Air fryer chicken breast
Juicy, smoky chicken breasts with about ten minutes of hands-on time, good tonight and just as good sliced into lunches for the next 4 days.
- 30 min total
- 10 min hands-on
- Anyone can make this
- Serves 2
- About $2.19 a serving
- 350 calories
- Good the next day
- Gluten-free
- Dairy-free
Dolly says: I’d make this on a weeknight. It’s on the table in 30 minutes.
Ingredients
For 2 servings.
- 2 chicken breasts
From your pantry
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Each serving has about 350 calories, 51 g protein, 4 g carbs and 13 g fat, and costs about $2.19 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No chicken breasts? Boneless chicken thighs or chicken tenderloins work.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
the air fryer to 380°F for 5 minutes.
Preheat. Preheating means turning the oven on before you start, so it’s fully hot when the food goes in. Food that starts in a cold oven cooks unevenly and doesn’t brown the same.
How you’ll know: The oven beeps or its light clicks off, usually 10 to 15 minutes after you turn it on.
Timer: 5 min
Lay the chicken between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound the thick end with the bottom of a heavy pan until the breast is an even ¾ inch thick.
Dolly’s tip: An even breast cooks evenly. That one step is most of what makes it juicy.Food safety: Wash your hands, the board and the knife with hot soapy water after touching raw meat, and don’t rinse raw chicken in the sink.
the smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, brown sugar, salt and pepper together in a small bowl.
Stir. Stirring means moving food around with a spoon or spatula so it cooks evenly and doesn’t stick. Unless the recipe says constantly, every so often is plenty, and it gives food time to brown.
How you’ll know: When you drag the spoon across the bottom, nothing is sticking or scorching.
Rub the chicken all over with the oil, then press the spice mix onto both sides.
Lay the chicken in the basket without overlapping and cook 8 minutes.
Timer: 8 min
Dolly’s tip: Leave a little room around each breast so the hot air can reach the sides.Flip the chicken and cook 6 to 8 minutes more, until the thickest part reads 165°F.
Timer: 7 min
Dolly’s tip: Air fryers run hot or cool. Check at 6 minutes the first time and you’ll know yours from then on.Food safety: Chicken and turkey are done at 165°F in the thickest part. A thermometer is the only sure check. Without one, cut into the thickest piece: it should be white all the way through, with no pink.
Let the chicken on a board for 5 minutes, then it and serve.
Rest. Resting means letting cooked meat sit for a few minutes before you cut it. It keeps cooking gently, and more of the juice stays in the meat instead of running onto the board.
How you’ll know: Loosely covered with foil, it stays hot, and very little juice runs out when you slice it.
Slice. Slicing means cutting food into flat pieces of about the same thickness. Even slices cook evenly, so none are raw while others burn.
How you’ll know: Lay a few side by side: they’re close to the same thickness from one end to the other.
Timer: 5 min
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
