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    Home » Recipes » Air Fryer

    Air Fryer Chicken Breasts (tender & juicy!)

    Published: Feb 17, 2021 · Modified: Oct 4, 2022 by Beth Sachs · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases · 6 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Air fryer chicken breasts pin image.

    Tender and juicy air fryer chicken breasts are quick to make, super tasty and so versatile!

    Eat them with potatoes, rice, pasta, or salad for a simple weeknight dinner.

    An air fryer chicken breast close up.

    👩‍🍳 Love cooking chicken in an air fryer? Try my air fryer whole chicken too!

    Jump to:
    • ✔️ Why should you try it?
    • 🥄 Equipment
    • 🥘 Ingredients
    • 🔪 Instructions
    • 💭 Top tips
    • Air Fryer Chicken Breast Cooking Times
    • 🍴 Serving suggestions
    • 📖 Variations
    • 🥡 Storage
    • ❓ FAQS
    • 😋Related recipes
    • Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    ✔️ Why should you try it?

    • Quick cooking compared to a conventional oven.
    • A healthier alternative to frying.
    • More economical than using your oven or hob.
    • Meat and poultry are juicy, tender, and tasty when cooked in an air fryer.

    🥄 Equipment

    Which air fryer? I use the Ninja Foodi MAX PRO Health Grill, Flat Plate and Air Fryer with 7 customisable cooking functions including grill, flat plate, air fry, roast, bake, reheat and dehydrate! It also comes with a digital cooking probe that precisely monitors your food’s temperature as it cooks!

    If you don't have this model, a meat themometer is also useful to test if the internal temperature of the meat or poultry you are cooking has reached the required 'safe' temperature.

    🥘 Ingredients

    Ingredients needed to make air fryer chicken breasts.
    • Chicken Breasts - 4 free-range chicken breasts.
    • Olive Oil - or use low-calorie cooking spray.
    • Seasoning - I went for an Italian-inspired seasoning which included dried Italian herbs, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

    🔪 Instructions

    One: Preheat your air fryer to 180°c (350F) and weigh your chicken breasts. I've produced a handy little guide below, to help you calculate timings based on the weight of your chicken breasts. My chicken breasts weighed about 225g each so required 18 minutes in total

    Two: Brush the chicken breasts with oil on the presentation side (or spray with low calorie cooking spray e.g Frylight) and season with ½ of your seasoning mix (I mix together all of the seasonings in one pot so I can see roughly how much half is). Place the breasts presentation side down (smooth side) in the air fryer basket. Brush the side facing you with the remaining oil and season with the remaining seasoning.

    Three: Place the basket in the air fryer. Turn the breasts after half the cooking time has elapsed (so 9 minutes in this case). I set a timer on my phone or on Alexa so I don't forget to turn them!

    Four: Once the time is up, immediately take the chicken out of the air fryer (otherwise you risk it overcooking) and place a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken. The temperature should be 75°c (165F). Leave the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving with your choice of sides. Or, let the chicken cool to room temperature and store in the fridge for up to 48 hours.

    💭 Top tips

    • Always turn your chicken breasts halfway through cooking to ensure even cooking.
    • Cooking time will depend on the weight of your chicken breasts. If you are cooking four chicken breasts, weigh the largest one and use that to work out your timings. Air fryers do vary so make sure you consult your manufacturer's guide.

    Air Fryer Chicken Breast Cooking Times

    170g (6oz) chicken breast - 15 minutes total cooking time

    225g (8oz) chicken breast - 18 minutes total cooking time

    280g (10oz) chicken breast - 20 minutes total cooking time

    340g (12oz) chicken breast - 22 minutes total cooking time

    Cook up to 4 chicken breasts at a time.

    🍴 Serving suggestions

    The air fryer chicken breasts are delicious with roast sweet potato, cheesy leeks, cheesy chips, baked carrot fries, air fryer roast potatoes, air fryer sweet potato fries, cheesy courgette and tomato bake, curried rice salad, baked potatoes, turmeric rice, or stirred through pasta.

    You can also slice up the chicken and store it in the fridge for use in sandwiches, salads, and even this air fryer frittata.

    📖 Variations

    • Vary the seasoning. I used Italian herbs but fajita or Cajun seasoning would also work well. Alternatively, just use a simple salt and pepper seasoning if you prefer.
    • Use pork steaks instead of chicken breasts. Consult your manufacturer's guide for timings.
    Air fryer Italian chicken breast served with air fryer roast potatoes.

    🥡 Storage

    Store: The cooked chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 48 hours. Either use cold in salads, add to pasta or risotto or reheat in the microwave until piping hot.

    Freeze: The cooked chicken breasts can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

    ❓ FAQS

    How long do you cook a chicken breast in the air fryer?

    The length of cooking time depends on the size of your chicken breasts. Weigh your chicken breasts and consult with your manufacturer's guidelines. A 225g (8oz) chicken breast will take roughly 18 minutes to cook. Always use a meat thermometer to check the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 75°c (165F) at the thickest part.

    Do I need to use oil to air fry a chicken breast?

    Brushing the chicken breasts lightly with oil ensures the chicken becomes juicy and tender. If you prefer you can use a low calorie cooking spray which has fewer calories.

    Is using an air fryer healthy?

    Less oil/fat is needed to cook with an air fryer, compared to frying the same food on a conventional hob.

    😋Related recipes

    Do you like chicken as much as we do? Here are some more delicious chicken recipes to try!

    • Chicken and Mushroom Stroganoff
    • Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas
    • Chicken and Chorizo Risotto
    • Creamy Cider Chicken

    Have you got an air fryer? You might also like these tasty air fryer tinned tuna burgers, air fryer sausages, and crunchy air fryer roast potatoes too!

    Don't forget to subscribe to the newsletter to stay up to date with what's cooking in the Effortless Foodie kitchen! You can also follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram too!

    Recipe

    Air fryer chicken breast with crispy potatoes.
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    5 from 5 votes

    Air Fryer Chicken Breasts

    Tender and juicy air fryer chicken breasts are quick to make, super tasty and so versatile. Eat them with potatoes, rice, pasta or salad for a simple weeknight dinner.
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine British, Italian
    Keyword air fryer chicken breasts
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Cook Time 18 minutes
    Total Time 23 minutes
    Servings 4
    Calories 291kcal
    Author Beth Sachs
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • Air Fryer
    • Tongs
    • Meat Thermometer
    • Measuring Spoons
    • Pastry Brush

    Ingredients

    • 4 Chicken Breasts skinless and boneless
    • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
    • ½ teaspoon Salt
    • ½ teaspoon Italian Herbs
    • ½ teaspoon Smoked Paprika
    • ¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder
    • ⅛ teaspoon Black Pepper

    Instructions

    • Preheat your air fryer to 180°c (350F) and weigh your chicken breasts. It's important to know how much they weigh so you know how long to cook them. No-one likes dry chicken...or under-cooked chicken for that matter! I've produced a handy little guide in the main body of the post, to help you calculate timings based on the weight of your chicken breasts.
    • Brush the chicken breasts with oil on the presentation side (or spray with low calorie cooking spray e.g Frylight) and season with ½ your seasoning mix (I mix together all the seasonings in one pot so you can see roughly how much half is). Place the breasts presentation side down (smooth side) in the air fryer basket. Brush the side facing you with the remaining oil and season with the remaining seasoning.
    • Place the basket in the air fryer. Turn the breasts after half the cooking time has elapsed (so 9 minutes in this case). I set a timer on my phone or on Alexa so I don't forget to turn them!
    • Once the time is up, immediately take the chicken out of the air fryer and place a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken. The temperature should be 75°c (165F). Leave to rest for 5 minutes before serving

    Video

    Notes

    Top Tips:
    • Always turn your chicken breasts halfway through cooking to ensure even cooking.
    • Cooking time will depend on the weight of your chicken breasts. If you are cooking four chicken breasts, weigh the largest one and use that to work out your timings. Air fryers do vary so make sure you consult your manufacturer's guide.
     
    Serving Suggestions: The chicken breasts are delicious with roast potato, baked potato, rice and pasta. Or, why not serve cold with a salad?
    Freezing: The cooked chicken breasts can be frozen for up to 3 months.
    Nutrition: The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
     
    Nutrition Facts
    Air Fryer Chicken Breasts
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    291
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    9
    g
    14
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    2
    g
    13
    %
    Trans Fat
     
    1
    g
    Cholesterol
     
    145
    mg
    48
    %
    Sodium
     
    553
    mg
    24
    %
    Potassium
     
    848
    mg
    24
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    1
    g
    0
    %
    Fiber
     
    1
    g
    4
    %
    Sugar
     
    1
    g
    1
    %
    Protein
     
    48
    g
    96
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    196
    IU
    4
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    3
    mg
    4
    %
    Calcium
     
    17
    mg
    2
    %
    Iron
     
    1
    mg
    6
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Tried this recipe?Snap a pic and tag @effortlessf00d on Instagram or Twitter

    More Easy Air Fryer Recipes

    • Air Fryer Mini Egg Dessert Pots
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    • Homemade Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
    • Easy Air Fryer Baked Apples Recipe

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Gail Montero

      February 17, 2021 at 8:46 pm

      5 stars
      I love my air fryer because it cuts the cooking time! Love that this chicken
      breast can be cooked perfectly and in no time there!

      Reply
    2. Jess

      February 17, 2021 at 9:02 pm

      5 stars
      I love how easy these are to make in the air fryer! And so juicy!

      Reply
    3. Jamie

      February 17, 2021 at 9:22 pm

      5 stars
      This is such a simple and easy recipe! The chicken came out perfect and it was delicious served with some potatoes. Delicious!

      Reply
      • Beth Sachs

        February 25, 2021 at 1:35 pm

        Glad you enjoyed it Jamie

        Reply
    4. Jovita

      February 17, 2021 at 9:42 pm

      5 stars
      I just got an air fryer and I can't stop browsing through various recipes. Chicken breasts are a staple at our house so I am definitely bookmarking this one. Thanks for the detailed instructions!

      Reply
    5. Carrie Robinson

      February 17, 2021 at 9:51 pm

      5 stars
      I just love that you made these in the air fryer! Genius idea. 🙂

      Reply

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    Beth Sachs Food Blogger

    Hi, I’m Beth, a Mum of three (and one crazy dog), living in Cornwall, UK. I love creating easy, delicious and fuss-free recipes, perfect for busy families, just like my own.

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