Want to make a simple yet juicy chicken breast? Air fryer chicken breast is the way to go!
With just a few common spices, this chicken breast turns out crispy on the outside while remaining super juicy on the inside.
Air fried chicken makes the perfect meat component to a balanced dinner with rice or potatoes and a veggie – or cut it up in a salad. It’s a versatile chicken recipe for you to use however you like!
Recipe Tips/Substitutions
Before you make chicken breast in air fryer, read through these few recipe tips so you have best results!
- We are using fresh chicken breast for this recipe. If you want to use frozen chicken breast, you’ll have to adjust the cooking time – so don’t follow this recipe.
- You can definitely change up the spices a little bit to suit your taste. Just remember once you add spices – like cayenne pepper – it’s hard to remove it from the spice blend!
- Don’t skip the oil since it helps the spices stick to the chicken breast.
- After you remove the chicken from the air fryer, place it on a plate, cover it with tin foil, and let it rest for a few minutes. Don’t skip this step. This is how it gets extra juicy… and it’s worth the wait.
- If you’re ever unsure if the chicken breast is cooked through, you can check the internal temperature which should be at 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Alternatively – if you don’t have a meat thermometer – you can also cut it through the middle to check. The meat should be all white through with no pink. Better to be safe than sorry.
We use this air fryer for our recipes and it has been great.
Step by Step Instructions
If you’d like to see visuals for how to air fry chicken breast, have a look at the process photos in this section.
Alternatively, feel free to skip to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Wash the chicken breasts, then pat them dry really well. You can trim any excess fat if applicable.
Mix the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika in a small bowl until well combined.
You can adjust the spices to suit your personal taste.
Brush the chicken breasts with 1/2 teaspoon avocado oil per breast, then massage the seasoning on the top. Flip and add seasoning to the other side as well.
Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees Fahrenheit.
When the air fryer is hot, place the chicken breasts on the air fryer tray.
Cook for 8 minutes, then flip and cook for 8-9 more minutes or until fully cooked.
The cook time might vary slightly based on your specific air fryer and the size of the chicken breasts.
Remove the chicken breasts from the air fryer and place them on a plate. Cover the plate with tin foil, and let the chicken breasts sit for 3-5 minutes.
Remove the tin foil from the plate and serve the chicken breasts hot.
Storage Tips
Any leftovers should be placed in a sealed container or covered in tin foil on a plate and put in the fridge.
The chicken will last in the fridge for around 3-4 days but the sooner it is eaten the better (because it’s meat and it will inevitably dry out over time).
To reheat, you can place the chicken breast in the air fryer again for a few minutes until warmed. For easier warming, you can also cut the chicken into smaller slices and warm it in the microwave.
What to Serve Air Fryer Chicken Breast With
You could serve this chicken breast with roasted potatoes and vegetables such as brussels sprouts, asparagus, or green beans. The chicken is super juicy so a drier vegetable that has been roasted goes really nicely.
Instead of potatoes, you could alsos serve the chicken with rice or quinoa and roasted vegetable.
Another suggestion to use this chicken breast is cut it up and use it for a salad or wrap. We like chicken Caesar salad wraps and this chicken has a perfect light flavor to work well with Caesar dressing and crunchy romaine!
Related Recipes
For more air fryer chicken recipes, try out these classic ones that’ll have your mouth watering!
- Air Fried Chicken Wings (Simple Seasoning)
- Lemon Pepper Wings in the Air Fryer
- Air Fried Chicken Drumsticks
- Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
Air Fryer Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts, 7-8 ounces per breast
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Wash the chicken breasts, then pat them dry really well. You can trim any excess fat if applicable.
- Mix the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika in a small bowl until well combined.
- Brush the chicken breasts with 1/2 teaspoon avocado oil per breast, then "massage" the seasoning on the top. Flip and add seasoning to the other side as well.
- Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees Fahrenheit.
- When the air fryer is hot, place the chicken breasts on the air fryer tray. Cook for 8 minutes, then flip and cook for 8-9 more minutes or until fully cooked. Cook time might vary slightly based on your specific air fryer and the size of the chicken breasts.
- Remove the chicken breasts from the air fryer and place them on a plate. Cover the plate with tin foil, and let the chicken breasts sit for 3-5 minutes.
- Remove the tin foil from the plate and serve the chicken breasts hot.
Notes
- Don’t skip the last step of covering the chicken with tin foil to let sit – this is how the chicken turns out really juicy!
- If the chicken breast is a lot smaller or larger than 7-8 ounces, you’ll have to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- Store leftovers in the fridge and consume them within 3-4 days.
Nutrition
This nutritional information has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator. It should only be seen as a rough calculation and not a replacement for professional dietary advice.
