Air Fryer Chicken Breasts - juicy every time! Recipe - Rachel Cooks® (2024)

Ready in less than a half hour, these really delicious air fryer chicken breasts are tender, juicy, and flavorful.

You’ll be amazed at how tasty plain ol’ boneless skinless chicken breasts can be. With just a minimal amount of seasoning and very little prep time, low calorie chicken breasts can be transformed into a really delicious meal.

When you slice into an air fried chicken breast, expect to see juicy meat with a perfectly done exterior. It’s almost surprising. There’s no breading or fancy tricks.

I don’t know why I would be surprised because pretty much everything I’ve tried in my air fryer has been very, very good. If you haven’t tried air fryer salmon yet, don’t wait, it’s a total game changer. Or try air fryer breaded pork chops — so juicy and tender, you won’t believe it. We love air fryer meatballs and air fryer meatloaf, too.

Vegetables can be cooked in your air fryer, too, like air fryer Brussels sprouts and air fryer broccoli.

About Air Fryer Chicken recipe

Air fryer chicken breasts are so versatile. In just a minute, I’ll show you how to season them to your hearts’ content. But the versatility doesn’t end there. The chicken can be marinated before cooking. Try one of these 9 great recipes for chicken marinades.

Perfectly cooked chicken can be used in so many ways. Keep reading for lots of ideas. It can easily be made ahead and frozen for meals later on.

I’ll get you started on the recipe here with extra tips and photos. You’ll find the printable recipe card near the end of the post with complete instructions, measurements, and nutrition information.

What you’ll need

• Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts: This recipe is written for 2 boneless breasts, about 6 oz. each. You can do larger quantities if you like. Keep reading if you prefer dark meat or a different cut of chicken.
• Olive Oil: I like the flavor of olive oil and the fact that it is heart-healthy. Any type of oil will do so use what you have.
• Salt and Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Paprika, Dried Parsley: This basic seasoning mix can be used on all types of meat and vegetables.

How To Make This Recipe

Mix together the seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and dried parsley). If you happen to have a jar of my homemade all-purpose seasoning mix, you can simply substitute that.

Season the chicken. Add a spoonful of oil and stir it into the seasoning. Coat the meat with the oil and seasoning mix, rubbing it on all sides.

Air fry. Air fry for ten minutes; flip, and air fry another six to eight minutes or until the chicken is done. The FAQ section has more information about how to tell if the chicken is completely cooked through.

Let the chicken rest for five minutes or so to let the juices settle down. At this point, you can serve it whole or slice it before you serve it.

Serve it with dill potato salad, crockpot mac and cheese (ready in just 2 hours), or zucchini casserole for a win at the dinner table. Top the chicken with hot honey, smoky chipotle salsa, or homemade BBQ sauce for exciting flavor.

FAQs

Make-Ahead Ideas

Air fryer chicken is great for meal prepping. Buy a large pack of boneless skinless chicken breasts and air fry the whole pack (in batches depending on the size of your air fryer). Cool and freeze or refrigerate the meat in resealable bags for easy meals later on. The chicken is really perfect sliced on a salad, and works great for tons of other meals, too (see the list below).

If you are making a vegetarian meal but have that one person who needs his meat, you have him covered with a perfectly cooked chicken breast.

Storage & Reheating Tips

Refrigerate/Freeze: Cooked chicken can be stored in the fridge, well-wrapped, for up to 4 days. Store in the freezer for up to one month.

Reheat: If the chicken is frozen, thaw it overnight in the fridge. Reheat gently in the microwave or in a skillet on the stove. It’s great cold, too!

Recipes Using Cooked Chicken

While these chicken breasts are perfectly good on their own, they also are wonderful used in other recipes. Slice the chicken and put it on a bun with your favorite toppings. Or try:

• Southwestern BBQ Chicken Salad (best chopped salad!)
• Southwestern Quinoa Bowl with Chicken
• BBQ Chicken Burrito Bowls
• Healthy Curried Chicken Salad
• The Best Cauliflower Nachos
• BBQ Chicken Pizza