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    Make It Skinny Please » Recipes » Air Fryer » Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Breast Recipe

    Published: Jun 1, 2022 · Modified: Oct 5, 2022 by Toni Dash · 10 Comments

    Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Breast Recipe

    Weight Watchers Points2
    Calories: 196kcal
    Carbs: 1g
    Protein: 24g
    Fats: 10g
    Jump to Recipe

    This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    boneless chicken breasts in air fryer basket.

    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.

    boneless chicken breasts in air fryer basket.

    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.

    Jump to:
    • What makes this skinny?
    • Recipe Ingredients Notes
    • Expert Tips for Best Results
    • How to Make Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Breasts
    • Variations
    • How to use
    • How to Store
    • More recipes you'll love!
    • Recipe

    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

    air fryer boneless chicken breasts labelled ingredients.

    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).

    air fryer boneless chicken breasts recipe steps 1-4.

    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).

    cooked air fryer chicken beasts, sliced.

    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.

    More recipes you'll love!

    • Pastrami Pinwheel Sandwiches
    • Mini BLT Appetizer Sandwiches
    • Greek Chicken Salad
    • Roasted Carnival Squash (Oven + Air Fryer methods)

    Did you make it? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!

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    Recipe

    air fryer boneless chicken breasts ingredients.

    Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Breasts

    Weight Watchers Points2
    Click to track Weight Watchers Points
    Moist marinated chicken cooks up to be juicy and tender every time with this easy air fryer recipe. Great as a main dish, an ingredient in other recipes and for meal prepping.
    5 from 41 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Gluten Free, Low Calorie, Low Fat
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 16 minutes
    Chicken marinating time (minimum): 30 minutes
    Total Time: 51 minutes
    Servings: 4 4-ounce servings
    Calories: 196kcal
    Author: Toni Dash
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    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.

    Notes

    Variation: change up the seasonings using the same base recipe for a whole new flavor!
    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. Use an instant-read thermometer to verify the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F. Checking the color of the juices is an unreliable method to check if the chicken is done.
    Pick same size chicken breasts. 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 12 hours. 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.
    Storing leftovers
    Store leftover cooked chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 196kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 713mg | Potassium: 442mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 61IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe? Please share it!Mention @MakeItSkinnyPlease or tag #MakeItSkinnyPlease!
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    ABOUT THE AUTHOR

    TONI DASH
    Toni Dash head shot

    Toni Dash, is a Certified Nutritional Coach and certified Weight Loss Specialist, writer/blogger, photographer, chief recipe developer and creator of Make It Skinny Please. She has been developing easy to make, well-tested recipes since 2010. Her slimmed down recipes using real food ingredients bring excitement to the dining table and never taste like 'diet food'. Toni has been featured in numerous publications and on culinary websites for her creative, delicious recipes and travel features. For more details, check out her About page.

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Melissa says

      June 06, 2022 at 1:26 pm

      5 stars
      I love using my air fryer it's quick way to get a good protein filled dinner made.

      Reply
    2. Kim says

      June 03, 2022 at 9:54 am

      5 stars
      I made these last night and they turned out perfectly. I used the chicken breasts in a salad with strawberries. So good!

      Reply
    3. Renee S says

      June 02, 2022 at 12:00 pm

      5 stars
      Cooked to perfection. My husband loved this!

      Reply
    4. Diana says

      June 01, 2022 at 2:54 pm

      5 stars
      I tried it and it came out juicy and delicious. Perfectly seasoned!

      Reply
    5. Katie says

      June 01, 2022 at 2:13 pm

      5 stars
      The air fryer makes everything more convenient! I love how great this turns out every time.

      Reply
    6. Tayler Ross says

      June 01, 2022 at 11:49 am

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
    7. Sara Welch says

      June 01, 2022 at 11:41 am

      5 stars
      Enjoyed this for dinner last night and it did not disappoint! So easy and quick; perfect for busy weeknights! My whole family loved it!

      Reply
    8. Jamie says

      June 01, 2022 at 11:36 am

      5 stars
      The chicken breast came out so juicy and tender! It was delicious served with a side salad. Yum!

      Reply
    9. Traci says

      June 01, 2022 at 11:29 am

      5 stars
      Yes! Great tips all around! I love doing this in my air fryer too - never using my oven again LOL.

      Reply
    10. Kris says

      June 01, 2022 at 11:22 am

      5 stars
      This came out perfectly! My family loved it, too. Thank you for another great recipe! 🙂

      Reply

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    Welcome! I’m Toni. I'm a Certified Nutrition Coach and NASM certified Weight Loss Specialist. I'm excited to share Classic Recipes made more calorie friendly using real food!

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