This Air Fryer Chicken Breast recipe always turns out juicy, tender, and flavorful in less than 20 minutes, making it perfect for quick dinners and meal prep. Chicken breast can become dry when it’s overcooked, so I pound mine to an even thickness, remove it from the air fryer when the thickest part reaches 165°F, and let it rest before slicing to avoid this! Then a simple pantry seasoning blend adds plenty of flavor with no brining or advance planning required. Being able to cook reliably juicy chicken this quickly is always a huge win for me!
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“This recipe has become the rockstar of our weekly menu. It makes for really tasty, juicy chicken breasts that are sensational on the first day and pretty darn good leftovers the next day. I have made similar chicken breasts in the frying pan, but they take longer, require far more attention, and wreck my stovetop (and the shirt I’m wearing if I neglect to don my apron).
We are partial to a 50/50 steak seasoning and lemon pepper mix. Rest five minutes after air frying, slice into bite-size morsels, and sprinkle over burrito bowls for the win.”
Vin
Juicy Air Fried Chicken Breasts
I happen to love baked chicken breasts, and cook them quite often, but this air fryer version is the easier option when I need dinner on the table fast. It’s also much less messy than cooking chicken in a skillet! After testing the method with and without extra prep, I found that brining simply wasn’t necessary. Gently flattening the thicker end, taking the chicken out as soon as the center reaches 165°F, and letting it sit for 5 minutes gave me juicy results without any advance planning.
I also settled on 400°F after trying different cooking temperatures. It’s hot enough to give the outside a little color and cook the chicken quickly, which limits moisture loss, but not so hot that the seasoning rub burns. These air fried chicken breasts are still one of my favorite things to meal prep. I can cook them at the beginning of the week, slice them up, then store them in meal prep containers with my favorite sides. They’re also delicious served with honey mustard sauce for dipping, or you can try our air fryer chicken thighs if you prefer juicy dark meat!
Recipe Success Tips
- Pound the chicken to an even thickness. Chicken breasts are naturally thicker at one end. That means the thin end can dry out before the center is fully cooked. I use a rolling pin or the flat side of a meat tenderizer to gently pound each breast to an even ½-¾-inch thickness. This helps the chicken cook evenly and is one of the most important steps for keeping it juicy.
- Check the temperature! Overcooking is the top reason air fryer chicken breasts turn out dry, so I highly recommend checking for doneness with an instant-read thermometer. Air fry the chicken for 7 minutes, flip, cook for another 6 minutes, then check the thickest part. Remove it as soon as the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Add another minute or two only if needed to reach the correct temperature.
- Remove it promptly and let it rest. I highly recommend taking the chicken out of the air fryer as soon as it reaches 165°F so it doesn’t continue cooking in the hot basket. Transfer it to a clean cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing. This helps the chicken breast retain all of those yummy juices.
- Mind the salt. Steak seasoning blends usually contain plenty of salt already, which is why I don’t add any extra to this recipe. Salt levels can vary quite a bit between brands, so check the ingredients or taste a small pinch of your seasoning blend before using it. Choose a low-sodium blend or use a little less if you are sensitive to salt.
Air Fryer Chicken Breast
Cost $4.06 recipe / $1.01 serving
Ingredients
- 2 tsp steak seasoning ($0.20)
- 1 tsp sweet paprika ($0.10)
- ½ tsp smoked paprika ($0.05)
- ¼ tsp black pepper (freshly cracked, $0.02)
- 2 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless, (about 1.3 lb. total) $3.47*)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil ($0.22**)
Video
Instructions
- In a small bowl mix the steak seasoning, sweet paprika, smoked paprika, and black pepper together.***
- Place both chicken breasts on a cutting board, cover them with plastic wrap or parchment paper, then use a rolling pin or the flat side of a meat tenderizer to gently pound the thicker side until the entire breast is an even thickness from one end to the other (about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick).
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Brush the olive oil over both sides of each chicken breast.
- Generously coat both sides of each chicken breast with the seasoning blend. Rub the seasoning into the breasts with your hands, making sure they are evenly coated with spices.
- Place both chicken breasts inside the air fryer basket and cook for 7 minutes. Then flip them over and cook for 6 more minutes. After a total of 13 minutes, use a meat thermometer to check the chicken breasts and make sure the internal temperature has reached 165°F, and if not, cook for 1-2 minutes longer.****
- Promptly remove the chicken from the air fryer basket and rest on a clean cutting board for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve them with your favorite sides and enjoy.
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Notes
Nutrition Information
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Breasts Step-by-Step Photos
Make the seasoning mix: Add 2 tsp steak seasoning, 1 tsp sweet paprika, ½ tsp smoked paprika, and ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper to a small bowl. Stir until the seasonings are evenly combined, then set the mixture aside.
Pound the chicken: Place 2 chicken breasts on a cutting board, and cover them with plastic wrap or parchment paper. Use a rolling pin or the flat side of a meat tenderizer to gently pound the thicker end of each breast until it’s an even ½-¾-inch thickness from end to end. Try not to pound too forcefully, as this can tear the meat.
Season the chicken: Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (mine is a 5-Quart). Brush 1 Tbsp olive oil over both sides of the chicken breasts, then generously sprinkle both sides with the seasoning mixture. Rub the spices into the chicken with your hands until each breast is evenly coated. The rub should look slightly damp from the oil and cling to the chicken without any large dry patches.
Air fry the chicken: Place both chicken breasts in the air fryer basket in a single layer, leaving room around them for the hot air to circulate. (You may need to work in batches depending on how big your basket is and how many breasts you’re air frying.) Cook for 7 minutes. You should hear a steady sizzle as they cook, and the oiled surface should look glossy without smoking.
Flip the chicken breasts, then cook for another 6 minutes. After 13 minutes total, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of each breast. The chicken is done when it reaches 165°F. The outside should look golden with a few lightly browned spots, and any juices you see should be clear. If the chicken hasn’t reached 165°F, continue cooking for 1-2 minutes before checking again.
Serve: Remove the cooked chicken from the basket as soon as it’s done and let them rest on a clean cutting board for 5 minutes before slicing. Resting gives the juices time to redistribute through the meat so they don’t run out onto the board, which keeps the chicken juicy and flavorful.
When sliced, the chicken should spring back lightly when pressed and look visibly moist inside. Serve with your favorite sides and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
Chicken will always be one of my favorite ‘meat-and-potatoes’ meals, so I like to serve these air fried chicken breasts with mashed potatoes and steamed green beans. Our oven-baked steak fries are also a winner in my house (they go great with everything!). But if you have a machine with a double basket, I highly recommend you make some air fryer sweet potato fries. The natural sweetness of the sweet potatoes pairs perfectly with the savory flavors of the chicken! I also think this chicken is great for dipping. My personal favorites are a simple mayo, honey mustard (as I mention above!) or BBQ sauce.
More Seasoning Ideas
If you want to switch things up, here are some other ways you can season your air-fried chicken breasts:
- Taco Seasoning
- Cajun Seasoning
- Lemon Pepper Seasoning
- Creole Seasoning, like Tony Chachere’s
- Chili Seasoning
- Greek Seasoning
- Jerk Seasoning
Meal Prep Ideas
Meal prepping is a great way to save time, money, and reduce waste in the kitchen. And this recipe is absolutely perfect for meal prep! You can easily slice the chicken into equal portions for your meal prep containers, then just add in your favorite sides and vegetables. You can even add quick-cooking veggies, like small broccoli florets, sliced zucchini, or diced bell peppers, during the last 6-8 minutes, provided everything fits without overcrowding the basket.
Chicken breasts are also great to meal prep with salads, sandwiches, wraps, and even chicken burrito bowls! And if you love meal prepping as much as I do, then make sure to check out our full list of budget-friendly meal prep ideas.
Storage & Reheating
Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. However, chicken breast is always best the first time around, since it can lose some juiciness after storing and reheating!
Reheating
I usually reheat leftovers in the microwave for quick and easy lunches. Place the chicken in a microwave-safe container, add a small splash of water, and cover it loosely with a lid or plate. Heat in short intervals until warmed through to help prevent it from drying out.
Freezing
Freeze leftover air fried chicken in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
More Ways to Cook Chicken Breast:
- These Herb Roasted Chicken Breasts cook slowly in garlic herb butter before crisping up beautifully in the oven.
- Like in my recipe here, pounding these Grilled BBQ Chicken Breasts evenly helps them cook quickly without drying out!
- I’ll happily serve these Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts when I want an affordable dinner that still feels a little fancy.
I just got a Ninja Crispi and I’m finding that a lot of air fryer recipes are tailored toward the traditional basket/sliding drawer style air fryer and don’t work the same for the Crispi. HOWEVER, I just tested this one and it works perfectly in the Crispi! I followed the recipe exactly and they came out perfect after 13 minutes (one was slightly thicker and needed an extra minute). It wasn’t overly salty at all.
Also, as someone who doesn’t eat beef, steak seasoning was not on my radar. So that was a nice change of pace.
I made this Chicken recipe last night it was so easy to prepare. And it was delicious!! Even bought more chicken Breast o have on hand to make it again.
This recipe worked in most ways except the steak rub. It was so salty I had a difficult time eating it. So salty I was put off. We ate it but never again and I would not even recommend this recipe unless you make your own rub.
I am here to say that even if you are tired and accidentally overcook the chicken and put on 2 tbsp of steak seasoning rather than 2 tsp, you will still have a decent dinner. I’m looking forward doing it correctly a second time, with less user error.
Easy and excellent results. First chicken breast in air fryer that was actually tender. Very good recipe. Excellent instructions. Readily available ingredients. This is a keeper. Any spice combo can be used. I added capers.
My chicken turned out juicy and delicious. Bookmarking this for the future. Thank you for sharing.
Good recipe but in what world are 2 chicken breasts $5.25?
This recipe has become the rockstar of our weekly menu. It makes for really tasty, juicy chicken breasts that are sensational on the first day and pretty darn good leftovers the next day. I have made similar chicken breasts in the frying pan, but they take longer, require far more attention, and wreck my stovetop (and the shirt I’m wearing if I neglect to don my apron).
We are partial to a 50/50 steak seasoning and lemon pepper mix. Rest five minutes after air frying, slice into bite-size morsels, and sprinkle over burrito bowls for the win.
Such an easy way to cook delicious chicken – fast!
Thank you, even though I get nervous cooking chicken if it’s not in a slow cooker, I’m glad to have a new method!
Amazing ideas, amazing recipes it saved me ,my wife went away for a week and I fed my rugrats with the air fryer. Five stars.
Quick, easy, and delicious. Another winner – keep those air fryer recipes coming!
This recipe is great, its simple, quick, and easy and was perfect for some leftover chicken breasts I had. I only had generic paprika and wanted a bit of sweetness so I added 1-2 tsp of brown sugar to the spice blend and that made it even better.
Looking good and tasty, but using olive oil to bake?? In the temp of 400 as your recipe instructing, olive oil becomes trans fats… olive oil should be used only in room temperature.
I believe it is a myth that olive oil turns to trans fat at high temps. Or if it does, its such a small amount that it is barely detectable.
I agree. I made this with Avocado oil instead with my Misto. Perfect!
Thank you for a recipe that finally recognizes how large today’s boneless chicken breasts are. I bought a family pack at Aldi’s yesterday–4 boneless skinless chicken breasts weighing in at more than 5.6 pounds. It was pretty cheap at $2.29 per lb, but still, 1 of those giants–about 1.4 lb–makes an adequate meal for 4. Typically the boneless breasts I buy are smaller, averaging about 12 oz each, but most recipes want a 4-6 oz breast and those, at least in my area, no longer exist.
I used your low fat/high flavor recipe for lunch. One breast, split horizontally and then cut in half for 4 pieces. I was gentle with the pounding so that my pieces would be of uniform thickness–in my case a bit over 1/2″ thick (the thick part of the uncut breast was more than 1.5″). Since my “air fryer” is a countertop oven model, there was plenty of room. I would never have thought of using steak seasoning, but it was delicious with chicken. Next time, however, I think I will try Tajin instead of paprika for a little more heat and that yummy lime flavor, but still using the steak seasoning, too. I have plenty of leftovers!