Air Fryer Chicken Breasts

Steps

1. Pound (how to pound thin)

   Pound thin Flatten meat to an even thickness so it cooks quickly and evenly. 1. Put the meat between two sheets of plastic wrap or in a zip-top bag with the air pressed out.2. Start in the thickest part and hit it with the flat side of a meat mallet, a rolling pin or a small heavy pan.3. Work outward, pushing as much as hitting, so it spreads instead of tearing.4. Stop when it is the thickness the recipe asks for all over. Done when: The piece is the same thickness edge to edge, usually ¼ to ½ inch, with no holes. Safety: Raw meat, poultry and fish juices carry germs: use a separate board, wash your hands and tools after, and cook to a safe temperature checked with a thermometer.How to pound chicken and cutlets thin: mistakes to avoid

   the thick end of each breast with a meat mallet until the breasts are an even 3/4 inch thick.
2. Pat the chicken dry, rub it with the oil and

   season (how to season to taste)

   Season to taste Add salt (and pepper or acid) bit by bit, tasting as you go, until the food tastes fully of itself. 1. Season meat and vegetables before cooking, holding the salt high so it falls evenly.2. Taste the dish near the end with a clean spoon.3. If it tastes flat, add a pinch of salt, stir and taste again.4. If it tastes heavy or dull, a squeeze of lemon or a splash of vinegar brightens it.5. Stop when another pinch wouldn't make it better. Done when: The flavors are clear and bright, not flat and not salty. Safety: Don't taste dishes that hold raw meat, poultry or eggs; season them by the recipe's amounts and adjust after cooking.How to season to taste: mistakes to avoid

   both sides with the salt, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, pepper and lemon zest.
3. Heat the air fryer to 375°F.
   375°F⏱ Preheat: 3 min
4. Lay the breasts in the basket in a single layer, not touching, and air fry.
   375°F⏱ Air fry: 9 min
5. Flip the chicken and air fry until the thickest part reads 165°F (74°C).
   165°F⏱ Air fry: 8 min
6. Rest (how to rest)

   Rest Leave cooked meat, baked goods or dough alone for a while before you cut, slice or shape it. 1. Move meat to a board or plate as soon as it is done (a few degrees shy of target for big roasts; it keeps rising).2. Tent it loosely with foil if the kitchen is cool.3. Rest steaks and chops 5 minutes, roasts 15 to 20, a turkey 30.4. For dough, cover it so it doesn't dry out while it relaxes. Done when: Meat juices stay in when you slice; dough rolls out without springing back. Safety: Rest at room temperature for under an hour, then refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking.How to rest meat and dough: mistakes to avoid

   the chicken on a cutting board before slicing.
   ⏱ Rest: 5 min

Tap an underlined word for how to do it, or see all techniques.

Tips

• To cook four breasts, work in two batches unless your basket fits them with space around each one.
• Use a separate cutting board for raw poultry, and wash hands, boards and knives in hot soapy water after handling it. Don't rinse raw chicken; it only spreads germs around the sink.

Storage

Refrigerate in an airtight container within 2 hours, up to 4 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 350°F for 3 to 4 minutes.

How long leftovers keep, and freezing and reheating: leftovers and storage.