Tender Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Breast Recipe (Easy Dinner)

This tender air fryer boneless chicken breast recipe takes only a couple of minutes to put together and cooks super easy and fast in the air fryer! This is our favorite of all air fryer chicken recipes.

It turns out healthy, tender, juicy, flavorful chicken breast and it's so simple to make.

Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Breasts

This is my favorite way to cook chicken breast for a quick and healthy dinner especially when we are short on time. This is easy meal prep at its best for a quick dinner!

Serve air fryer boneless chicken breast recipe with salad and french fries, rolls, homemade Rice a Roni, or your favorite sides.

Air Fryer

An air fryer cooks chicken as a healthy alternative to a deep fryer. It turns out crispy chicken breast without all the calories, oil, and fats that a deep fryer requires. My air fryer was a gift from my mother-in-law, she picked it up for Christmas last year at Walmart.

It does not have an air fryer basket, but shelves instead, which are far superior! Air fryers with shelves do not require that you turn your food halfway through. Plus the shelves are like wire racks that allow hot air to completely circulate around your chicken breasts cooking them evenly all the way around!

That being said, you can use any kind of air fryer but will have to turn your boneless chicken breasts over halfway through cooking if you have a drawer instead of an open shelf (flip after about 15 minutes of cooking).

Cooking Time

Cook defrosted boneless skinless chicken breast for 30 minutes at 370 degrees F for tender juicy chicken breasts. You will chicken the internal temperature of the breasts to ensure they are done at this point and add 2 minutes if needed. Cooking time depends on the size of the chicken breast.

Defrost Frozen Chicken Breasts

Cooking defrosted chicken breasts is the best way because it allows the seasoning to stick to the breasts WAYYYYY better than frozen breasts, and they cook much faster too! If your boneless chicken breasts are frozen, defrost them in the microwave for a couple of minutes.

Cut Chicken Breasts Thin

When using the air fryer, you want to cook boneless skinless chicken breasts that are thin. Thin chicken breasts cook faster without drying the outer surface.

The middle of the chicken breast must reach 165 degrees F before they are safe to eat. Cooking a thick chicken breast will take longer and the outer surface will become dried out and tuff before the middle reaches 165 degrees.

I like to slice each chicken breast down the middle to make 2 full-sized breasts that are just half the thickness. Chicken breasts should be cut to about half an inch thick chicken pieces.

Seasoning Ingredients

After defrosting and cutting frozen chicken breasts, season them with your favorite herbs, salt, and pepper! In a small bowl combine seasonings:

• Kosher Salt (or your favorite salt)
• ground black pepper
• garlic powder
• onion powder
• chili powder or paprika.
• *Optional pre-made chicken or barbecue seasoning mix instead of individual seasonings.
• *Optional premade Italian Seasoning Blend instead of individual seasonings.

Place your boneless skinless breasts on a plate and sprinkle them with your mixture. After seasoning one side, flip chicken breasts and season the other side! You can use a little oil (2 teaspoons) on the breasts before applying the seasoning, but it really is not needed!

Directions

After seasoning breasts, place chicken on your air fryer rack in a single layer. Place into your air fryer, close the door, and set heat to 370, and cook time to 30 minutes. Check temperature to ensure doneness. If they are not up to temperature, let them cook a couple of minutes longer and check again till they reach 165 degrees, F. Cook to 165 degrees F and remove. Let breasts rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

Use An Instant Read Thermometer

Get the best results using an instant-read meat thermometer. There is really no way around this one.... A meat thermometer pays its dividends over and over again in the kitchen! The only way to ensure chicken is safe to eat is to use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken. The most inner part of your chicken must reach 165 degrees F to be safe to eat.

Meat thermometers are great investments! It ensures that you cook all meats to the optional temperatures for your desired results! I use it for my fall apart Boston butt roast to make sure it will fall apart. I also like to use it for my rump roast to make sure it's cooked to a safe temperature.

And then I also use it for roasting chicken and turkey to make sure it's cooked all the way in the middle, and safe, before carving and serving to my family and friends. I use my meat thermometer for so many meats to make sure they turn out right, whether that's rare or fall apart well done!

Recipe Card

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More Recipes

If you like this recipe you will also love my other air fryer chicken breast recipes including an air fryer crispy breaded chicken breast recipe next time!

How To Store Leftover Chicken

If you are lucky enough to have leftover chicken breast, store it in an airtight container or zip lock bag in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I LOVE having leftovers of air fryer chicken breast. It's perfect on a salad for a quick through together healthy lunch!