half of the spice mixture over the chicken breasts and rub it in.
• Spray the air fryer with non-stick cooking spray.
• Working in batches of two chicken breasts at a time, place the chicken in the air fryer and cook at 380°F for 8 minutes.
• Flip the chicken breasts over and sprinkle some of the remaining seasonings over the top of the chicken breasts to make a pretty, finished presentation.
• Cook for another 8 to 9 minutes until the internal temperature registers 165°F.

Notes

• The salt brine bath makes a noticeable difference in the juiciness and moistness of the chicken. It takes only 30 minutes to make this impact but well worth it. No need to rinse the chicken after removing it from the salt bath. This adds a bit of saltiness to the chicken – the seasonings in the recipe have been adjusted accordingly. If you skip the salt bath, you may want to increase the salt level of the spice rub.
• Reserving some of the seasoning blend and sprinkling it on top after you flip the chicken breasts over gives a nice seasoned presentation. This is optional.
• Make sure to check your air fryer manual for cooking time guidelines for your specific model, as times and temperatures vary depending on the type of air fryer you have.

Nutrition

Calories: 325kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 48g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 8499mg | Potassium: 866mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 323IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 1mg

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