Air Fryer Chicken Breast Recipe Tips
Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness before cooking. This tenderizes the meat and helps the chicken breasts to cook evenly.
Arrange the chicken breasts in an even layer in the air fryer basket so that they will cook evenly. This isn’t the time to stack as many chicken breasts as you can on top of each other. (If you’re cooking for a crowd, try Instant Pot Chicken Breast or Crockpot Chicken Breasts.)
Flip the chicken over halfway through the cook time for even cooking.
For variety, season the chicken with this Chicken Marinade instead of the seasoning rub.
Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing or serving. This wait time allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat.
Ingredients
▢ 2 teaspoons brown sugar
▢ 1 teaspoon paprika
▢ 1 teaspoon dried oregano
▢ ½ teaspoon garlic powder
▢ ¼ teaspoon onion powder
▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
▢ ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
▢ 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
▢ 1 teaspoon olive oil
Instructions
In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, paprika, dried oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Stir or whisk until well combined.
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Place chicken breasts in a zip-top bag or between two layers of parchment paper and use a meat mallet or rolling pin to pound them to an even thickness.
Rub the olive oil over all sides of the chicken breasts. Then rub the spice mixture on both sides of the chicken.
Place chicken in a single layer in the air fryer. Cook at 400° for 8 minutes, then flip chicken over and continue cooking for 5-12 more minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165° F at the thickest part of the breast. (The cook time will depend on the size of your chicken breasts.)
Let chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
Add 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder to the rub for a bit of heat.