This super easy Air Fried Chicken Breast is a winner when it comes to making a fast and delicious dinner. We love quick recipes when it comes to dinnertime like our Instant Pot Black Bean Soup, incredible topped with a little sour cream and some fresh cilantro. Try out these Almond Flour Chicken Tenders, which cook in just 20 minutes.
Low Carb Air Fryer Chicken Breast
I honestly thought that making chicken breast in the air fryer would result in chicken that was so dried out, all you would be left with is shriveled chicken jerky. I actually got the exact opposite result. You wouldn’t even believe the shocked look on my face as I took my first bite of air fried chicken.
The chicken breast was tender and juicy. Probably the juiciest chicken I have ever cooked.
I am never going back to cooking chicken breast in the oven again, well, unless something happens to my air fryer (knocks on wood). Cooking chicken in an air fryer is my new absolutely favorite way of making it.
And it is super easy to make the air fryer chicken breast, too. Simply spread olive oil on both sides of the chicken breast and sprinkle on herb mixture. Place the breasts into the preheated air fryer. Cook and then flip over to the other side halfway through cooking time.
Air Fryer Chicken No Breading
I used a simple combination of spices that are basic pantry staples, to flavor this boneless chicken breast recipe. I wanted to keep the this chicken fairly neutral so that it has great flavor, but is still usable in other recipes.
It definitely tastes delicious by itself, too. This chicken recipe is especially great for meal prep to use in healthy recipes all week. You can even try it with homemade jerk seasoning.
I made this boneless chicken breast recipe with no breading so that it is gluten free and low carb, so it’s great for a keto diet.
The cooking time for the chicken may vary because of the size of the chicken breasts you have and the type of air fryer you are using. I can cook up to 4 small breasts or 3 breasts that are a little more than 7 ounces in the Cosori Air Fryer 5.8 quart because it has a square shaped basket.
Can you put Raw Chicken in the Air Fryer?
Yes, of course you can put put raw chicken in the air fryer. It goes in pink, uncooked chicken breast and comes out delicious and perfectly cooked.
This is the best air fried chicken recipe and I refuse to cook chicken any other way!
When is Chicken Breast Done?
The best way to test the doneness of the chicken breast is to insert a meat thermometer into the middle of the thickest part. The chicken is done cooking when it has reached an internal temperature of 165°F and the juices should run clear, not pale pink.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Chicken Breast
Here are some of our favorite side dishes to eat with this easy air fryer chicken.
- Squash and Zucchini in Air Fryer
- Lemon Butter Rice
- Salt and Vinegar Smashed Potatoes
- Roasted Parmesan Asparagus
- Homemade French Bread
Is Air Fried Chicken Healthy?
Yes, air fried chicken breast is healthy, definitely a healthier option to deep fried chicken. This recipe uses a little olive oil and seasonings and nothing else. Chicken breast is full of protein, but conveniently low in calories. Since this chicken is made in the air fryer it’s not actually fried and it’s also not made with any breading.
How to Serve Air Fried Chicken Breast?
One of my favorite things to do is cook a few of these chicken breasts on Sunday to use for the whole week. This chicken breast tastes great on its own, but also wonderful in other recipes. Here are some chicken breast air fryer ideas:
- Chicken Salad: I like to cut it into chicken strips and add it to the top of a salad.
- Pasta: Add into pasta or pasta salad for some added protein.
- Chicken Sandwich: Add the chicken breast to a bun and add veggies and condiments.
- Wrap: Put this chicken into a wrap for a healthy and delicious lunch.
- Shred it: Shred the chicken breasts with 2 forks and add it to burritos, tacos, or your favorite recipe.
How to Reheat Chicken in Air Fryer?
Reheating chicken in air fryer is easy. Let chicken come up to room temp. Place chicken into a preheated air fryer and cook at 350°F for about 2 minutes. Flip chicken over and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Check to see if chicken has been heated through. Cook for a couple more minutes if it is still a little cool.
All air fryers cook differently, so the chicken may need to cook for more or less time.
Chicken Breast in Air Fryer Ingredients
- Chicken: I used chicken breast that was boneless and skinless.
- Oil: Using extra-virgin olive oil is my favorite, but you can substitute in other oil.
- Spices: I used a simple mixture of pantry staples like paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, seasoned salt, and pepper.
How to Cook Air Fryer Chicken
- Prep air fryer. Pre-heat the air fryer to 370°F.
- Prep chicken breasts. Place the chicken breast in a plastic zip bag or on a clean work surface, covering chicken with plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet, rolling pin, or even your fists, pound chicken so that the thickness is more even across the whole chicken. This will ensure the chicken cooks more evenly.
- Mix dry rub. In a small bowl, combine together all of the seasonings.
- Add olive oil. Brush olive oil onto both sides of chicken with a pastry brush.
- Add dry rub. Sprinkle each side of the chicken with seasoning and place it into the air fryer basket in a single layer. Careful it will be hot.
- Cook chicken. Cook for 15-18 minutes flipping halfway through the time until the meat thermometer reaches 165° F in the fattest part of the chicken. Cook to the lowest time first then check the temperature at the thickest point. Pull the chicken out as soon as the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165° or it may end up dry. If you are cooking a smaller chicken breast with larger ones, those will be done first, so make sure you pull them out.
How Long do you Cook Chicken Breast in an Air Fryer
For this recipe, I used three chicken breasts that were about 7.5 ounces. I found that it was best to cook them for 9 minutes then flip the breasts over and cook for 9 more minutes. But, you may need to cook the chicken for longer than 18 minutes.
Recipe Tips
- Pound the chicken. Make sure to pound the chicken, it will help it cook more evenly and makes it juicier.
- Use a thermometer. Use a meat thermometer to know when the chicken is cooked through.
- Switch up seasoning. I used my favorite blend of seasonings on this chicken breast. You are welcome to whatever seasoning you love.
- Don’t overcrowd the basket. Chicken breast cooks best when it is in a single layer in the air fryer. They can overlap a little just don’t stack breasts on top of each other.
- Make it spicy. Add a little chipotle powder to the dry rub to add a little spice.
- Cooking time may vary. Chicken may need a little more or a little less cooking time based upon the type of air fryer you have and the size of your chicken breasts. In this recipe I cooked 3 breasts that were a little over 7 ounces each and I use a Cosori Air Fryer 5.8 quart. It’s the best air fryer for chicken.
How to Cook Frozen Chicken Breast in Air Fryer
Did you forget to thaw your chicken breast? No problem! The air fryer will cook frozen chicken breasts, but they may not come out as juicy as cooking thawed chicken.
Just preheat the air fryer to 360°F. To both sides of the chicken breast, brush on the oil and sprinkle on seasoning. Place in pre heated air fryer and cook for 23-25 minutes flipping half way through. Thicker chicken breasts may longer to cook.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How long to air fry chicken breasts? You will want to air fry chicken breasts between 15-18 minutes. If your air fryer cooks a little cooler or the breasts are larger than 7 ounces, it may need a couple additional minutes of cooking time.
- How many calories in air fryer chicken breast? Air fried chicken breast calories are around 122 calories for 3 ounces of chicken. This recipe also has a little olive oil on it so make sure you calculate that in to your calorie count.
- How to cook juicy chicken breast? I get the most juicy chicken when I cook it in the air fryer. It is the best way to avoid dried out, chewy chicken.
- What is the serving size for chicken breast? The serving size for chicken breast is about 3-4 ounces. This recipe is for 3 chicken breasts that are around 7.5 ounces each, so that is about 6 servings.
Air Fryer Chicken Breast Storage Instructions
- How to Refrigerate Chicken Breast: Let the chicken breasts cool and put them in a glass container or BPA-free airtight plastic container or zipper bag. The chicken should last about 4-5 days in the fridge.
- How to Freeze Chicken Breast: Let the chicken cool off completely before putting onto a baking sheet and freezing for 2-3 hours. Move chicken to an airtight glass, BPA-free freezer-safe bag or freezer-safe plastic container. Make sure to label with the recipe name and date. The should last about 3 months in the freezer.
- How to Thaw Chicken Breast: Thaw the frozen chicken in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheating Chicken Breast in Air Fryer: To reheat chicken breast in air fryer let chicken come up to room temperature. Preheat the air fryer to 350° F. Place chicken breast in the air fryer and cook for about 5 minutes flipping the chicken over halfway through cooking. Cook for a couple more minutes if it’s not heated all the way through.
Try these other air fryer recipes!
- Acorn Squash in the Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Turkey Bacon
- Air Fryer Squash and Zucchini
- Potato Skins in Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Frozen French Fries
- Frozen Shrimp in Air Fryer
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Air Fryer Chicken Breast No Breading
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breasts
- 3 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
-
Pre-heat the air fryer to 370°F.
-
Place the chicken breast in a plastic zip bag or on a clean work surface, covering chicken with plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet, rolling pin, or even your fists, pound chicken so that the thickness is more even across the whole chicken. This will ensure the chicken cooks more evenly.
-
In a small bowl, combine together all of the seasonings.
-
Brush olive oil onto both sides of chicken with a pastry brush.
-
Sprinkle each side of the chicken with seasoning and place it into the air fryer basket in a single layer. Careful it will be hot.
-
Cook for 15-18 minutes, flipping halfway through the time until the meat thermometer reaches 165° F in the fattest part of the chicken.
Recipe Notes
- You will want to air fry chicken breasts between 15-18 minutes. If your air fryer cooks a little cooler or the breasts are larger than 7 ounces, it may need a couple additional minutes of cooking time.
- Chicken breast cooks best when it is in a single layer in the air fryer. They can overlap a little just don’t stack breasts on top of each other.
- Add a little chipotle powder or cayenne pepper to the dry rub to add a little spice.
- Chicken may need a little more or a little less cooking time based upon the type of air fryer you have and the size of your chicken breasts. In this recipe I cooked 3 breasts that were a little over 7 ounces each and I use a Cosori Air Fryer 5.8 quart.
Here are some basic cooking times for cooking chicken in air fryer. Your chicken may need more or less time based on the type of air fryer you have. This is what worked well for me.
5.5 to 6 oz 16 minutes
6.5 to 7.5 oz 18 minutes
7.75 to 8.5 oz 20 minutes
9 to 10 oz 21 minutes
* Please note that all nutrition information are just estimates. Values will vary among brands, so we encourage you to calculate these on your own for most accurate results.
Nutrition Information
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