Hey! I'm Des!
Welcome to Life’s Ambrosia where Dinner is served and memories are made. Here you will find over 1000 tried and true recipes for every possible occasion. In the last 10 years, this blog has helped millions of families put dinner on the table and create food memories. Let me help you too.
Air Fried Chicken Breast
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This Air Fried Chicken Breast only requires two ingredients and results in juicy perfectly cooked chicken. Great on it’s own or added to salads.
When it comes to eating chicken, I’ll be the first one to admit the the breast is not my favorite cut. I’ve always had issues with it just being too dry. Especially boneless skinless chicken breasts. For that reason, I generally shy away from making it and prefer to use thighs or drumsticks.
That is, until I started making chicken breast in the air fryer. You guys, it’s SO easy and it is SO good. It has become one of my favorite proteins lately. I love it on it’s own but especially adding it to salads for a flavorful lunch.
Let’s talk about everything (and it’s not a lot!) that you’ll need to make it.
Air Fried Chicken Breast Ingredients:
CHICKEN BREASTS: Boneless skinless chicken breasts can vary greatly in size. Keep that in mind when cooking. If the chicken breast is particularly large, it may take a bit longer to cook.
CREAMY SALAD DRESSING: This could be any creamy dressing of your choice. Store bought or homemade. I’ve made this with ranch dressing, creamy caesar dressing and creamy honey mustard dressing. Creamy Pesto would also be fantastic! All of them work well, just use your favorite!
SALT AND PEPPER: You won’t need much because the dressing will add a lot of flavor. But I do like to sprinkle the chicken lightly with both before cooking.
How to make Chicken Breast in Air Fryer Step by Step Photos:
Making chicken breast in the air fryer is pretty easy to do! Just follow these easy steps.
Place chicken breasts in resealable plastic bag and gently pound with meat mallet until uniform thickness. 
Pour dressing into the bag and work the dressing into the chicken making sure it’s coated. Chill for at least 1 hour. 
Cook at 375 degrees for 6 minutes. Turn and cook another 5 – 6 minutes or until cooked through.
STEP #1: Place the chicken in a resealable plastic bag and use a meat mallet to pound the chicken into uniform thickness, about 1/4 – 1/2 inch thick. This will help ensure the chicken cooks evenly as well as help tenderize the chicken so it’s tender and juicy.
STEP #2: Pour the dressing into the resealable bag. Seal the bag and rub the chicken around in the dressing to ensure it’s all coated in the dressing. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
STEP #3: Place the marinated chicken breasts in the basket of the air fryer. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Fry at 375 degrees for 6 minutes. Turn and cook for another 4 – 5 minutes or until a digital meat thermometer registers 165 degrees. Allow the chicken breast to rest 5 minutes.
Depending on the size of the chicken breast, you may need more or less cooking time. I used medium sized chicken breasts that were about 8 ounces. Small chicken breasts (under 8 ounces) will take less time. Chicken breasts over 8 ounces can take up to 15 to 20 minutes.
Storage and Leftovers:
This chicken is great served right away or served cold on salads. Refrigerate any leftovers and use within a few days.
Recipe FAQ:
The simplest explanation is that it is overcooked. Chicken is done when meat thermometer registers 165 degrees. But it will continue cooking when you take it out of the air fryer, for this reason remove when about 160 degrees. This will help keep the chicken breast from becoming dry and rubbery.
Yes! An air fryer isn’t just for frozen french fries and tater tots. You can put raw meat into the air fryer and cook it faster than you can in the oven. You can even cook a whole chicken in your air fryer!
Want more Air Fryer Recipes? I’ve got you covered!
Air Fryer Hasselback Potatoes are one of our favorite side dishes!
Did you know that you can make steak in your air fryer? It’s so easy! Just follow this Air Fryer Steak Recipe!
Air Fryer Fried Mushrooms are a great appetizer!
Air Fried Chicken Breast
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup ranch dressing or other creamy dressing of your choice
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
- Place chicken breasts into a resealable plastic bag. Use a meat mallet (or rolling pin) to gently pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness. About 1/4 – 1 /2 inch thick.
- Pour dressing into the resealable bag. Seal the bag and rub the dressing into the chicken to make sure it's completely coated. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Place chicken breasts into air fryer basket. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Cook at 375 degrees for 6 minutes. Turn chicken and cook for another 5 – 6 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 160 degrees. Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving. It will continue cooking during this time. Chicken is done when it registers 165 degrees.
Notes
Nutrition
Hey! I'm Des!
Welcome to Life’s Ambrosia where Dinner is served and memories are made. Here you will find over 1000 tried and true recipes for every possible occasion. In the last 10 years, this blog has helped millions of families put dinner on the table and create food memories. Let me help you too.