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Air Fryer Chicken Breasts

Yes, of course the air fryer is good for cooking up “fried” things.  The main point of this appliance is to simulate the texture you get when frying foods in oil, often with a crispy crust, sometimes with a battered coating.  But in fact the air fryer also functions as a sort of super mini convection oven, circulating hot air quickly in the chamber to cook the food.  And bonus: it requires no preheating. 

Slices of Lemon Garlic Chicken Breasts on a plate with mushrooms, vegetables, and salad.

How Long to Cook Chicken Breasts in an Air Fryer

Boneless skinless chicken breasts get cooked to perfection in about 10 minutes in the air fryer, which makes it such a great weeknight tool for getting dinner on the table FAST.  Marinate the chicken the night before or in the morning.

Chicken Breasts marinating in a lemon garlic mixture.

Then just pull the chicken from the marinade, place the breasts in the rack, and push a couple of buttons.  Discard the remaining marinade.

10 minutes later you have dinner.  Seriously, if you are serving this chicken with rice or pasta, that needs to be on the stove before the chicken goes into the air fryer or you’ll be waiting on your starch!

Tongs placing Chicken Breasts into an Air Fryer.

The chicken pieces won’t get crispy if they aren’t coated with some sort of crust like panko or bread crumbs, but rather cook up much as they would in a high oven.  If they are thick you may need some extra time.  Try not to crowd the chicken in the basket or insert.  It’s ok if the pieces are touching but you don’t want them overlapping.  The inside should be super juicy, as long as you don’t overcook it

You can use all kinds of marinades or brushing sauces on the chicken.  I made these with a garlicky, mustard-ey, lemony marinade, but you can keep switching it up.  Note that marinades that contain a lot of sugar (honey, maple syrup, etc.) might brown more on the outside.  Keep an eye on the chicken and lower the heat if it seems to be browning too quickly.

Lemon Garlic Chicken Breasts in an Air Fryer.

You can serve the chicken as is or slice or dice it and add it to pastas like Easy Creamy Fettuccine Alfredo or salads like Chopped Salad with Chicken, Tomatoes and Lemon Thyme Dressing or soups like Fragrant Chicken Tomato Soup.

Boneless skinless chicken breasts get cooked to perfection in about 10 minutes in the air fryer, which makes it such a great weeknight tool for getting dinner on the table FAST.

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Chicken Thighs in the Air Fryer 

Boneless skinless thighs can be cooked in much the same way, but they will need a few extra minutes to cook through.  You are looking for an internal temperature of 165°F either way.  That’s the safe cooking temperature for poultry.

Other Marinade Recipes to Try:

Other Air Fryer Recipes:

Slices of Lemon Garlic Chicken Breasts on a plate with beans and rice.

What to Serve with Air Fried Lemon Garlic Breasts:

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Lemon Garlic Air Fryer Chicken Breasts

5 from 4 votes
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Marinating Time: 8 hours
Total: 8 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 4 People
Boneless skinless chicken breasts get cooked to perfection in 10 minutes in the air fryer. A quick and easy weeknight recipe.
Lemon Garlic Air Fryer Chicken Breasts
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Equipment

Ingredients 

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • Pinch red pepper flakes
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 4 6-ounce boneless skinless chicken breasts

Instructions 

  • In a container with a lid, or a sturdy sipper-top plastic bag, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper. Stir or squish to blend the ingredients. Add the chicken and turn to coat well. Seal the bag or container and refrigerate for 8 to 24 hours (the longer you marinate it, the more pronounced the flavors would be).
  • Set up your air fryer. Remove the chicken from the marinade and place it in a single layer in the basket or insert. Set the temperature for 400°F if you have a choice, dual heat, and set the timer for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, check to see if the chicken is cooked through (165°F internal temperature). Add more time in 2 minute increments if needed. Let the chicken sit on a cutting board or plate for 2 minutes before serving. Slice if desired.

Notes

The chicken pieces won’t get crispy if they aren’t coated with some sort of crust like panko or bread crumbs, but rather cook up much as they would in a high oven.  If they are thick you may need some extra time.  Try not to crowd the chicken in the basket or insert.  It’s ok if the pieces are touching but you don’t want them overlapping.  The inside should be super juicy, as long as you don’t overcook it
You can use all kinds of marinades or brushing sauces on the chicken.  I made these with a garlicky, mustard-ey, lemony marinade, but you can keep switching it up.  Note that marinades that contain a lot of sugar (honey, maple syrup, etc.) might brown more on the outside.  Keep an eye on the chicken and lower the heat if it seems to be browning too quickly.

Nutrition

Calories: 320kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 36g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 109mg, Sodium: 241mg, Potassium: 629mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 51IU, Vitamin C: 6mg, Calcium: 12mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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