This air fryer chicken breast recipe is easy to make, flavorful and results in perfectly tender and moist chicken every time. It makes for a simple and healthy dinner option and is perfect for meal prep.
Sometimes thinking of what to serve for dinner feels like more of a chore than actually making dinner itself. Enter this air fryer chicken breast recipe.
This recipe is so easy to make and uses pantry staple items so it’s perfect in a pinch! Plus, its super versatile and can be used in so many recipes. Trust me, you’ll come back to this air fryer chicken recipe time and time again!
Isaac and I make a version of this dinner multiple times a week, especially when we’re both really busy. Its just dependable like that! The chicken always comes out moist and flavorful and it’s easy to serve with other meal prep items like rice and veggies for a healthy meal.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Delicious – Is results in perfectly tender and moist chicken every time!
- Easy – You only need minimal, pantry staple ingredients and it cooks up quickly.
- Meal prep – It’s great for weekly meal prep.
- Versatile – It’s a versatile recipe that can be customized to your liking!
// ★★★★★ REVIEW //
“Holy moly I cannot believe how good and easy this was. I love my air fryer and this recipe is just fantastic. The chicken came out so tasty and juicy! Great for meal prepping or just to have on hand.” – Emma
Ingredients Needed
You only need 8 simple pantry staple ingredients (half of which are seasonings) for this air fryer chicken breast recipe. I bet you already have everything in your kitchen!
- chicken breasts – this recipe is perfect for 2 chicken breasts, about 8 ounces each. I prefer boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe, I haven’t tried bone in chicken or chicken thighs but if you try either, let me know how it comes out in the comments!
- olive oil – helps to keep the chicken from sticking to the air fryer basket and helps the seasonings adhere to the chicken.
- apple cider vinegar – this helps tenderize the meat and gives it a great flavor.
- dijon mustard – pairs nicely with the apple cider vinegar and imparts a delicious flavor.
- seasonings – garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and black pepper. Feel free to customize this recipe with different spices. Paprika, chili powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, etc. are all great options.
How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Breast
This recipe is such an easy way to cook chicken. There’s no marinating overnight, no breading and no complicated steps. Just coat your chicken breast in a simple marinade and air fry. Here’s how to make it:
Step 1: Whisk together the oil, apple cider vinegar and dijon mustard in a small bowl. Set aside for later.
Step 2: In a separate bowl, mix together the seasonings: salt, pepper, garlic powder and Italian seasoning.
Step 3: In a third bowl, pour the marinade over the chicken breasts. Then liberally rub the seasoning blend on both sides of the chicken.
Step 4: Preheat or turn your air fryer on to 375ºF and add the seasoned chicken breasts to the air fryer basket and cook for 18-22 minutes. You’ll want to make sure you flip the chicken about halfway through to ensure even cooking. The chicken breasts need to reach an internal temperature of 165ºF, so keep in mind your cook time will vary depending on the size of each breast. Once cooked, remove from the air fryer and let the chicken rest for about 5-10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Tips
- Size matters: Look for a package that has two equally sized chicken breasts so they will cook evenly. Use a kitchen scale to measure your chicken breasts before cooking to know the weight of your chicken. For this recipe I used 2 chicken breasts equalling 1 pound, so each breast was about 8 ounces. If you have 3 chicken breasts equalling 1 pound you’ll need to adjust the cook time and keep an eye on the chicken as to not overcook it.
- Flip halfway: Don’t forget to flip the chicken breasts halfway during cooking to ensure even cooking.
- Don’t overcook: You want your chicken to reach an internal temperature of 165ºF before eating. I usually pull mine from the air fryer with an internal temp of 160ºF because it’ll continue to cook during the resting period and come up to temp. Use an instant-read thermometer to check on the temperature.
- Pull chicken from air fryer: Don’t let your chicken breasts sit in the air fryer once fully cooked. I know you might think it’ll keep them warm, but the chicken will continue to cook causing it to dry out!
- Let chicken rest: After done cooking, let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes. This helps the juices redistribute themselves through the chicken.
What to Serve With Air Fryer Chicken
The beauty of this air fryer recipe is that it produces super flavorful chicken that you can use in a variety of ways! Here are some ideas for easy week night dinners and meal prep!
How to Store Leftovers
Air fryer chicken is a perfect meal prep option and will store both in the fridge and the freezer nicely!
In the fridge: Just prepare the chicken as the recipe states, let it cool slightly and then put it in an airtight container. It will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To reheat, warm the chicken in the oven or air fryer at 350ºF until warm throughout.
In the freeze: If you are going to freeze it, I suggest portioning out your chicken ahead of time and freezing individually, that way you can just take out the container or ziplock containing what you need instead of all of it at once! Even better? Pre-shred or chop for easier defrosting. The chicken will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to use your freezer air fryer chicken, place it in the fridge about 24 hours before you want to use it so it has time to thaw.
More Air Fryer Recipes
Be sure to check out all of the popular chicken recipes and the full collection of the air fryer recipes here on EBF!
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Whisk together oil, apple cider vinegar and dijon mustard in a small bowl and set aside. In a separate small bowl, mix together salt, pepper, garlic powder and Italian seasoning.
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Pour marinade over chicken breasts.
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Liberally rub seasoning on both sides of chicken.
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Preheat air fryer if required. Add chicken breasts to the air fryer and cook on 375°F for 18-22 minutes, until cooked fully, flipping once halfway. You want the chicken breasts to be 165°F on the inside. Cook time will vary depending on the size of your chicken breasts.
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Once cooked, remove chicken from the air fryer and let rest for 5-10 minutes.
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Enjoy chicken immediately or let cool, package in storage containers and save for later use.
Serving: 1 chicken breast | Calories: 251kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 617mg | Potassium: 45mg | Fiber: 1g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
