The simple and easy way to cook up deliciously juicy chicken breasts, your air fryer is the answer. While chicken breasts have a tendency to dry out when cooked for too long, the air fryer’s rapid air circulation ensures your chicken turns out incredibly moist and tender on the inside, with tasty crisp edges.
The Air Fryer has quickly become one of our favorite way to cook certain things, and chicken is definitely one of them. With just a few simple ingredients for a flavorful dry rub or marinade, you’ll be amazed at how superior air fryer chicken breasts taste compared to baked or pan-fried versions.
Not only does air frying chicken lock in moisture better than other cooking methods, but it’s also a much healthier option. You’ll use just a light coating of oil or nonstick spray versus submerging the chicken in lots of fat or butter. Air frying is basically a mini convection oven that requires hardly any oil to achieve crispy, crave-worthy chicken every time.
Here is a recipe for making juicy air fryer chicken breasts:
Ingredients:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- Juice of 1/2 lemon (optional)
Instructions:
- Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels and brush or rub them all over with the olive oil or avocado oil.
- In a small bowl, mix together the salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder and onion powder. Sprinkle the seasoning mix evenly over the chicken breasts on both sides.
- Preheat your air fryer to 380°F (193°C).
- Place the seasoned chicken breasts in the air fryer basket in a single layer, ensuring they don’t overlap.
- Air fry for 10 minutes, then flip the chicken over and air fry for another 8-10 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) when measured with a meat thermometer.
- Optional: Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the cooked chicken right when it comes out of the air fryer for extra moisture and flavor.
- Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing into it. This allows the juices to redistribute.
The key for juicy chicken is not to overcook it. Cook just until it reaches 165°F internally. The hot air fryer crisps up the outside while keeping the inside tender and juicy.
