Perfectly cooked juicy chicken breast, all done in the air fryer. This air fryer chicken breast is ready in just 20 minutes, which is quicker than the oven and healthier than frying. Adaptable and versatile too.
You can't beat a chicken breast for giving a protein boost to a meal and it couldn't be easier than cooking a chicken breast in the air fryer. Just a little oil and some seasoning and you have deliciously juicy chicken breast, with a little crispiness on the outside. No more bland and dry chicken!
There is so much that you can do with these air fryer chicken breasts - serve with rice or potatoes, or add them to pasta, salad or sandwiches.
If you are looking for some more air fryer chicken recipes, then why not try our Air Fryer Popcorn Chicken, Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets, Air Fryer Whole Chicken, or Air Fryer Chicken Tikka?
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Why you will love it
- Juicy chicken breasts - We hate a dry and bland chicken breast and cooking chicken in the air fryer gives the most juicy and tender chicken breasts.
- Adaptable - You can adapt the seasoning to use your favourite spice mixes. There are so many options.
- Versatile - There are so many different ways that you can use this air fryer chicken breast, so make a big batch to add to meals over a few days.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Chicken breasts - You want boneless and skinless chicken breasts for this recipe.
- Oil - Just a little olive oil helps to get the outside of the chicken breast nice and crispy.
- Salt and pepper - Generously season. We have given other seasoning options below.
A full ingredients list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
How to make air fryer chicken breast - Step by step
One: Coat the chicken breasts in oil and then season with salt and pepper.
Two: Put the coated chicken breasts into your air fryer.
Three: Cook at 180°C for 18-20 minutes, turning halfway through.
Why use an air fryer?
Our air fryer is one of our favourite kitchen appliances, because it cooks our favourite meals quicker and healthier. They work by cooking food by rapidly circulating hot air around. It gives (most foods) a crispy texture with much less oil than frying or roasting. By cooking this way, the air circulation cooks food evenly and nothing sticks. See below in the FAQs for our recommendation of which air fryer is the best.
- Air fryers are a healthier way to cook food. You can get crispy food, like chips (fries), bacon and sausages with much less oil than frying or baking. No need to fry this chicken breast, as the air fryer adds crispiness too.
- They are quick and easy to turn on and they heat up quickly, so you don't have to wait for an oven to heat up.
- There is nothing worse than using your oven on a hot day, and heating up the whole kitchen. Using the air fryer stops this from happening.
- They might take up a fair amount of space on your countertop, but they are so versatile that you will use them over and over again. They are very easy to clean too.
- Using an air fryer means more space in the oven.
Variations
We have kept this air fryer chicken recipe fairly simple and just seasoned it with salt and pepper. However, there are lots of other ways that you can season it and here are some of our favourites:
- Italian herbs
- Paprika and cayenne
- Peri Peri
- Cajun seasoning
- Fajita seasoning
What to serve with Air Fryer Chicken Breast
We have served this with our Garlic Green Beans, however it also goes well with our Air Fryer Chips or Cheesy Potato Bake which is one of our favourites for total comfort food. You can also use it to make our Leftover Chicken Pasta, Coronation Chicken, Chicken Mayo Sandwich or Chicken Burrito Bowl. Here are some of our favourite side dishes that go perfectly with this air fryer chicken breast:
- Parmesan Truffle Fries
- Hasselback Potatoes
- Garlic Smashed Potatoes
- Greek Rice
- Garlic Spring Greens
- Easy Roast Potatoes
- Buttered Leeks
- Mustard Potato Salad
- Cheesy Garlic Bread
- Roasted Tenderstem Broccoli
- No Mayo Coleslaw
- The BEST Air Fryer Chips
- Greek Potatoes
- Mediterranean Potato Salad
Storage
Store: You can store leftovers of air fryer chicken breast in the fridge in an air tight container for up to 3 days.
Freeze: You can store the leftover chicken in a freezer bag with the air removed. It will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Defrost: You can defrost this in the fridge overnight.
Reheat: You can reheat it in the air fryer too. It will take around 5-7 minutes, but use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions
We can't rate highly enough the Power Air Fryer XL. The 5 litre capacity is big enough for cooking for the whole family and it can fry, grill, bake, sauté, roast and steam. There are simple touch screen controls and it heats up quickly and can cook your food up to 70% faster than a conventional oven. Also, it's dishwasher safe.
No, there is no need to preheat the air fryer for this recipe. If you want super crispy chicken, then you could preheat it for 5 minutes first.
This dish cooks in the air fryer for around 20 minutes, but the exact cooking time will depend on your air fryer and the size of your chicken breast. The best way to ensure that it is cooked through is to use a meat thermometer. Chicken is cooked when it has an internal temperature of 75°C/167°F at the thickest part of the meat.
No, we wouldn't recommend using frozen chicken breasts. For best results use fresh or fully defrosted chicken breasts.
More chicken recipes
If you’ve tried this air fryer chicken recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Air Fryer Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 2 Chicken breast - 180g/6oz per breast
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 4 pinch Sea salt
- 4 pinch black pepper
Instructions
- Coat the chicken breasts in oil and then season with salt and pepper.
- Put the coated chicken breasts into your air fryer.
- Cook at 180°C for 18-20 minutes, turning halfway through.
Notes
- Make sure to keep an eye on the chicken in your air fryer, as they all cook at different rates and you don't want to overcook it and have dry chicken.
- Don't leave the chicken breast to rest in the air fryer after the cooking time has finished, otherwise they will continue cooking.
- Chicken breast sizes can vary greatly, so cooking times will vary too. Try to use chicken breasts that are the same size so they cook at the same rate.
Nutritional Information
Amanda Wren-Grimwood
Can't believe how easy this is for a weeknight dinner or preparing ahead for sandwiches and wraps too.
Holley
I love how fast and easy it is to air fry chicken! This chicken is juicy and cooked to perfection!
Michelle
Juicy, tender and so quick and easy in the air fryer! Super easy clean up too!
Nancy
I love how juicy and tender the breasts came
Out. Saved
Kathleen
Love how quick and easy this chicken is to make in the air fryer. It is great for a busy weeknight meal.
Angela
This is my new favorite way to cook chicken breast! It stays super moist and so flavorful. So easy too!