Need a versatile, no-breading chicken breast recipe for the air fryer? This is it! These Juicy Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Breasts are amazingly tender and flavorful, plus they’re meal prep and freezer friendly for a quick meal anytime!
Chicken breasts can get a bad rep for being dry and bland. But I think that’s because it’s really easy to skip the couple extra steps required for the juiciest, most delicious chicken possible.
For juicy and tender chicken breasts, marinating and tenderizing are key. Another way this chicken stays juicy? The air fryer! The fast and hot heat of the air fryer creates a cooking atmosphere that locks in that moisture.
After an extensive amount of testing (more than most of my recipes normally get), I’m ready to share this Juicy Air Fryer Chicken Breasts recipe. I’m sure you’ll agree it’s one of the best chicken breast recipes around!
Note: I’ve rated this recipe as easy because it uses common ingredients and kitchen equipment. Tenderizing chicken is a basic kitchen skill that will elevate your cooking to the next level! It may not be ‘easy’ the first time you try, but it’s quick to learn and easy to execute.
What are the ingredients in these Juicy Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Breasts?
One thing I love about this chicken recipe is that I always have everything on hand to make it, as long as I’ve got some chicken in the fridge or freezer. All the ingredients are relatively simple and useful in other recipes as well.
Here are the ingredients I use for this juicy chicken breast recipe:
- boneless skinless chicken breasts – For this recipe, I recommend looking for boneless skinless chicken breasts on the smaller side, generally around 6-8 ounces each, or about 1 pound total (16 ounces). A little smaller or a little bigger is okay, but any larger than 10 ounces, and you’ll need to slice the breasts in half horizontally. This will create two smaller pieces of chicken which will cook more evenly and turn out more tender and juicy.
- avocado oil – I prefer to use avocado oil for its neutral taste and high smoke point, but olive oil would work too.
- white vinegar – The vinegar is an acid which helps to marinate the chicken by breaking down the meat fibers to create a more tender piece of meat. The chicken won’t taste like vinegar, I promise!
- fine sea salt & fresh ground black pepper – For the best flavor, salt and pepper are required. Especially with chicken, I find it brings all the flavors together.
- Italian seasoning – I love using Italian seasoning for basic chicken breast, as it can go with almost any flavors and still taste delicious. It’s basic but packs a flavor punch!
- onion powder & garlic powder – These flavors also provide a nice hit of flavor, the backbone flavors to any good piece of chicken!
- paprika – For just a tiny bit of heat, flavor, and color, adding some paprika is the best bet. If you don’t have any, you can skip this one.
How do you make the Juicy Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Breasts?
Though the instructions in the recipe card below may seem long, I really just made them very detailed, because I want your chicken to turn out great every single time and answer any questions that might come up.
The recipe can be broken down into four basic steps to make it seem much less intimidating. Tenderize, season, cook, rest.
To tenderize, I recommend using a staging plate, a large gallon size Ziploc bag, a flat tenderizer, tongs, and a cutting board. Use scissors to cut one edge of the Ziploc bag so it’s easier to get the chicken in and out. If you have a favorite method to tenderize, feel free to do that instead.
One at a time, use tongs to place the chicken breast into the Ziploc bag. Using the tenderizer, pound slowly and methodically to create an even thickness in the chicken, focusing on tenderizing the thicker parts more.
Don’t pound too hard, or you’ll begin to shred the chicken, which isn’t what you want. Aim for a seamless, even thickness piece of meat. Place the chicken breasts back on the plate once tenderized and pat dry with a paper towel.
To season, mix up the vinegar and oil, then drizzle it all over the tenderized chicken. Use a pastry brush or your hands and be sure to cover both sides.
Next, mix up all the spices in a small bowl and sprinkle the mixture over both sides of the chicken. Let the chicken sit for at least 20 minutes to marinate before cooking.
To cook, place the seasoned chicken breasts into the air fryer, not touching as much as possible. Air fry at 380F for 11-16 minutes based on size and thickness, flipping halfway through.
The exact cook time will depend on the weight and thickness of the chicken breast, so be sure to consider those factors when setting your chicken to cook. The chicken is done when the edges are browning and the internal temperature reads 165F.
To rest, take the chicken out of the air fryer basket and place it on a cutting board or plate for 10 minutes before cutting or dicing it up. This will help the meat fibers absorb all the moisture, giving you super juicy, tender chicken.
When it’s done resting, use the chicken however you want! I bet you won’t be able to resist popping some right into your mouth!
Tips for tenderizing chicken breasts:
Pounding and handling the raw chicken can be a little intimidating at first. Here are my tips to make the process a little easier:
- Use a plate for staging the chicken breasts (and seasoning after tenderizing), plus a cutting board as a hard solid surface, safe for pounding.
- Placing each chicken breast into a Ziploc bag or between plastic wrap during tenderizing helps stop shredding (breaking the fibers of the chicken apart), reduce cleanup and avoid cross-contamination. I actually slightly over tenderized the chicken in these pictures, but it was still absolutely delicious!
- Use a meat tenderizer, or a heavy pan, such as a cast-iron skillet. Be sure you are working on a safe surface like a cutting board on a countertop.
- Go slowly and methodically to create an even thickness in the chicken. It should take about 10-15 seconds to tenderize each piece of chicken.
- Focus tenderizing more on the thicker parts of the chicken breast, working to make them the same thickness as the thinner parts of the chicken breast.
- If your chicken breasts are more than 10 ounces each, I recommend horizontally slicing the chicken into two halves, then lightly tenderize all pieces into an even thickness. The chicken breasts pictured in this recipe are about 10 ounces each, the maximum size to use without slicing in half.
How long do you cook boneless chicken breast in the air fryer?
The exact cook time will depend on the weight and thickness of the each chicken breast, but it should take somewhere between 11 and 16 minutes total. I would suggest looking for chicken breasts that are about the same size if possible, so they’ll be done cooking at the same time.
Start with the minimum cook time for your size of chicken breasts, then check the temperature and add more time if necessary. I cook all sizes of chicken breasts in the air fryer at 380F.
- Small chicken breasts (5-6 ounces): Cook for 11-13 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Medium chicken breasts (7-8 ounces): Cook for 12-14 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Large chicken breasts (9-10 ounces): Cook for 13-16 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Most important tips for making these Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Breasts:
Here are the most important things to remember when making this chicken recipe:
- Every step is important. Don’t skip the 20 minute marination or the 10 minute rest period. The chicken won’t be quite as good!
- Try to find chicken breasts that are an even thickness. If your chicken breasts is over 10 ounces, slice it in half horizontally to create two smaller pieces of meat.
- If you have a favorite method for tenderizing chicken, please feel free to use it. Here in this post, I’m sharing my favorite method. Be careful to avoid cross-contamination when handling the raw chicken.
- If you have three pieces of chicken (for example one smaller breast, then one larger breast cut in half), you can cook those following the same method. Just be sure to check the chicken for an internal temp of 165F.
Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts?
While you can definitely cook chicken thighs in the air fryer, this recipe was specifically written for boneless skinless chicken breasts.
If you have bone-in chicken thighs, I recommend trying my Air Fryer Crispy Bone-In Chicken Thighs. If you have boneless chicken thighs, I recommend trying my Air Fryer Boneless BBQ Chicken Thighs.
Can you put raw chicken in an air fryer?
Yes, you can definitely put raw chicken into the air fryer. I have lots of air fryer chicken recipes you can try!
What should you serve with these Juicy Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Breasts?
This is a very versatile chicken recipe, so feel free to use it for whatever kind of meal you’d like. You can even switch up the seasoning to match the meal you’re cooking the chicken for.
Here are some meal ideas for using this chicken:
- chopped up on a Caesar salad
- dice up and add to pasta salad like this Herby Lemon Pasta
- covered with buffalo sauce for buffalo chicken!
- with rice and veggies
- use for cold meal prep like this Chicken Hummus Plate Lunch
- diced up and put into a quesadilla or burrito
Alternative customization ideas:
Feel free to change up the seasonings if you want to experiment after the first time you make this chicken. Swap the Italian seasoning for:
- cajun seasoning
- smoked paprika
- lemon pepper
- cumin & chili powder
- oregano & basil
What kind of air fryer do you use?
The air fryer I have currently, and the one that is pictured in this post is the Cosori XL 5.8 qt Air Fryer (affiliate link!).
If you’re going to invest in an air fryer to cook things for two or more people, you should opt for a larger size like this one, in my opinion!
I previously had a slightly smaller Philips Air Fryer with a metal grate basket which I liked, but I prefer the larger Cosori model with the nonstick coated basket instead.
How do you meal prep this recipe?
This recipe is a great way to cook delicious juicy chicken breasts and use it in recipes during the week. Here’s how you can meal prep this recipe:
- Enjoy now & later: Follow the recipe as written from start to finish. Enjoy hot as a main dish right now, then save leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Complete prep for leftovers: Follow the recipe as written from start to finish. Cut the chicken into slices or dice it up and store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Add to recipes during Sunday Meal Prep or use as needed in recipes during the week.
- Prep & freeze for later: Follow the recipe as written from start to finish. Cut the chicken into slices or dice it up and store in a freezer safe, airtight container (or use a FoodSaver to remove the air and store in a freezer bag) for 3-6 months for best quality. Use in recipes as needed, thawed or from frozen.
Store leftover chicken in an airtight container with lid in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Cut the chicken into slices or dice it up and store in a freezer safe, airtight container (or use a FoodSaver to remove the air and store in a freezer bag) for 3-6 months for best quality. Use in recipes as needed, thawed or from frozen.
Leftovers are actually very delicious cold straight from the fridge (like for a salad meal prep), or you can reheat in the air fryer at 350F for 5-6 minutes until steaming hot.
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Juicy Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Breasts
Need a reliable, versatile, go-to chicken breast recipe for your air fryer? This is it! These Juicy Air Fryer Chicken Breasts are amazingly tender and flavorful, plus they’re meal prep and freezer friendly – perfect for quick weeknight meals!
- Total Time45 minutes
- Yield4 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 2 (5-10 ounce) boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
- 1/2 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1/2 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Tenderize the chicken: Place the two chicken breasts on a plate next to a cutting board. One at a time, tenderize each chicken breast by placing it into a Ziploc bag or between plastic wrap, laying it on the cutting board, and pounding the chicken with a flat tenderizer or heavy pan. Go slowly and methodically to create an even thickness in the chicken, focusing on tenderizing the thicker parts more. It should take about 10-15 seconds to tenderize each piece of chicken.
- If your chicken breasts more than 10 ounces each, I recommend horizontally cutting the chicken into two halves, then lightly tenderizing all pieces into an even thickness. One 10 ounce chicken breast will become two 5 ounce thinly sliced pieces of chicken, and so on.
- I prefer to use some kind of ‘shield’ to avoid raw chicken splatter during tenderizing (gallon Ziploc or plastic wrap), but if you have a preferred method to tenderize your chicken, go for it. Be careful to avoid cross contamination here!
- Season the chicken: Place tenderized chicken back on the plate and use a paper towel to pat the chicken breasts dry on both sides. In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix the avocado oil and white vinegar together, then drizzle on to the chicken. Use a pastry brush or your fingers to coat both sides of the chicken with the oil & vinegar mixture. Next, mix all the seasonings together in a small bowl and sprinkle on both sides of the chicken breasts. For best results, let the chicken sit to marinate for at least 20 minutes, up to 2 hours. If refrigerated, let the chicken come to room temperature before cooking.
- Cook the chicken: Use tongs to place seasoned chicken breasts into the air fryer basket in a single layer, not touching if possible. Air fry at 380F for 11-16 minutes based on size, flipping halfway through. Exact cook time depends on the weight and thickness of the chicken breast. The chicken is done when the edges are browning and the internal temperature reads 165F.
- Small chicken breasts (5-6 ounces): Cook for 11-13 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Medium chicken breasts (7-8 ounces): Cook for 12-14 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Large chicken breasts (9-10 ounces): Cook for 13-16 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Rest the chicken: Once fully cooked, remove the chicken breasts from the air fryer and place onto a clean cutting board. Let the chicken rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting to reabsorb all the juices. Don’t skip this step!
- Serve and store: Slice, dice, or serve as a main dish on a salad, with potatoes and veggies, chopped up with pasta, anything you want! Store leftover chicken in an airtight container with lid in the fridge for up to 4 days. Leftovers are actually very delicious cold (like for a salad meal prep), or you can reheat in the air fryer at 350F for 5-6 minutes until steaming hot.
Equipment
Greener Chef XL Bamboo Cutting Board
Buy Now →
OXO 9-Inch Silicone Head Tongs
Buy Now →(affiliate link!)
Notes
For a delicious chicken tenders recipe with no tenderizing, try my Air Fryer Chicken Tenders recipe. For a delicious chicken thighs recipe, try my Air Fryer Crispy Bone-In Chicken Thighs.
Prep time 10 minutes; marinate time 20 minutes; cook time 15 minutes; total time 45 minutes. Nutrition information estimated with My Fitness Pal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Air Fry
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: about 4 ounces
- Calories: 208
- Fat: 6g
- Carbohydrates: 1g
- Protein: 35g
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