Learn how to make the juiciest Air Fryer Chicken Breast in 25 minutes. It is easy, tender and bursting with flavor!
We love healthy chicken breast recipes around here! And we do not settle on dry and flavorless chicken.
Reading: Roasted chicken breast in air fryer
I’ve already perfected recipes for grilled chicken breast, oven baked chicken breast and Instant Pot chicken breast. Now it’s time to perfect it in my latest gadget.
Cooking chicken in the air fryer results in juicy, tender chicken breast with a light, flavorful crust and tender, moist middle. Every single time!
My love for air fryer chicken recipes began with crispy air fryer chicken wings, air fryer chicken tenders, and juicy air fryer chicken drumsticks. Today we are making perfectly cooked air fryer chicken breasts!
Table of Contents
Why You Will Love This Recipe
How Long to Cook Chicken Breast in the Air Fryer
Size Changes Everything
This depends on the size of your chicken breasts. For average-sized chicken breast that’s around 2-inches thick, I recommend between 16-18 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the chicken reaches 150 degrees F.
Here is a handy timetable for quick reference:
- Small Breasts (5 to 7 ounces): 14 minutes
- Medium Breasts (8 to 9 ounces): 16 minutes
- Large Breasts (10 ounces or more): 18 minutes
Let It Rest
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Make sure to allow it to rest for 5 minutes to allow juices to redistribute and chicken to finish cooking.
As per food safety website, to be safe to eat, chicken must reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. However, there’s no need to cook it until that point. I recommend cooking the chicken until it’s 150 degrees F and the residual heat will then continue to increase the internal temperature while the chicken rests.
You get to avoid dry, overcooked chicken. It is my secret to juicy and not dry chicken breasts.
Chicken Breasts Came Out Undercooked
Thought you had the right time but your chicken came out undercooked? After checking with the instant read thermometer, if you see temperature is below 150 degrees F, cook it for extra 2 minutes.
It sure is a delicate balance and figuring out the cooking time based on size, your air fryer and personal preferences. It is a matter of practice.
Pro Tips for Best Air Fried Chicken Breast
For best results follow the below tips!
- No need to brine: Dry rub and optimal cooking temperature and method, will take care of juicy chicken breasts.
- Size matters: I recommend to pick the same size breasts for even cooking when shopping. Also know the weight of each piece to select correct cooking time.
- Cook in a single layer: The air needs to circulate the chicken to get the job done. Overlapping or stacking the chicken will affect the cooking results.
- There’s no need to shake the basket: While flipping can help to yield crispier results, this dry rub chicken breast isn’t intended to be super crispy, so leaving it alone will help avoid dry chicken.
- Allow it to rest: Once cooked, transfer the air fried chicken breast to a large foil covered platter and allow it to rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to settle and redistribute.
FAQs
Serving Ideas for Cooked Chicken Breasts in the Air Fryer
After resting, the chicken breast is ready to serve. I recommend slicing against the grain.
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Use this air fryer chicken recipe for weekly meal prep. I love it for lunch with healthy Caesar salad! Or turn it into one of easiest healthy dinner ideas for family serving with:
- Roasted cauliflower
- Instant Pot potato salad
- Mediterranean quinoa salad
- Instant Pot mashed potatoes and garlic green beans
- Marinade for grilled vegetables
- Sauteed zucchini
- Thai chili sauce
Variations
Once you have the basic method down, then you can experiment with different spices, marinades, and more.
- Sauces: Try the lemon dijon sauce from air fryer salmon on chicken breast!
- Fresh garlic: If you have a little extra time, feel free to use fresh grated/minced garlic over the chicken breasts like I do in air fryer lamb chops!
- Add vegetables: If you have enough space in the basket, you can add some veggies directly in with the chicken to cook simultaneously. You could include zucchini, brussel sprouts, red peppers, broccoli and asparagus.
- For even juicier results: You can marinate the chicken using one of these 5 easy chicken marinades. When marinated, place the chicken straight into the air fryer basket and cook. There’ll be a little more “cleanup” afterward of the basket, but otherwise, it couldn’t be simpler.
Storing and Reheating Air Fryer Chicken Breasts
Make ahead: After rubbing the chicken with the spices, you can allow them to sit, covered, in the refrigerator overnight (up to 12 hours before cooking).
Storing: Refrigerate the chicken in an airtight container for easy meal prep for up to one week. Make sure to move it to the refrigerator within two hours for food safety and keep it whole for the juiciest results.
Freeze: Cool completely before transferring the chicken breasts to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. I recommend slicing or shredding the chicken before freezing. That way, it’ll thaw faster and can be added to meals immediately.
You can thaw them overnight in the refrigerator before eating or reheating.
Reheat: I recommend reheating air fryer chicken breast in a lidded pot with a splash of water or broth to steam them until warm. This will keep the chicken tender and moist compared to trying to reheat them in the air fryer or oven.
More Easy Healthy Air Fryer Recipes
- Air fryer turkey breast
- Air fryer shrimp
- Air fryer tofu
- Air fryer asparagus
- Air fryer brussels sprouts
- Air fryer chicken tenders
You might also be interested in browsing through my entire collection of air fryer recipes!
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