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.
My brand new air fryer arrived this week and I think I’m in love! How did I survive so long without one in my life?
I’m already pretty sure it will become my new best friend in the kitchen (sorry slow cooker), especially if these super succulent chicken breasts are anything to go by!
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✔️ Why should you try it?
- Quick cooking compared to a conventional oven
- Healthier alternative to frying
- More economical than using your oven or hob
- Meat and poultry are juicy, tender and tasty
🥄 Equipment
To cook air fryer chicken breasts you’re going to need an air fryer! The model I recommend and use myself is a Ninja Foodi Heath Grill and Air Fryer, which not only air fries but also grills, roasts and dehydrates food too.
A meat thermometer is also useful to test if the internal temperature of the meat or poultry you are cooking has reached the required ‘safe’ temperature.
🥘 Ingredients
- 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 1/2 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 served with roast sweet potato, baked carrot fries, air fryer roast potatoes, air fryer sweet potato fries, baked potatoes, 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.
🥡 Storage
The cooked chicken can be stored in the fridge for 48 hours. Either use cold in salads, add to pasta or risotto or reheat in the microwave until piping hot.
The cooked chicken breasts can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
❓ FAQS
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.
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.
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 and crunchy air fryer roast potatoes!
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Recipe
Air Fryer Chicken Breasts
Ingredients
- 4 Chicken Breasts skinless and boneless
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- ½ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Italian Herbs
- ½ tsp Smoked Paprika
- ¼ tsp Garlic Powder
- ⅛ tsp 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 1/2 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
- 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.
Gail Montero
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!
Jess
I love how easy these are to make in the air fryer! And so juicy!
Jamie
This is such a simple and easy recipe! The chicken came out perfect and it was delicious served with some potatoes. Delicious!
Beth Sachs
Glad you enjoyed it Jamie
Jovita
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!
Carrie Robinson
I just love that you made these in the air fryer! Genius idea. 🙂