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Air Fryer Chicken Breast (basic, tender, juicy)

This is how I make basic Air Fryer chicken breast. These are great with a couple simple sides for a quick dinner, and they also work great for meal prep.

Air Fryer chicken breast shot overhead on marble counter with red towel

News flash! Your trusty air fryer is good for more than just breaded things, y’all. 😎 I am loving making this basic air fryer chicken breast. Tender, juicy, delicious and perfect to eat over salads, with rice and veggies or on sandwiches. So versatile and simple!

After testing this recipe many, many times I think I finally cracked the code.

closeup of air fryer chicken breast on a white plate

Let me just say that the air fryer is a quick cooker. It cooks faster than your typical oven.

So I recommend paying very close attention to cook time. This includes time passed after the air fryer has shut off. You may think it’s okay to leave the chicken breast sitting in there for ten minutes until the rest of dinner is done. Nope! 🙅🏼‍♀️You need to remove these promptly because they will keep cooking and dry out.

air fryer chicken breast in cooking basket from overhead

If your air fryer has a knob timer like mine does, I would recommend using a more accurate digital timer instead. Examples: the timer on your phone, the timer on your microwave, etc. Because these cook so fast, the smallest variance tends to make a big difference.

For your convenience, I have included a table of recommended cook times in the notes section of the recipe card below, based on the results of said testing.🤓👊🏻

How to make Air Fryer chicken breast

First, a kitchen scale will be most helpful in getting best results. You need to know the weight of your chicken breasts to know how long to cook them.

The next best option is to try to eyeball a package of similar sized chicken breasts at the store. You can then take the total weight listed on the package and divide by the number of chicken breasts in the package.

Then you want to season them up. I am using my go-to basic chicken seasoning: garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Normally I don’t measure this when I am making it for myself. I am really good at eyeballing it.

But I went ahead and measured everything out for y’all. I tried mixing everything together in a blend and just spooning it on. It worked out great.👌🏻

You will want to season the presentation side first. This would be the smooth side of the chicken breast. I spray mine with a little cooking spray, and sprinkle it with the seasoning blend.

sprinkling raw chicken breasts with seasoning

Next, place the chicken breast seasoned side down into the air fryer basket. Then spray and season side two, which is now facing upward.

I set my timer for half the estimated cook time: 10 minutes in my case. Then I cook at 360 degrees for that time.

Next, I use tongs to flip over the chicken breasts. Then cook for the remaining time, 10 minutes in my case (for a total of 20 minutes cook time).

Remove the chicken breasts from the air fryer immediately, and allow them to rest for at least 5 minutes. This will allow the juices to redistribute and result in juicier chicken breasts.

Serve and enjoy!

air fryer chicken breast on a white plate with a salad

What to serve with Air Fryer chicken breast

Here are a few of my favorite sides to serve:

Air Fryer Chicken Breast Recipe

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closeup of air fryer chicken breast on a white plate
4.82 from 11 votes
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Air Fryer Chicken Breast

This is how I make basic Air Fryer chicken breast. These are great with a couple simple sides for a quick dinner, and they also work great for meal prep.

Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword air fryer chicken breast, how to cook chicken breast in the air fryer
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Rest Time 5 minutes
Total Time 22 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 163 kcal
Author Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy

Ingredients

  • cooking spray (or rub on oil of choice - use about 1/4 Tablespoon per chicken breast)
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts raw, mine were about 7.5 to 8 ounces each
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (about 1/8 tsp per chicken breast)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (1/8 tsp per chicken breast)
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper (a dash per chicken breast)
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (around 1/8 tsp per breast, and you can sub parsley, basil, thyme, etc.)

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, mix the salt, pepper, garlic powder and oregano together.

  2. Spray the chicken breasts on the presentation side (smooth side) with cooking spray of choice. I use avocado oil spray.

  3. Sprinkle some of the seasoning blend on each chicken breast, and use hands to pat and help the seasoning stick.

  4. Place the chicken breast, seasoned side down, in the air fryer. 

  5. Spray the bare side, which is now facing up, and sprinkle on the remaining seasoning.

  6. Cook for 10 minutes on 360 degrees.

  7. Flip over (tongs are extremely helpful), and cook until internal temperature reaches at least 165, about another 8 to 12 minutes on 360 depending on the size of your chicken breasts. (Mine were about 7.75 ounces each, and 10 minutes on the 2nd side was perfect.👌🏻That's 20 minutes total. See cook time notes section below.)

  8. Remove the basket from the air fryer, and allow the chicken to rest for about 5 minutes before cutting into it. This lets the juices redistribute and helps the chicken be juicier.

Recipe Notes

Nutrition information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator.

Recommended Cook Times: I conducted many tests related to chicken breast size and time cooked. Here is what worked well in my air fryer. For each test, I flip the chicken breast half-way through.

5.5 to 6 ounces 18 minutes

6.5 to 7.5 ounces 19 minutes

7.75 to 8.5 ounces 20 minutes

9 to 10 ounces 21 minutes

Note: Air fryers and cook times may vary from the above. Always use common sense, and make sure your chicken is cooked all the way through.

Timer: use an accurate timer such as a digital timer, like the timer on your phone or microwave. My air fryer has a knob timer, and it is difficult to get an accurate timing. Since the air fryer cooks so fast, this could affect the quality of your chicken breasts.

Note: I rarely measure my seasonings anymore  because I have gotten a good feel for "enough." I did measure everything out for y'all. If it tastes bland, add more salt to taste.

Do not overcrowd the cooking basket. I would recommend cooking no more than 3 or 4 chicken breasts at a time, depending on size.

Nutrition Facts
Air Fryer Chicken Breast
Amount Per Serving
Calories 163 Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Fat 3g5%
Cholesterol 90mg30%
Sodium 454mg20%
Potassium 522mg15%
Protein 30g60%
Vitamin A 40IU1%
Vitamin C 1.7mg2%
Calcium 11mg1%
Iron 0.6mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Rosemary says

    4 stars
    I have an air fryer with “shelves” or a basket choice. If I use the shelves can i place more chicken on the three shelves and thus cook more chicken at one time?

    Reply

  2. Fred Dodds says

    I am getting ready to try this recipe right now. Hope it’s as good as all the reviews say!! Looks Delicious!! will let you know how the chicken turns out

    Reply

  3. cLEO says

    5 stars
    THIs WAS absolutely DELISH and sooo juicy !! Am on reduced salt diet, so this had a wee bit too much, but will add less next time–otherwise very tasty (used fresh crushed garlic plus a dash of paprika for color on 2 huge boneless breasts for 20 min = perfect). Thanks

    Reply

  4. leona says

    5 stars
    Great recipe! my husband was iffy about this air fryer thing but I think I made him a believer with this chicken! Whole family loved it! Thanks!

    Reply

    • Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says

      Hi Joan! Depends on the size of that chicken breast. Check the notes in the recipe card for specific recommended times. 👌🏻 But, yes, whether you cook one or 3 chicken breasts, the cook time should remain the same.

      Reply

  9. Kathy says

    I tryed the air-fryer for the 1st. time and for me it takes to long…I make more than 4 chic breast so I have to wait to cook the others…Maybe I’m old fashion but I prefer a pan large enough to cook everything at the same time.,.Sorry

    Reply

  11. Heather Fontaine-Doyle says

    Quick question: are the times in the table per breast, or are they the total combined weight? So three six ounce breasts would be 18 minutes?

    Reply

  12. Carolyn says

    Hi,

    Just a quick question, should the chicken breast be thawed or can they be cooked from frozen state? Thank you

    Reply

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