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Tender and Juicy Air Fryer Chicken is golden crispy outside and moist and delicate on the inside. This is bursting with flavor and so good!
Air Fryer food is so succulent and easy! Try Perfect Air Fryer Steak with Garlic Herb Butter and Homemade Air Fryer French Fries. Don’t have an Air Fryer? It’s time!
Air Fryer Chicken Breast Recipe
Air Fryers have changed cooking. It’s so quick and easy and everything that comes out tastes amazing. I love it. This is such a healthy way to cook chicken or any other dish for that matter. It uses the same method as a convection oven but this way you don’t have to heat the whole oven for just a few chicken breasts. It’s quick and the clean up is so easy.
Chicken can be finicky sometimes, and hard to get juicy and tender each and every time. The air fryer method takes a lot of the guess work out for you. You will just need to take the Chickens temperature to ensure doneness, and that you don’t overcook it. This is so versatile so change it up as you need to and enjoy.
Chicken Breast Ingredients
Ingredients that we all usually have on hand. So easy and so quick!
- Chicken Breasts: Buying skinless, boneless make it super easy.
- Olive Oil: Perfect mild flavored oil for the air fryer
- Italian Seasoning: Perfect combination of spices
- Garlic Powder: Garlic adds that nice kick of flavor
- Paprika: Adds color and flavor
- Salt and Pepper: Add to taste
- Optional: Brussel sprouts
How Long to Cook Chicken Breast in Air Fryer
You will make your chicken in the air fryer from now on. It’s so easy and fail proof. Never wonder what’s for dinner again!
- Oil: Place the chicken in the fryer and rub with the olive oil to coat
- Combine: In a small bowl combine the spices and rub generously on the chicken
- Air Fry: Bake at 360 for 9 min. Flip (add brussel sprouts if using) Cook for another 9 min or till internal temp is 165.
Tips for the Best Juicy Air Fryer Chicken
- Olive Oil: This helps to crisp the skin and helps the spices and herbs to adhere to the meat.
- Space: Make sure you create room between the chicken breasts to ensure even cooking. Don’t overcrowd. Cook in batches if you need to.
- Check: Check the temp earlier than you think so you don’t accidently over cook the chicken. Appliances can vary so go by temperature of your chicken to ensure it’s done.
- Rest: Let the Chicken rest before cutting into it. About 5 min at least. This allows the juices to reabsorb into the chicken instead of spilling onto your plate.
- Spices: Mix it up depending on your menu. You can use Mexican spices, BBQ spices and sauce, Indian spices etc. Whatever your menu calls for this is a quick delicious way to cook your chicken.
- Moist: Want to make sure your chicken is super moist and tender? Try marinating or brining your chicken for even greater juiciness and flavor.
How and Why do I Brine my Chicken Breasts?
- Why: During brining the salt helps the meat to absorb extra liquid through the process of osmosis. Soaking the chicken in salted water, results in a juicier and more flavorful final dish, because the is able to hold on to more of it’s moisture. This is particularly great for lean cuts of meat, such as chicken breast and turkey breast that tend to dry out during cooking.
- Formula: Basic brine ratio: The basic ratio of salt to water for a brine is 4 tablespoons of salt per 6 cups of water. But size of the salt crystal and type matter. Use Kosher salt because although it dissolves faster and easier in water, it’s slower to dissolve on the surface of meat so less sodium is absorbed by your meat.
- How: Fill a large bowl with about 4 cups of lukewarm water and add ¼ cup kosher salt, stirring to dissolve. Although this may sound like a lot of salt, only a small amount is absorbed. Add the chicken breasts to the water and let them sit at least 1 ½ hours or up to 6 hours to brine. Remove from water, pat dry with paper towels and discard the water.
- Continue with the recipe as directed rubbing with oil and spices then baking.
More Chicken Recipes to Try
- Delicious Chicken Divan Recipe
- Butter Chicken
- Slow Cooker Crack Chicken
- Easy Chicken Lombardy
- Awesome Chicken Katsu
Tender and Juicy Air Fryer Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- salt and pepper
- optional: brussels sprouts
Instructions
- Place the chicken in the air fryer basket. Rub olive oil on the chicken.
- In a small bowl add the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Rub on each sides of the chicken.
- Cook in the air fryer at 360 degrees for 9 minutes. Open the air fryer and flip the chicken. (Add Brussels sprouts now if using). Cook for another 9 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Video
Nutrition
Serves: 4
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
This is simple, fast and delicious. I’ll use this on days when I’m short on time. Good takeout!
Definitely tender & juicy. We loved it!
Loved how easy it was …simple. I did it for 8 mins then flipped and another 5 mins. It was still red inside. Then another 2 mins and dry. WTH I am a baker not a cook. I have a foodi air fryer like 10 in 1 and I’m still drying chicken out. Go me. Anyway the season was very good when adding a lot of salt. Thank you.
You’re after my own heart (sigh).
Hey there, I have a ninja foodi flip. Try salt brining your chicken breasts for at least an hour .. or longer. When ready to cook, remove from brine and pat dry well. I use canola spray in my flip .. With chicken on a cutting board, spray it with oil and then apply seasoning rub generously. Flip, repeat and add to the fry basket with the pan underneath. I do 375 on air fry setting for about 20 mins … Give/take depending on breast size. Hit pause, flip chicken and rotate basket at halfway point. Juicy every time. Salt brining before is the key! Hope this helps.
Did everything per the recipe. I’m still learning My air fryer. I did 380 for 9 mins and 6 mins. Inside temp was right at 165. I added a few seasonings. Onion powder, lowery and accent. It was easy and very good. Will make again. I recommend.
Did everything per the recipe. I’m still learning My air fryer. I did 380 for 9 mins and 6 mins. Inside temp was right at 165. I added a few seasonings. Onion powder, lowery and accent. It was easy and very good. Will make again. I recommend.
Do you use frozen Brussels sprouts? And could I use fresh asparagus instead?
Yes, to both questions! That sounds great! Let me know how you like it with asparagus!
Tried this last night for supper . Juicy and very tender. Done so fast.
This recipe is very, easy and so good. I also tried the Hassleback potatoes as a side with thus chicken. They were very good also. Thank you for sharing.
New to the air fryer. Do you have to preheat first?
It is best to read over your instruction manual each air fryer is different. Mine I do not have to preheat on some recipes and other I need to. For this chicken I did not need to preheat my air fryer. Hope that helps!
Hi! Love learning recipes from you. I have a Ninja Foodi, which has an air fryer.. would this be the same directions for 9 minutes, etc?
I always struggle with knowing how it translates from appliance to appliance (ie Instapot directions and how to follow with Ninja Foodi ..)
That is a hard question. I have not used a Ninja Foodi but the two air fryers that I have are different brands and they still cook the same. I use a 6 quart air fryer for both of them.
My Wife made this chicken and it was absolutely amazing!!! The only thing she did differently was that she brined the chicken for an hour and a half. I’m a stickler for bringing. Keeps the chicken moist.
Wife made this chicken and it was absolutely amazing!!!
I got this off FB and the recipe look delicious ! But, I am searching for the proper Air Fryer to buy. Some have more functions than others. Some say they bake, some ay they boil, etc. Please advise as it’s a huge product with a Lot of brands !! Thanks !
I am a huge fanatic of air fryers! I highly recommend a 6 quart air fryer. Any brand really works and they are pretty similar. Having a basket is best too. There are some at costco or even on amazon that are perfect for any family and super simple to use that are around $100 or less.
Ninja Foodi is what I have. Love it!
I have a instant vortex and the times match up pretty well, I recommend getting a digital thermometer if you’re not sure about your chicken. Great recipe!
We thought it was delicious and tender. The chicken was still a tad frozen and a huge breast so I ended up cooking about 6 min longer or 12 on each side. I used seasonings of chili powder, paprika, Italian seasonings, and garlic, a little cumin, chives, and parsley. it was great. Still new with the air fryer so always appreciate a good easy recipe.
Thank You
What brand are your two air fryers?
One is from Sur La Table and the other one is from William Sonoma. Any air fryer is great if it is at least 6 quart and has several features. Costco has a great one and even amazon.
Which air fryer would you recommend pls .. very few in the market have high degree temperatures
I do love my William Sonoma air fryer but I also love my Costco air fryer too. They both reach 400 degrees which is perfect for any of my recipes. It is a 6 quart air fryer that can fit just enough for a family of 4 to 6 people.
Just bought an air fryer and this was the first recipe I tried. Turned out great. Very tender and juicy. Didn’t need the full time but maybe because I used smaller chicken tenders.
Is there an advantage to putting the oil and seasonings on after you put the chicken in the air fryer? Seems counterintuitive…I would season before I put it in.
Also, is their skin on the chicken in your photos?
*is there, not their, sorry!
*is there, not their! Sorry.
Do you put the brussel sprouts on top of the chicken in the air fryer?
No, on the side and in between the chicken.
I’ll be honest, I’m not typically a fan of a chicken breast but your photo drew me in. I’m willing to give it another shot because that looks so good and honestly so simple.
Just made the chicken tonight in my new Instant Vortex Mini … it’s sooo good! It couldn’t have been any easier – fifteen minutes in total. Can’t wait to experiment with different seasonings.