Chicken has always been a staple food, but it can get boring if your only option is fried or boiled chicken.
If you’re looking for something different, this air-fryer chicken breast recipe will change how you think about cooking meat.
- What is an air fryer?
- How do you cook chicken breast in an air fryer?
- What is the best air fryer chicken breast recipe?
- How do you make crispy air fryer chicken breast?
- Is air fryer chicken breast healthier than other methods?
- What are the benefits of cooking chicken breast in an air fryer?
- How long does it take to cook air fryer chicken breast?
- What temperature should air fryer chicken breast be cooked at?
- Can you overcook chicken breast in an air fryer?
- What should you serve with air fry
What Is An Air Fryer?
An air fryer is basically a countertop appliance used for frying foods without using any oil.
It works by creating steam inside the chamber, which cooks the food while keeping everything dry so you don’t have to worry about splattering grease all over yourself.
You can find air fryers on Amazon for as little as $30, making them affordable enough to buy multiple models.
But there are also more expensive versions like this one from KitchenAid, which costs around $200.
You can even spend thousands of dollars on some very high end ones like the Ninja Air Fryer Pro, which comes with its own built-in warming drawer and features a digital display screen.
Air fryers often come in various sizes, ranging anywhere between 1.
5 gallons (6 liters) to 5 gallons (19.1 liters).
They generally work best when they reach temperatures up to 350°F (177°C), although some models allow you to adjust the temperature depending on what you’re cooking.
Most air fryers use convection technology to create a hot oven effect inside their chambers.
However, some manufacturers use actual heat elements instead.
Either way, these appliances are great for anyone who loves fast and healthy meals.
How Do You Cook Chicken Breast In An Air Fryer?
This air fryer chicken breast recipe uses all natural ingredients.
You simply season the chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, chipotle chili sauce, apple cider vinegar, and olive oil.
Then, you place it into the air fryer basket and close the lid.
Cook on high heat for 5 minutes and reduce to medium heat for another 10 minutes.
Once done, let the chicken rest for five minutes before serving.
It’s as easy as that!
What Is The Best Air Fryer Chicken Breast Recipe?
This air fryer chicken breast recipe uses boneless skinless chicken breasts.
It is made by marinating them in a flavorful sauce before placing them into the air fryer basket and cooking them until they are done to your liking.
You can either eat them as soon as they come out of the oven, or let them cool down first so you have more time to enjoy them later on!
How Do You Make Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Breast?
The secret to making crispier chicken is by not drying out the skin before coating it with seasoning and frying it.
Air-fryer chicken breast recipes like this one call for a dry rub made up of salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper.
You coat each piece liberally on both sides and let them sit while you prepare everything else.
Once they have had time to absorb all the flavors, remove them from the bowl and set them aside so they don’t burn during the final step.
Once everything else is ready to go into the air fryer basket, add the coated pieces of chicken, seasonings, onions, peppers, and any other ingredients that you want to include.
Cook the chicken for 30 minutes per pound, turning every 5 minutes after 10 minutes.
For example, a 4-pound chicken would take 40 minutes to cook in the air fryer.
After the first 20 minutes of cooking, flip the chicken over, adding more seasoning as needed.
Seasoning the chicken helps prevent sticking during the last part of cooking, which is critical when there are multiple layers involved (like this recipe).
Make sure to keep track of the amount of time left on your timer because once the chicken hits the target weight, you need to turn off the air fryer immediately so the chicken doesn’t continue cooking too much longer than necessary.
Is Air Fryer Chicken Breast Healthier Than Other Methods?
The healthiest way to prepare chicken breast is to grill it over direct heat using wood chips on top of the coals to absorb some smoke flavor into the meat.
This process takes longer than most recipes, so we recommend cooking your chicken in an air fryer instead.
Because there isn’t much fat to drain off, you won’t need to use as many spices to season the meat.
You can also try making boneless skinless chicken breasts by removing all of the excess fat from the pieces before marinating them in sauce.
You may want to cut any bones out first to avoid splinters when cutting through the thick fleshy part of the chicken.
If you prefer thicker cuts of chicken, you can remove the wings and legs while trimming down the thighs and drumsticks to create a more uniform size piece.
What Are The Benefits Of Cooking Chicken Breast In An Air Fryer?
Cooking chicken breasts in an air fryer brings out their natural flavors while keeping them moist and juicy.
You don’t need to use any extra oil when using air fryers because they work by circulating hot air around the food.
It also means less fat!
The air fryer itself doesn’t have to be used all the time either – just set up a regular oven timer once every so often to keep things warm while you move on to another dish.
The air fryer is great for smaller dishes too because it won’t heat up your kitchen as much as traditional ovens would.
This air fryer chicken breast recipe uses some basic spices like salt and pepper to season the chicken before cooking and finishes off with a squeeze of lemon juice.
You can add more spices or herbs depending on what kind of flavor profile you prefer.
It’s important to make sure your air fryer is clean before starting to cook.
Make sure there aren’t any leftover crumbs from last night’s dinner in the bottom of your unit and give everything a good scrubbing.
How Long Does It Take To Cook Air Fryer Chicken Breast?
The entire process from start to finish takes just under 20 minutes.
That includes removing the chicken from the air fryer after being cooked (it doesn’t need to rest), seasoning it, and serving it up!
As far as timing goes, you have two options when deciding on the time frame for your chicken breast: You can either start the air fryer immediately after preheating it and let everything come together naturally over the course of 15 minutes, or you can set out all of the ingredients beforehand and let them marinate while you wait for the air fryer to heat.
What Temperature Should Air Fryer Chicken Breast Be Cooked At?
When I first started using my air fryer, I didn’t know what kind of temperatures to use when baking chicken breasts in it.
After some trial and error, I found out that medium heat was ideal for most recipes.
That being said, there isn’t one right answer on which temperature works best for every dish.
It depends on the size of your air fryer basket, what ingredients you have in your air fryer, and even the thickness of your chicken breasts.
If you want to find more information about how to choose the correct temperature for your air fryer, check out our post here.
You can also read up on what happens during the cooking process to learn more about why certain temperatures work better than others.
Can You Overcook Chicken Breast In An Air Fryer?
Cooking time depends on the size of the piece of poultry being used as well as what type of seasoning was applied so there isn’t really a set rule here.
You could easily overcook the meat by leaving it too long in the oven or toaster oven.
Air frying is much safer because you can remove any excess oil from the pan before placing the pieces into the hot air.
If you decide to add extra flavor to the chicken breast, like garlic powder or onion powder, you must also heat these ingredients separately before adding them to the dish.
For example, we recommend heating up 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat.
Once heated through, pour it into the air fryer basket along with one teaspoon each of dried basil and oregano.
You can add more herbs depending on your preference, but keep in mind that they will lose their potency after sitting in the pot for a while.
Once everything is ready, place the chicken breasts on top of the herbs and seasonings.
Cook the chicken breast for 10 minutes per pound (455 grams) of weight.
After ten minutes, turn off the air fryer and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Serve with your favorite sides!
What Should You Serve With Air Fry
The air fryer doesn’t have a lot of room, so it isn’t ideal as a place to prepare large meals.
However, it makes a great space saver when preparing smaller dishes such as appetizers or snacks.
This air fryer chicken breast recipe uses just one small pan instead of two, which means less cleanup time (and even more space).
We recommend serving this dish with some sort of side like rice or mashed potatoes because they add flavor, texture, color, and nutrition.
You could also try these delicious broccoli slaw recipes!
Equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Small bowl
Ingredients
- 4 boneless chicken breasts 6-7 ounces each
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Seasoning Mix
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper
- ¼ teaspoon oregano
Instructions
- Set the air fryer’s temperature to 370°F.
- The seasoning blend should be combined in a small basin.
- Rub some olive oil on the chicken after patting it dry with paper towels. Use the seasoning blend or your own custom mixture to season.
- Make sure the chicken breasts don’t overlap as you put them in the air fryer.
- For ten minutes, cook the chicken. Cook the chicken for an additional 6 to 9 minutes on the other side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Never overcook food.
- Remove the chicken from the air fryer once it has finished cooking and let it rest for five minutes before slicing.
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My blog is all about creating delicious meals with ingredients that are easy to find in your local grocery store. I’m passionate about making yummy meals that I can share with my friends and family.