My husband says this air fryer chicken is “freakin’ delicious” and my entire family agrees. It’s incredibly easy, ridiculously tasty, perfect for meal prep, and goes with just about everything.
Seriously the best air fryer chicken breasts (or tenders).
This chicken is not only easy, but it turns out slightly crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and perfectly flavored every single time. I have been making this every week in a large batch so we have it for easy dinners and quick lunches. Guys, it’s so good that my husband randomly grabs cold pieces out of the refrigerator.
What You’ll Need for this Air Fryer Chicken Recipe
Here is a summary of what you’ll need. Get the full recipe with measurements in the recipe card below:
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts (or you can use chicken tenderloins)
- Paprika
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Salt
- Brown sugar
- Cornstarch
- Extra-virgin olive oil
How to Make Amazing Chicken in the Air Fryer
You are going to love how easy this is, and you don’t need to marinate anything ahead of time! Here are the easy steps:
- Slice the the chicken: Slice each chicken breast into thin, flat pieces by slicing them horizontally.
- Toss with spices and olive oil: Mix the spices together in a large bowl, add the sliced chicken breasts and olive oil, and toss to thoroughly coat the chicken.
- Air fry: Preheat the air fryer to 400 (I have to do this by just turning my air fryer on for about 5 minutes). Place the chicken in the air fryer in an even layer (I have to do a few batches for the size air fryer I have). Cook the chicken at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes. If you have larger pieces of chicken, you’ll want to cook for 13-14 minutes. I find that my air fryer heats up the longer it cooks, so I tend to decrease the cook time by 1-2 minutes as I continue cooking batches. You need an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
- Rest and slice: Let the cooked chicken rest on a cutting board for a few minutes, then slice it and enjoy with basically any sides! We love it with salad, rice, pasta, by itself with your favorite dipping sauce, or just on it’s own.
Tips for Meal Prep
I love to use this chicken for meal prep for the week. To do so, just double or trip the amount of seasoning dependent upon how many pounds of chicken you plan to cook. Sometimes I even do a mix or breasts and tenders, whatever is on sale that week!
More Recipes You’ll Love:
- Parmesan Truffle Fries (Air Fryer) – Warning, They’re Addictive!
- The Best, Simple Oven Roasted Broccoli Recipe
- Air Fryer Chicken Thighs – Moist & Flavorful with Crispy Skin
Air Fryer Chicken Breasts
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Slice the the chicken: Slice each chicken breast into thin, flat pieces by slicing them horizontally.
- Toss with spices and olive oil: Mix the spices together in a large bowl, add the sliced chicken breasts and olive oil, and toss to thoroughly coat the chicken.
- Air fry: Preheat the air fryer to 400 (I have to do this by just turning my air fryer on for about 5 minutes). Place the chicken in the air fryer in an even layer (I have to do a few batches for the size air fryer I have). Cook the chicken at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes. If you have larger pieces of chicken, you’ll want to cook for 13-14 minutes. I find that my air fryer heats up the longer it cooks, so I tend to decrease the cook time by 1-2 minutes as I continue cooking batches. You need an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
- Rest and slice: Let the cooked chicken rest on a cutting board for a few minutes, then slice it and enjoy with basically any sides! We love it with salad, rice, pasta, by itself with your favorite dipping sauce, or just on its own.
Hi, I’m Jessica! I am wife to Chris, and mom to Kaip, Alana and Koa. I am a website developer and blogger. In this space, I share about everything from parenting, making money from home, recipes, mom lifestyle, and things for kids! Learn more about me here.
