Juicy Air Fryer Chicken Breast
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A foolproof Air Fryer Chicken breast recipe that works every time! Pair this juicy chicken with my Harvest Salad, Israeli Couscous with Mushrooms, these Twice Baked Potatoes in Air Fryer, or a vegetable side dish like Broccolini Recipe With Marcona Almonds.
This is my go-to recipe for making chicken in the air fryer. It’s tender and juicy, easy to make, and downright delicious. Plus, it’s ready in less than 20 minutes!
This is the BEST Air Fried Chicken Breast
I might be biased, but this is the best air fryer chicken recipe out there. Why? Because it’s juicy and the most flavorful chicken. Oh, and because it’s SO easy to make!
To be honest, I don’t even follow the measurements in the recipe, I just sprinkle each seasoning on the chicken. If you’ve got a heavy hand when it comes to sprinkling seasonings, stick to the recipe measurements!
I pretty much just sprinkle everything to taste and always make sure I’m only using a small amount of smoked paprika, because it can be overpowering.
Cooking chicken breasts in the air fryer is SO easy, I’ll probably never make them another way.
Ingredients needed for Air Frying Chicken
The best thing about this recipe is that the ingredient list is made up of mostly pantry staples!
- Boneless chicken breasts
- Paprika
- Smoked paprika
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Italian seasoning (you can also use parsley and/or oregano)
- Salt and pepper
Sometimes I like to switch up the seasoning I’m using. I usually play around with swapping out the Italian seasoning for parsley, oregano, or the 21 Seasoning Salute from Trader Joe’s. You can also try adding the Umami Seasoning here too, it’s so good!
How to Air Fry Chicken Breast
1. Prepare the seasoning. Combine paprika, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Rub a thin layer of olive oil over both sides of the chicken and sprinkle the seasoning.
2. Cook the chicken. Place the chicken breasts in the air fryer basket and cook at 390F for 12 minutes. Flip the chicken halfway through.
3. Remove the chicken from the air fryer basket, slice and serve!
side note – I have no idea what was going on with that baby chicken breast! I swear it didn’t look like that from what I could see through the package. HA!
Also, a meat thermometer is your best friend here. If you don’t have one, you can find them at a pretty low price online. They make cooking meat and seafood so much easier!
I like to serve this chicken with a simple little gem salad or fried green tomatoes.
Tips for Juicy Air Fryer Chicken Breast
If you have the time and want to make the juiciest chicken ever, you can brine the chicken breasts before you cook them.
Wait, but how do I brine chicken?
Fill a large bowl with 6 cups of lukewarm water and add 1/4 cup kosher salt, stir until the salt has dissolved. Add the chicken breasts to the water and let them sit in the refrigerator, at least 1 to 1 1/2 hours to brine. Remove the chicken breasts from the water, pat dry with paper towels and discard the water.
If you don’t have an hour to spare, no worries, your chicken will still be juicy and delicious!
What to serve with Chicken in the Air Fryer
The best thing about this chicken is that it’s extremely versatile and you can pretty much serve anything with it. I usually serve it with an easy to make salad, but you can also serve it with a grain like rice or quinoa, or a starch like pasta.
Some of my favorite sides to serve with Air Fried Chicken Breast
- Couscous Salad
- Winter Citrus Salad (this is the salad in the photo above)
- Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Peppers
- Garlic Parmesan Fries
- Crispy Mini Potatoes
- Smashed Potatoes Loaded Nachos
How to store Juicy Air Fryer Chicken Breast
Transfer leftover chicken breasts to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days or the freezer for up to 3 months.
Boneless Chicken Breast Air Fryer FAQs
Yes, as long as you cook the chicken until it’s fully done (165 F internal), it’s perfectly safe to put raw chicken (or any raw meat) in the air fryer!
First of all, do your best not to overcook them. If you’re not sure of how long it’s going to take in your particular air fryer, be sure to check the chicken after the shortest amount of cooking time to see if it’s done.
Another tip is to cook the chicken to about 5 degrees UNDER the recommended temperature, and then remove the chicken and keep it tented in foil so carryover cooking can do the rest of the work while also keeping it juicy and moist.
Even though you’re not deep frying the chicken, a thin layer of oil helps the seasonings stick to your chicken breasts and ensures that the chicken crisps up nicely in the air fryer.
Which Air Fryer Should I Purchase?
There are SO many air fryers on the market, it can be tough to choose. Lucky for you, I’ve tried 3 different ones and highly recommend all of them.
- Ninja Foodi Grill – I have this one and it’s the one I use the most.
- Ninja Foodi Digital Air Fry Oven – I also have this one and love that you can flip it up to get your counter space back!
- GoWise Air Fryer – This is the first air fryer I ever purchased, it’s great and affordable.
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5 Spice Boneless Chicken Breast (Air Fryer)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 boneless chicken breasts
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning you can also use parsley and/or oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 390° F.
- Combine the paprika, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Rub a thin layer of olive oil over both sides of the chicken and then sprinkle the seasoning over the chicken.
- Place the chicken breasts in the air fryer basket and cook at 390° F for 12 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165° F, flipping halfway through.
- Remove the chicken from the air fryer basket, slice and serve with a salad, couscous, or broccolini.
