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I’m obsessed with cooking the most juicy, tender, and flavorful chicken breast quickly and easily in my air fryer. My Air Fryer Chicken Breast Recipe is seasoned with brown sugar, paprika, and herbs, and is perfect for an easy family dinner that everyone will love!
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“This was great! Some of the best chicken I’ve ever made.” – J Davis
Easy Air Fryer Chicken Breast Recipe
These chicken breasts are so simple to prep, and every time I make them, they come out perfectly tender and juicy. I’m obsessed with the seasoning rub—it’s slightly sweet, super flavorful, and honestly, just to die for! The whole thing is ready in about 20 minutes, which makes it my go-to when I need a quick, foolproof dinner that satisfies everyone at the table.
No matter how I serve them—sliced over salads, in sandwiches, or with a side of veggies—these juicy chicken breasts are always a hit. The seasoning mix is so good, I usually make a double batch just to have extra on hand for next time!
Air Fryer Chicken Breast Recipe
Equipment
- Air Fryer (click for my favorite)
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts sliced thin
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- ½ tbsp ground paprika
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning store-bought or homemade
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 370°F.
- If the chicken breasts are thick, slice the breasts in half to create thinner pieces or place the breasts between parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound them thin.2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper.2 tbsp brown sugar, ½ tbsp ground paprika, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, 1 tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- Rub each chicken breast with olive oil and seasoning to evenly coat.2 tbsp olive oil
- Spray the air fryer basket with nonstick spray.
- Place the chicken breasts in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
- Cook for 8 minutes. Flip the chicken breasts over and cook for another 7-8 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165°F.
- Remove the chicken breasts from the air fryer, slice, and serve.
Becky’s Tips
- For best results, use thin chicken breasts.
- Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing it. This will allow the juices to redistribute so that it’s extra flavorful and juicy.
- Chicken breasts are cooked through when the internal temperature reaches 165°F. They should be a uniform white color when sliced open.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment!
How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Breasts Step by Step
Prep the chicken: Preheat air fryer to 370°F. If the chicken breasts are thick, slice the breasts in half to create thinner pieces or place the breasts between parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound them thin.
Prepare seasoning mix: In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper.
Coat the chicken: Rub each chicken breast with olive oil and seasoning to evenly coat. Spray the air fryer basket with nonstick spray.
Cook chicken: Place the chicken breasts in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook for 8 minutes. Flip the chicken breasts over and cook for another 7-8 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165°F.
Slice and serve: Remove the chicken breasts from the air fryer, slice, and serve. Enjoy!
Variations
While I personally love this seasoning blend, you can change it up to better suit whatever sides you’re planning on serving with this chicken.
- Try a simple chicken seasoning
- For more robust flavoring, try a Creole seasoning or blackened seasoning
- An everyday seasoning like creamy ranch seasoning or savory chili seasoning are also delicious
- Use a Mexican-inspired flavor like fajita seasoning or taco seasoning
How to Store
Store leftover air fryer chicken breasts in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 365°F air fryer for 7-9 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Freeze chicken breasts in an airtight container or Ziplock bag for up to 2 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
These seasoned chicken breasts are great to serve as a main meal with your favorite sides, or sliced on top of a fresh salad. You can use up any leftover summer zucchini and make crispy zucchini fries, or grab a few sweet potatoes at the grocery store and make a batch of garlic parmesan sweet potato fries. I also enjoy making asparagus almondine or air fryer ranch broccoli.
First time making this. I served it over rice and made a strawberry mango salsa over the chicken. I loved the sweetness from the brown sugar and a little bit of heat from the Italian seasoning I used. This will go into regular rotation at my house!
Sounds amazing!
Is the cook time the same for one chicken breast?
Hi Linda, it should be!
This was delicious and moist. Loved it. The chicken breast I had were huge so while they were not thawed all the way I sliced them in half. Used this recipe for 3 slices.
We just loved this recipe. No changes. It was so good!!
I don’t think I’ll ever grill chicken again! I needed a quick fix and just happened to find this recipe. Absolutely delicious!
This was great! Some of the best chicken I’ve ever made. Could you cut the sugar? I also let it marinade for a while.
You could cut the sugar, but it will change the flavor!