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We’ve made these Frozen Chicken Patties in the Air Fryer more times than I can count, and they come out perfectly juicy and crispy every single time. It’s one of the easiest meals you can throw together—just pop your favorite brand (like Tyson) into the air fryer and in about 10 minutes you’ve got a golden, crispy chicken patty ready to serve.
I grew up eating Tyson chicken patties, and now I love making them in the air fryer—just as juicy and crispy, but ready in half the time. These premade patties are an easy way to whip up a crispy chicken sandwich any night of the week.
Perfect for busy weeknights, they cook faster than the oven and are healthier than deep frying. Plus, air frying means no messy hot oil—just golden, crunchy patties everyone will enjoy.
Want more easy air fryer ideas? Try fun air fried dino nuggets or these quick Aldi red bag chicken next.
Quick Look At This Recipe
- ✨ Flavor: Crispy outside and tender juicy inside.
- ⏱️ Prep time: Zero prep, just open the box and cook.
- 🔥 Cook time: 10 minutes
- ⏲️ Total time: 11 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 4
- 🥄 Tools: Air fryer
- ❄️ Freezer friendly: These are best cooked fresh though you can save leftovers in the fridge.
- 👩🏻🍳 Tip: Tyson’s label says cook at 390°F for 9 minutes, but in our tests slightly lower temps (360–380°F) gave the same crispy results without over-browning in newer, high-wattage air fryers. It also allows for variations across different brands of chicken patties.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- No prep required – Straight from the freezer to the air fryer—no thawing, breading, or oil needed.
- Ready in minutes – You’ll have a hot, satisfying meal on the table in just 10 minutes.
- Endlessly customizable – Serve them on buns, in wraps, chopped on salads, or dipped in your favorite sauce.
- Family favorite – Kid-approved, lunchbox-friendly, and great for picky eaters or busy weeknights.
Table of Contents
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Reader Review: “My favorite quick and easy go-to meal.” – Joel
Ingredients Needed
You only need a few simple ingredients to customize this meal.
- Frozen chicken patties: There are many different brands, but my favorite brand to use is Tyson chicken patties. They’re found in the frozen section at the grocery store.
- Brioche buns: I love to use the store bakery for homemade brioche buns.
- Tomato and lettuce: Added for topping but you can leave them off if you want. I prefer fresh romaine or iceberg lettuce.
- Slice of cheese: If you love cheese, make sure you grab a slice of American, Cheddar, or your favorite cheese.
Variations
You can spice these up and dress these down with these simple variations:
- Spicy twist: Use spicy chicken patties and add pepper jack cheese for a bold flavor.
- Buffalo-style: Toss cooked patties in buffalo sauce and top with ranch or blue cheese for a buffalo chicken burger that tastes just as good as air-fried buffalo chicken wings.
- Low-carb option: Serve patties over greens or in lettuce wraps with avocado and pickles.
- Meal-prep bowls: Slice patties and serve over rice or quinoa with roasted veggies and a dressing or sauce.
- Tex-Mex style: Enjoy as a sandwich topped with guacamole, salsa, and jalapeños, or crumble them up and use them in tacos or burritos.
- Chicken Parm-Style: Add marinara and mozzarella on top and serve with spaghetti or garlic bread. It’s a quick and easy version of our air fryer chicken parmesan.
If you prefer a homemade patty, I highly recommend trying these air fryer chicken burgers or air fryer chicken cutlets instead! Both work great for sandwiches and similar types of dishes.
How to Cook Frozen Chicken Patties in the Air Fryer
- Preheat the air fryer for 3 minutes at 360°F (180°C). Place the Tyson frozen chicken patties in a single layer in the prepared air fryer basket. I found four fit perfectly in my 5.8L Cosori air fryer.
- Air fry the chicken patties at 360°F (182°C) for 10 minutes, flipping them halfway through. Add an additional minute or two for extra crispy patties. Carefully remove the chicken patties from the air fryer basket, add them to hamburger buns, and top with your favorite toppings. Serve with air fryer seasoned French fries or air fried onion rings.
Expert Tips
- Preheat Your Air Fryer: For even cooking and crispy results, always preheat your air fryer to around 360°F (180°C) before cooking. If your air fryer doesn’t have a preheat setting, you can run your air fryer for 3-5 minutes before adding the patties.
- Avoid Overcrowding: Place the chicken patties in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Overcrowding can lead to uneven cooking and less crispiness. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook them in batches.
- Flip Halfway Through: This ensures they are evenly crispy and golden on both sides.
- Cook to Heat: Most frozen chicken patties, such as Tyson’s, are fully cooked. This means you need to heat them until they are hot and golden.
- Melting Cheese: Add your cheese slices after cooking the chicken patties. Then close the air fryer basket and let them sit for 1-2 minutes. The residual heat in the air fryer will melt the cheese.
Storage & Reheating
- Storage. I recommend cooking just what you need since you can easily store the uncooked patties in the freezer. But if you end up with leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheating. Reheat leftover breaded chicken patties in the air fryer at 350°F for 2-3 minutes or until heated through.
Recipe FAQs
When cooking at a range of 360-380°F, you will need to cook the chicken patties for 8-10 minutes in the air fryer. For crispy patties, add an additional minute or two of cooking time. The exact time may vary slightly depending on the brand of chicken patties and the type and size of air fryer you are using.
For sandwiches, consider adding different toppings and condiments such as mayo, mustard, BBQ sauce, Dijon mustard, or any other favorite dipping sauce. Top the burgers with red onions, avocado, bell peppers, sauteed onions, and consider using potato buns, wheat buns, or brioche buns. You can also use these in place of crispy chicken in a variety of dishes such as salads, bowls, tacos, and more.
Absolutely! I like to cut the patties in half and serve them on mini buns with cheese and ketchup for a kids’ party. You can also set up a DIY slider bar for a gathering. Cut the patties into halves or quarters, set out mini slider buns, cheeses, and toppings like lettuce, tomato, pickles, and sauces. Everyone can stack their own mini sandwiches.
For the best results, yes, I highly recommend flipping them. In my testing, I found that it crisps up both sides of the chicken patty better when they are flipped halfway through cooking.
I hope you enjoy this easy dinner recipe for air fryer frozen chicken patties. It’s one of my family’s favorite recipes.
More Air Fryer Recipes from Frozen
Frozen Foods
Frozen Egg Rolls in Air Fryer
Appetizers
Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Nuggets
Frozen Foods
Frozen Taquitos in Air Fryer
Appetizers
Air Fryer Pizza Rolls
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Frozen Chicken Patties in Air Fryer
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 4 chicken patties, frozen, I use Tyson
Optional Additions
- tomato
- cheese
- lettuce
- hamburger buns
- onion
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer for 3 minutes at 360°F (180°C).
- Place the Tyson frozen chicken patties in a single layer in the prepared air fryer basket.
- Air fry the chicken patties at 360°F (182°C) for 10 minutes, flipping them halfway through. Add an additional minute or two for extra crispy patties.
- Carefully remove the chicken patties from the air fryer basket, add them to hamburger buns, and top with your favorite toppings.
Notes
- Type of Air Fryer: This recipe was made using a Cosori air fryer. If you’re using a different air fryer, for best results, make sure you keep an eye on the chicken patties while they cook.
- Preheat First: Run the air fryer 3–5 minutes at 360°F (180°C) before cooking for even crispiness.
- Single Layer Only: Don’t overcrowd and cook in batches if needed.
- Flip Once: Turn patties halfway through for even browning.
- Heat, Don’t Cook: Tyson patties are fully cooked—air fry just until hot and golden.
- Melt Cheese Smart: Add cheese after cooking, then close the basket for 1–2 minutes to let residual heat melt it perfectly.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
