Air Fryer Chicken Breasts

These easy-to-make Air Fryer Chicken Breasts are marinated in Italian dressing, then sprinkled with a few common pantry spices, and air fried to tender perfection. So easy, tender, juicy, and always a hit with family and friends. This air fryer chicken recipe is so juicy with just the right chicken seasoning that it is sure to become a family favorite. 

These chicken breasts are ideal for meal prep. For an over-the-top well-balanced meal, serve with Air Fryer Asparagus and Roasted Parsnips.  Or cut and use the tender pieces in Honey Mustard Chicken Snap Pea Salad

How to air fry Chicken Breasts

Start by marinating the chicken in your favorite Italian dressing for about an hour.  This step ensures juicy chicken breasts. Then using tongs, remove the chicken from the marinade.  Discard any excess marinade.  Now in a small bowl, combine paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.  Sprinkle evenly over the chicken breasts.

Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees for about 5 minutes.  Place the chicken in the air fryer in a single layer with some space between them.  It may be necessary to cook them two at a time, depending on the size of your air fryer.  Cook for about 7 minutes, then flip and cook for about 7 more minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.  Finally, let the chicken rest for about 10 minutes.

Recipe notes and helpful tips

• If the breasts are larger than 8 ounces or unusually large on one end, then pound them a little on the thick end with a meat mallet.
• Use your favorite Italian dressing and marinate for at least 1 hour up to 2 hours.
• Chicken is cooked through it reaches an internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.  Use an instant-read meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the chicken breast for a correct internal temp. For best results, pull the chicken at 160 degrees, and the residual hot air from the air fryer basket will cook it to 165 degrees.  Do not overcook, as chicken dries out easily.
• Let the chicken rest in a loose aluminum foil tent.  This lets the juices redistribute throughout the meat.
• Experiment with other herbs and spices like basil, oregano, marjoram, parsley, thyme, or rosemary. Or try different spice blends like taco seasoning or Italian seasoning. 
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Reheat leftovers in a 350-degree oven.  Place the chicken breast in a baking dish and drizzle with a few tablespoons of Italian dressing.  Cover with aluminum foil and cook until heated through.
• To freeze, place the fully-cooled chicken into a heavy-duty freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

How long to cook chicken breast in an air fryer

This is always a bit of a loaded question, as I have seen chicken breasts ranging in size from 6 ounces to 12 ounces.  For starters, if the breasts are larger than 8 ounces or unusually large on one end, then pound them a little on the thick end with a meat mallet. Times will range from 10 minutes all the way up to 18 minutes, depending on the size of the breast and the strength of the air fryer.  For the juiciest and most consistent results, invest in an instant-read thermometer.  Chicken is cooked through when it reaches 165 degrees.  I like to pull it when it is around 160 degrees and let the residual heat from the air fryer finish cooking it.

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Air Fryer Chicken Breasts

An easy seven-ingredient Air Fryer Chicken Breast recipe with big flavor and juicy results. Perfect tender chicken for those hectic weeknights when dinner needs to get on the table.

5 from 18 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: main meal chicken

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 274kcal

Author: Beth Pierce

Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts 6-8 ounces each
• 1 cup Italian dressing
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

• Combine chicken breasts and Italian dressing in a large zipper bag.  Marinate in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.
• In a small bowl, combine the paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.  Using tongs remove the chicken from the marinade.  Discard any leftover marinade.  Sprinkle the chicken on both sides evenly with the spices.
• Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees for 3-5 minutes.  Place the chicken in the air fryer in a single layer with some space between the breasts. Cook for 7 minutes, then flip and cook for 7 more minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Let the chicken rest loosely covered with an aluminum foil tent for 10 minutes.

Notes

• If the breasts are larger than 8 ounces or unusually large on one end, then pound them a little on the thick end with a meat mallet.
• Use your favorite Italian dressing and marinate for at least 1 hour up to 2 hours.
• Chicken is cooked through it reaches an internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.  Use an instant-read meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the chicken breast for a correct internal temp. For best results, pull the chicken at 160 degrees, and the residual hot air from the air fryer basket will cook it to 165 degrees.  Do not overcook, as chicken dries out easily.
• Let the chicken rest in a loose aluminum foil tent.  This lets the juices redistribute throughout the meat.
• Experiment with herbs and spices like basil, oregano, marjoram, parsley, thyme, or rosemary. Or try different seasoning blends like taco seasoning or Italian seasoning. 
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Reheat leftovers in a 350-degree oven.  Place the chicken breast in a baking dish and drizzle with a few tablespoons of Italian dressing.  Cover with aluminum foil and cook until heated through.
• To freeze, place the fully-cooled chicken into a heavy-duty freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

Nutrition

Calories: 274kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 1006mg | Potassium: 488mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 302IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg

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