Juicy chicken breasts are always a favorite. This Air Fryer Chicken Breast recipe uses boneless skinless chicken breasts cooked to perfection with a quick cook time of about 15 minutes. Perfect as a main dish, in other recipes and great for meal prep.
This air fryer chicken recipes is one of the most versatile air fryer recipes you'll make. It's a main dish or an ingredient in other dishes like bowls (our Greek Chicken Bowls for instance), salads, sandwiches, wraps and of course meal prepping. It's a very easy recipe to make to last for fast meals during the week.
Boneless chicken breasts are a favorite cut of meat especially when trying to watch calories and fat. It's a great choice and has a very mild flavor making it easy to season in many different ways.
In just a few easy steps you'll have flavorful chicken breasts for a quick dinner option. If you love easy chicken recipes this air fryer chicken recipe will be a favorite.
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What makes this skinny?
- Boneless skinless chicken breast is one of the favorite lean proteins. When cooked well it's juicy and tender.
- We've added olive oil (a healthy fat) to the marinade which is needed to transfer the marinade flavors to the chicken and keeps it moist, tender and juicy. There is only 1 ½ teaspoons of oil in each serving making it delicious choice.
- Using an air fryer is perfect too. An air fryer cooks through convection (it's like a countertop convection oven), meaning it circulates hot air around the food to cook it. The best part is it does not require extra fats to cook the food.
Recipe Ingredients Notes
Boneless chicken breasts. You'll use 2 8-ounce boneless skinless chicken breasts. Pat dry with paper towels (do not rinse chicken). More Expert Tips below.
Lemon juice. Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for best flavor!
Expert Tips for Best Results
Don't overcook. It's important to monitor the chicken so it does not overcook risk drying it out.
Use a meat thermometer. An instant-read thermometer for food use is your best friend for monitoring whether meat is fully cooked. The internal temperature of the chicken should read 165 degrees F internal temperature. Checking the color of the juices is an unreliable method to check if the chicken is done.
Pick same size chicken breasts. The thickness and size of your chicken breasts will determine its cooking time. Use chicken breasts the same size so they cook in the same amount of time. For this recipe we base it on 8-ounce boneless chicken breasts.
All air fryers cook slightly differently so the cooking time may vary slightly. The size and wattage of your air fryer will effect how long it takes to cook food. It's important to monitor when cooking to ensure food is done but not overcooked.
Rest the chicken. After cooking allow the chicken it sit, 'rest' for 2-3 minutes. Resting meat after cooking allows the juiced to redistribute before slicing giving the best juicy chicken.
Don't marinate longer than overnight. Lemon juice (or other acids) can tenderize meat but when marinating for longer durations will make meat tough. This recipe only uses juice of half a lemon but we still recommend marinating at least 30 minutes and no longer than overnight if made the night prior (12 hours).
Do not reuse chicken marinade. Discard any marinade that has been used for raw chicken breasts. The marinade can include harmful bacteria from the uncooked chicken that can make you ill. This is not a concern ON the chicken because it will cook which kills any bacteria.
How to Make Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Breasts
STEP 1. Marinate (30 minutes - overnight)
In a gallon Ziploc bag or in a large bowl combine the olive oil, oregano, Italian seasoning, kosher salt, black pepper and lemon juice. Add the chicken breasts and toss to coat.
Place the chicken into the refrigerator to marinate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight (photo 1).
STEP 2. Air Fry
When ready to cook, remove the chicken from the Ziploc bag or bowl and discard the chicken marinade. Lightly spritz the air fryer basket with olive oil spray or avocado oil spray.
Place the chicken in a single layer into the prepared air fryer basket and cook at 370 for 13-16 minutes (use tongs to turn over halfway through) or until the thickest part of the chicken internal temperature reaches 165F with a food instant read thermometer (photos 2-3).
STEP 3. Rest the chicken
Set the cooked chicken aside to let the chicken rest for 2-3 minutes before slicing (this will make the juiciest chicken) (photos 4 and below).
Variations
Change up the seasonings. Following this same recipe it's very easy to change the seasonings to fit into themed meals (think Mexican flavors) or for flavors you love.
- Try a seasoning blend like fajita seasoning, poultry seasoning, chili seasoning, Herbes de Provence.
- Or swap in single spices you love: cumin, paprika or smoked paprika, lemon pepper, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, etc.
- Fresh herbs can be used too.
It's so easy to make delicious chicken breasts for healthy meals with little effort just switching up the seasonings in the basic air fryer chicken breast recipe!
How to use
- As a main dish
- In bowl recipes
- for meal prepping
- In salads
- Soups
- Wraps
- Sandwiches
How to Store
Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
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Recipe
Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Breasts
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Juice of half a lemon
- 2 8-ounce boneless skinless chicken breasts
Instructions
- In a gallon Ziploc bag or large bowl combine the olive oil, oregano, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and lemon juice. Add the chicken breasts.
- Toss to coat and place the chicken into the refrigerator to marinate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight.
- When ready to cook, remove the chicken from the ziploc bag or bowl and discard the marinade. Lightly spray the air fryer basket with olive oil spray.
- Place the chicken into the prepared air fryer basket in a single layer and cook on at 370 degrees F for 13-16 minutes (turning it over halfway through using tongs) or until the thickest part of the chicken reads an internal temperature of 165F with a food thermometer.
- Remove the chicken from the air fryer and allow to rest for 2-3 minutes before serving.
Melissa says
I love using my air fryer it's quick way to get a good protein filled dinner made.
Kim says
I made these last night and they turned out perfectly. I used the chicken breasts in a salad with strawberries. So good!
Renee S says
Cooked to perfection. My husband loved this!
Diana says
I tried it and it came out juicy and delicious. Perfectly seasoned!
Katie says
The air fryer makes everything more convenient! I love how great this turns out every time.
Tayler Ross says
There are so m any times I wish I had a chicken breast to put on a salad but don't want to go through all the work of pan frying one. This air fryer recipe will definitely come in handy!
Sara Welch says
Enjoyed this for dinner last night and it did not disappoint! So easy and quick; perfect for busy weeknights! My whole family loved it!
Jamie says
The chicken breast came out so juicy and tender! It was delicious served with a side salad. Yum!
Traci says
Yes! Great tips all around! I love doing this in my air fryer too - never using my oven again LOL.
Kris says
This came out perfectly! My family loved it, too. Thank you for another great recipe! 🙂