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This Air Fryer fried chicken breast recipe is the best way to get that crispy and crunchy exterior that breaded, deep fried chicken has- without all that grease.
It’s golden brown and crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside, and perfect as a quick weeknight meal that the whole family will love! It’s a nice step-up above my classic Air Fryer chicken breast recipe, and is ready in under 20 minutes!
My family and I love chicken, and the Air Fryer makes it so SO easy. If you’re looking for an easy recipe with flavorful chicken breasts, this is going to be a new favorite. It has that nice crispy skin on the outside, just like with my Air Fryer chicken cutlets, and is really versatile too.
Pair a crispy air fried chicken breast with Air Fryer green beans or Air Fryer asparagus or any other veggie side of your choice to make it more filling and wholesome.
Quick Look At This Recipe
✨ Flavor: Crispy, crunchy and savory.
⏱️ Prep time: 5 minutes.
🔥 Cook time: 15 minutes.
⏲️ Total time: 20 minutes.
👥 Servings: 4 servings.
🥄 Tools: Air Fryer.
❄️ Freezer friendly: Yes.
👩🏻🍳 Tip: For extra yumminess, use mayonnaise instead of oil to coat the chicken, like I did with my Air Fryer Shake and Bake chicken.
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Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- If you like classic deep fried chicken, you’re going to love this quick, easy and healthier version.
- It has that beautiful crispy exterior- just like my Air Fryer chicken Cordon Blue.
- It’s family friendly! All you need is 20 minutes and some pantry staples to make this chicken that even the kids will enjoy.
Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken breasts: I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into thin cutlets.
- Olive oil: To help the seasonings stick to the chicken.
- Breadcrumbs: I used a mix of classic and Panko breadcrumbs, for that delightful texture. You can use any one of them too. You can also use coconut flakes for an additional texture- like I did with my Air Fryer coconut chicken recipe.
- Seasonings: Feel free to use what you like. I went for a mix of onion and garlic powder, some black and white pepper and a dash of cayenne. Sometimes, I also like to use my homemade poultry seasoning for that herby flavor.
- Olive oil spray: For that crispy exterior.
See recipe card for quantities.
Looking to make your favorite oven recipes in the Air Fryer but not sure of the time and temperature? We’ve created a conversion calculator that will do it for you! Check out our easy to use oven to Air Fryer conversion tool.
Variations
- Use a different cut of chicken if you want to. Chicken thighs and drumsticks work great- just remember to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- Play around with the seasonings to bring a different flavor to the chicken. Use ranch seasoning for a milder flavor or my homemade BBQ rub for a smoky flavor.
- To make the chicken extra crispy, soak it in a buttermilk mixture with egg for about 30 minutes to an hour before breading. Also add a light coat of flour mixture before dipping it into egg and then seasoned breadcrumbs. And of course, spray with olive oil before air frying.
How to Make Crispy Fried Chicken in the Air Fryer
- Coat both sides of the chicken with an even coating of olive oil.
- In a rimmed dish, combine breadcrumbs and seasonings. Coat each piece of chicken with the seasoned breadcrumbs. Then, spray each breaded chicken breast with a light coat of olive oil.
- Transfer the chicken breasts in a single layer in the Air Fryer basket.
- Air fry chicken at 390 F for 10-12 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through the cooking time. Serve immediately with your favorite sides.
Serving Ideas & Suggestions
Serve these crispy breaded chicken breasts with a simple carb side like Air Fryer seasoned French fries or Air Fryer baked potato, and a nice veggie salad.
When I’m making these for the kids, I usually team them up with my Air Fryer mac and cheese and some Air Fryer broccoli to make it a complete meal.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- I make this recipe in my Cosori 5.8 qt. Air Fryer or 6.8 quart Air Fryer. Depending on your device, size and wattages, you may need to adjust the cooking time by 1-2 minutes.
- Thinner cuts of meat will cook faster- adjust your time and temperature as needed.
- Use gluten-free breadcrumbs to make gluten free air fried chicken breast.
- To make a low carb version, skip the breading and coat the chicken breasts in oil and seasonings, then cook as usual, making sure you flip the chicken midway during the cooking time.
- Try using different combinations of breading for different textures. I love crushing up some Doritos or using oatmeal for the coating, along with breadcrumbs- inspired by my Air Fryer Dorito chicken and Air Fryer oatmeal crusted chicken.
- You can also crush up some Flamin’ Hot Cheetos and use it for the breading- just like I did when I made my Air Fryer Flamin’ Hot Cheetos chicken.
Recipe FAQs
Use a digital meat thermometer to ensure the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 F before serving.
Leftovers are perfect for busy weeknights! Let the pieces of chicken cool down after cooking, and then store them in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
You can reheat the leftovers in your Air Fryer at 350 F for 3-4 minutes, or until hot all the way through.
More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes
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Crispy Air Fryer Fried Chicken Breast
Equipment
- 1 Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced into thin cutlets
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- ½ cup dried bread crumbs
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoon olive oil, spray
Instructions
- Coat both sides of the chicken with an even coating of olive oil.
- In a rimmed dish, combine the bread crumbs, panko, and seasonings.
- Coat each piece of chicken with the seasoned bread crumbs. Spray each breaded chicken breast with a light coat of olive oil.
- Place the chicken breasts into a single layer into the air fryer basket.
- Air fry chicken at 390 degrees Fahreheit for 10-12 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through the cooking time.
- Carefully remove the chicken from the air fryer and serve immediately.
Notes
- Try using different seasonings to bring flavor variations to the dish.
- Use gluten free breadcrumbs for the coating to make a gluten free version of the recipe.
- You can also use crushed popcorn, cornflakes, Doritos or oatmeal for the coating.
- Check the internal temperature of the chicken using a meat thermometer before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
