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Juicy Chicken Breasts · Air Fryer

Air Fryer Chicken Breasts

2

Hands-free cooking

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Reading aloud

Before you start

Gather your ingredients

  • Swaps for boneless skinless chicken breasts

    Instead of chicken breasts or thighs

    • Chicken thighs: The same weight. Juicier and richer; cook a few minutes longer.
    • Extra-firm tofu or chickpeas: About the same weight of pressed tofu, or 1½ cups chickpeas per ½ lb chicken. A different dish, but it takes the same seasoning well.

    More for chicken breasts or thighs

    Cook all chicken to 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part, checked with a thermometer.

  • Swaps for olive oil

    Instead of olive oil

    • Avocado oil or another neutral oil: The same amount. No olive flavor; avocado oil handles higher heat.
    • Butter: The same amount. Richer and nutty when browned.
    • A neutral oil + more seasoning: The same amount. Dressings lose the fruity, peppery note; a little extra lemon, garlic or mustard makes up for it.

    More for olive oil

  • Swaps for kosher salt

    Instead of salt

    • Table salt or fine sea salt: About half as much as Diamond Crystal kosher, about ¾ as much as Morton kosher. The same saltiness when measured this way.
    • Salt by weight: 1 tsp is about 6 grams of table salt, 5 grams of Morton kosher, 3 grams of Diamond Crystal kosher. The most reliable way to swap, especially in baking and brines.

    More for salt

  • Swaps for garlic powder

    Instead of garlic

    • Fresh garlic: 1 clove for each ⅛ tsp powder, minced fine. Sharper and stronger.
    • Granulated garlic: About twice as much as the powder. The same flavor in coarser grains, which blend better into rubs.

    More for garlic

  • Swaps for italian seasoning

    Instead of Italian seasoning

    • Homemade blend: For 1 tsp: ½ tsp dried oregano, ¼ tsp dried basil, ¼ tsp dried thyme (a pinch of rosemary if you have it). The same thing.
    • Herbes de Provence: The same amount. Similar, often with lavender; a little more floral.
    • Dried oregano alone: The same amount. Stronger and simpler.

    More for Italian seasoning

  • Swaps for lemon zest

    Instead of citrus zest

    • Another citrus zest: The same amount. A different citrus aroma; any of them brightens a dish.
    • Dried citrus peel: 1 tsp dried for each 1 tbsp fresh zest. Milder and a little bitter.
    • Lemon or orange extract: About ¼ tsp extract for each 1 tsp zest, to taste. Strong citrus flavor, no texture.

    More for citrus zest

Step 1 of 6

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.

Step 2 of 6

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.

Step 3 of 6

Heat the air fryer to 375°F.

375°F

Step 4 of 6

Lay the breasts in the basket in a single layer, not touching, and air fry.

375°F

Step 5 of 6

Flip the chicken and air fry until the thickest part reads 165°F (74°C).

165°F

Step 6 of 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.

All done

Enjoy!

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Ingredients

  • Swaps for boneless skinless chicken breasts

    Instead of chicken breasts or thighs

    • Chicken thighs: The same weight. Juicier and richer; cook a few minutes longer.
    • Extra-firm tofu or chickpeas: About the same weight of pressed tofu, or 1½ cups chickpeas per ½ lb chicken. A different dish, but it takes the same seasoning well.

    More for chicken breasts or thighs

    Cook all chicken to 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part, checked with a thermometer.

  • Swaps for olive oil

    Instead of olive oil

    • Avocado oil or another neutral oil: The same amount. No olive flavor; avocado oil handles higher heat.
    • Butter: The same amount. Richer and nutty when browned.
    • A neutral oil + more seasoning: The same amount. Dressings lose the fruity, peppery note; a little extra lemon, garlic or mustard makes up for it.

    More for olive oil

  • Swaps for kosher salt

    Instead of salt

    • Table salt or fine sea salt: About half as much as Diamond Crystal kosher, about ¾ as much as Morton kosher. The same saltiness when measured this way.
    • Salt by weight: 1 tsp is about 6 grams of table salt, 5 grams of Morton kosher, 3 grams of Diamond Crystal kosher. The most reliable way to swap, especially in baking and brines.

    More for salt

  • Swaps for garlic powder

    Instead of garlic

    • Fresh garlic: 1 clove for each ⅛ tsp powder, minced fine. Sharper and stronger.
    • Granulated garlic: About twice as much as the powder. The same flavor in coarser grains, which blend better into rubs.

    More for garlic

  • Swaps for italian seasoning

    Instead of Italian seasoning

    • Homemade blend: For 1 tsp: ½ tsp dried oregano, ¼ tsp dried basil, ¼ tsp dried thyme (a pinch of rosemary if you have it). The same thing.
    • Herbes de Provence: The same amount. Similar, often with lavender; a little more floral.
    • Dried oregano alone: The same amount. Stronger and simpler.

    More for Italian seasoning

  • Swaps for lemon zest

    Instead of citrus zest

    • Another citrus zest: The same amount. A different citrus aroma; any of them brightens a dish.
    • Dried citrus peel: 1 tsp dried for each 1 tbsp fresh zest. Milder and a little bitter.
    • Lemon or orange extract: About ¼ tsp extract for each 1 tsp zest, to taste. Strong citrus flavor, no texture.

    More for citrus zest