Simple Air Fryer Chicken Breast Recipes

How does an air fryer work and is it good for cooking chicken breast?

When it comes to air fryers, think of convection ovens.

Essentially, air fryers cook food by circulating hot air around the food being cooked at high speeds.

And if you are not sure if an air fryer is the best for you, these pointers will make you decide.

• Air fryers cook much faster than a typical oven and are more efficient
• They are easy to use
• They make for much healthier food, compared to conventional deep-fried food.

Overall, with an air fryer, you can easily prepare healthy, delicious and succulent chicken breasts.

Now onto the more exciting stuff.

Marinated boneless chicken breast in air fryer (No breading)

If you haven’t yet found your all-time favorite meal, then today is your lucky day. Prepare to be amazed with this luscious, juicy and full-flavored dish.

This air fryer chicken breast recipe is easy to prepare, the results are amazing and you can pair this dish with almost anything.

Procedure

• Start off by preparing the marinade. For this, you can use whatever spices you have on hand as well as some common ingredients. i.e. olive oil (3 tablespoons), brown sugar (2 tablespoons), garlic powder (1 teaspoon), ground pepper (2 tablespoons), salt (1 teaspoon), lemon juice (1-2 teaspoons), soy sauce (2 tablespoons).
• In a fairly sized mixing bowl, combine the ingredients together until properly mixed.
• Add the chicken breasts in the mixing bowl and coat evenly with the marinade ensuring they are completely covered in the marinade.
• Let the chicken sit in the marinade for 20-30 minutes. It is not necessary, but if you have the time, marinating the chicken for 30 minutes or more tenderizes the meat and gives it even more flavor.
• As the chicken marinates, let the air fryer heat up to 360 degrees. Do this for 5-7 minutes
• Place the chicken breasts in the air fryer and let them cook for 20 minutes at 360 degrees.
• After 10 minutes, open the lid to the air fryer and flip the chicken pieces.
• Let them cook for 10 more minutes.
• After the 20 minutes are over, remove the chicken pieces from the air fryer and place them in a serving dish or plate. Cover with aluminum foil, and let the chicken rest before slicing and serving.

In case you don’t have so much time, here’s a variation you can try

• In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients save for the chicken breasts and the olive oil.
• Lightly coat the chicken breasts with olive oil, then sprinkle the mixture from the mixing bowl on each of the chicken breasts.
• Pat the chicken with your hands to help the seasoning blend stick to the chicken.
• Just as in the above scenario, you can then cook the chicken breasts in the air fryer for 20 minutes at 360 degrees. As always, flip the chicken pieces 10 minutes in between.

As for the soy sauce, go for the one with less sodium. It is much healthier.

You can coat the cooking basket in the air fryer with a little vegetable oil or some cooking spray; however, this is optional.

Letting the chicken to rest before slicing ensures the juices in the chicken redistribute and settle; leaving it juicy and succulent.

Breaded air fryer chicken breast

If you’re after a crispy, luscious and yummy but healthier alternative to deep fried chicken, this recipe is for you.

Procedure

• Start off by preparing the breading blend.
• In a mixing bowl, combine ½ a teaspoon garlic powder and onion powder, a pinch of cayenne pepper, ½ a teaspoon salt and a ¼ cup bread crumbs. Stir properly.
• Slice the chicken breasts horizontally to get two pieces/slices per breast.
• Apply a little olive on each of the chicken pieces then dredge them in the breading until they are completely coated with the breading. Shake off any excess breading from the chicken pieces.
• Heat the air fryer to 360 degrees for 5 minutes.
• Add the chicken pieces in the air fryer. Arrange the chicken pieces in a single layer, ensuring you don’t overcrowd the air fryer.
• Let the chicken pieces’ cook for 4-5 minutes, open the air fryer and flip the chicken pieces and let them cook for an additional 2 minutes.
• Remove the chicken pieces from the air fryer, place them in a plate or serving bowl and cover with aluminum foil.
• Let the chicken rest before proceeding to slice and serve.
• Enjoy with a side of your choice.

So how long should you cook chicken breast in an air fryer?

There is no “one size fits all” approach to this.

• For chicken with skin pieces, it’ll take about 20-30 minutes.
• For skinless chicken tenders, 10-15 minutes.
• Thinly sliced chicken breasts, 8-12 minutes.

Depending with the kind of air fryer you have, this could vary so keep trying until you have what works for you.

Conclusion

That sums It up for simple air fryer chicken breast recipes.

Always check the cooked chicken’s internal temperature. Ensure it is at least 165^oF. This is the recommended safe cooking temperature for chicken meat.

To check the temperature, insert the meat thermometer in the thickest part of the chicken breast.

When the chicken is properly cooked, remember to remove the chicken from the air fryer. Failure to do so, will lead to overcooking the chicken since the hot air circulating in the air fryer can still cook the chicken.