These Air Fryer Chicken Breasts are so juicy and tender – you'll love the easy marinade! Serve them in a salad or with your favourite sides.
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts – you could try making this recipe with boneless skinless chicken thighs, but cooking time may vary.
- Olive oil – or another neutral cooking oil such as avocado or canola oil.
- Fresh rosemary – use 1 tsp. dried rosemary instead.
- Garlic powder – freshly minced garlic or even onion powder would be a good substitute here.
- Paprika – cayenne can be used in a pinch but it’ll have more of a kick.
- Salt & pepper – to taste.
- Parsley – leave this off if you don’t have any on hand. It’s not mandatory but just makes for a great garnish!
Optional salad
- Romaine lettuce – swap out for another lettuce of your choice like iceberg or butter head lettuce.
- Avocado – substitute for another vegetable of your choice.
- Corn – see substitution notes above.
- Cucumber – see substitution notes above.
- Red pepper – see substitution notes above.
- Tortilla strips – leave these off for a low-carb alternative or try adding some wonton strips or croutons for a bit of crunch.
- Store-bought dressing – I like using a Caesar, ranch or Italian dressing, but you can use any dressing of your choice. Feel free to make your own homemade dressing too!
How to cook chicken breasts in the air fryer
Step 1: Season the chicken.
Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, rub chicken breasts with olive oil, rosemary, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper.
Step 2: Cook in the air fryer.
Add breasts to the air fryer, cooking at 400 degrees.
Step 3: Flip halfway through.
For large breasts, cook for 10 minutes per side. For medium breasts, cook for 8 minutes per side. For small breasts, cook 6-7 minutes per side.
Step 4: Slice and serve!
Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing against the grain. Meanwhile, prepare the salad or desired side dishes then serve sliced chicken alongside. Enjoy!
The best chicken breast marinade
The marinade for this chicken breast recipe is super easy and so flavourful, made with pantry staples you probably already have lying around at home. Just mix all these ingredients together:
- Olive oil
- Fresh or dried rosemary
- Garlic powder
- Paprika
- Salt
- Pepper
Rub it over the chicken breasts, cook and voila!
If you’re looking for even more delicious chicken breast marinades, check out this round-up.
Frequently Asked Questions
The cooking time in the air fryer will vary based on the size of the chicken breasts. Cook larger breasts for 10 minutes per side (20 minutes total), and cook smaller breasts for 6-7 minutes per side (12-14 minutes total).
The olive oil in this chicken breast marinade will prevent the meat from drying out while it cooks in the air fryer. Plus, using the air fryer in general is a great way to get juicy chicken every single time!
Yes! Add your raw chicken breasts to the air fryer basket to cook them – no need to pre-cook or pan fry first.
I love serving my chicken breasts with a simple side salad, but chicken goes with pretty much anything. Serve this dish with a side of rice, steamed or roasted veggies, mac and cheese, glazed carrots and more.
Storing and reheating
Store any leftover chicken in the fridge in an airtight glass container for 3 to 4 days. When you’re ready to enjoy, you can just stick the chicken right back into the air fryer!
Reheat it for 3 to 5 minutes at 400° Fahrenheit then serve with a fresh salad. You could also reheat it in the microwave if you’re in a hurry or on the go – just make sure to sprinkle some water over top first so the chicken doesn’t dry out.
Freezing this recipe
You can freeze the chicken either fully cooked or raw in the marinade for up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers or Ziploc bags. If you’re freezing cooked chicken, make sure it’s cooled completely before packing it up and sticking it in the freezer.
Let the chicken defrost in the fridge overnight then cook or reheat as normal. You could also try reheating the cooked chicken breast from frozen for 10 minutes per side at 400° Fahrenheit.
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Meal prep tools for this recipe
- I own and love the Philips Digital Airfryer XXL.
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on turning this chicken into leftovers.
- I get all my free-range chicken from Butcher Box, conveniently delivered to me frozen.
- Get a meat thermometer to make sure your chicken is cooked through.
Easy Air Fryer Chicken Breasts {Best Marinade!}
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast usually 2 breasts
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary or 1 tsp dried
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- Fresh chopped parsley optional, for garnish
Optional salad to make it a meal
- 1 head romaine lettuce washed, dried and chopped
- 1 avocado sliced
- 1/2 cup corn
- 1/2 cucumber sliced
- 1 red pepper diced
- 1/4 cup tortilla strips
- Storebought caesar, ranch or Italian dressing
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, rub chicken breasts with olive oil, rosemary, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper.
- Add breasts to the air fryer, cooking at 400 degrees. For large breasts, cook for 10 minutes per side. For medium breasts, cook for 8 minutes per side. For small breasts, cook 6-7 minutes per side. Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing against the grain.
- Meanwhile, prepare the salad or desired side dishes then serve sliced chicken alongside. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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