Easy Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Breasts: How to Make Juicy

Prepare great air fryer boneless chicken breasts in a few simple steps. This easy recipe produces juicy results every time! The best part is that you don’t even need to be a great cook to make this great meal. Just follow these tips to learn the best way to serve your chicken. Ok, I’m biased but give it a try. If you want to skip to a specific section within this post, just click on the links below.

1. Overview
2. Chicken History
3. Cooking Instructions
4. Sauces and Sides
5. Plating
6. Junkie Lifestyle Tip
7. Recipe

Overview

There’s a good reason chicken dominates the dinner table nowadays. It’s tasty and healthy. It’s a low-carb staple of many popular diets. Now thighs and drumsticks are fantastic, but a well-cooked breast is unparalleled.

When done right, your air fryer boneless chicken breasts will rival any restaurant offering. This easy recipe will deliver that slightly crispy skin that appeals to the whole family, but it’s the juicy center that steals the show.

A Little History

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner and Eat Mor Chickn are just two popular chicken phrases that grace pop culture. Call me eccentric or genuinely curious, but knowing the history of what I’m eating gets the blood flowing. Ray Croc of McDonald’s invested years of research to discover the chicken nugget. Colonel Sanders had a rollercoaster life perfecting his fried chicken, and chicken wings are synonymous with Buffalo. You can learn some of this chicken history by reading and trying my air fryer chicken drumsticks and chicken wings recipes. Those finger foods are great, but air frying boneless chicken breasts are the best way to enjoy this American dinner classic. Now let’s get cooking!

Cooking Boneless Chicken Breasts

Step 1: Wipe your basket

Wipe your air fryer basket with some olive oil using a paper towel to prevent sticking. You can also use a non-aerosol EVOO mister and spray your basket. Limit the use of any traditional cooking sprays. It will damage the basket.

Step 2: Heat

Preheat your air fryer to 390 for 2-4 minutes.

You have to pre-heat your air fryer for the best results. This will allow you to get a nice, even cook across your boneless chicken breasts. You need the hot air to circulate so we get that slightly crispy outer skin.

Step 3: Brine for 30 Minutes

I prefer to brine my boneless chicken breasts. This extra step is worth the wait. This is the step that makes them juicy.

Simply rinse and pat dry your breasts. Put them in a bowl. Add warm water to the bowl until it covers the chicken.

Then add 4-6 teaspoons of pickle juice. That’s right, pickle juice. It works wonders. If you don’t have that in the fridge or pantry, don’t fret. A few teaspoons of regular salt will work too.

Cover it with plastic wrap and be patient. After 30 minutes, you’re ready to go.

Step 4: Coat and Season the Boneless Chicken Breasts

Remove your brined chicken, pat dry, and place on a cutting board. Then coat each breast with olive oil. Next, create a spice mixture that suits your pallet. If you’re pressed for time or prefer pre-made spice mixtures, your local grocery store has plenty of tasty options. Do you need a recommendation? Check out the 7 Best All-Purpose Seasonings according to foodsguy.com.

I prefer to make my own mixtures for my meals. Here’s what we’ll use for this chicken recipe:

• Salt
• Pepper
• Roasted Garlic Powder
• Brown Sugar (optional)
• Cayenne (optional)

Season the bottom of your chicken breasts with an equal amount of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and brown sugar. Then dust it with some cayenne (light shake). Next, place them face down in your basket. Finally, repeat the same seasoning process for the tops once your breasts are in the basket.

NOTE: Be proud of your air fryer. Like a well-oiled baseball glove or that pair of jeans that fits perfectly after multiple wears, a slightly weathered machine is a badge of honor. Love it, show it, and use it.

Step 5: Arrange

Arrange the chicken breasts in your air fryer basket in a single layer, allowing for some space between them. This will ensure the best results.

Step 6: Cook Time

Cook your air fryer boneless chicken breasts for 13-15 minutes. Open the basket and check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. If it hits at (or around) 165 degrees Fahrenheit, you’re good to go. Based on the size of each breast, you may need to add 2-3 minutes to your cooking time.

Remove from basket and cover for another 5 minutes. They will continue to cook. Then plate and serve.

Don’t worry if you don’t get it quite right the first time. The best thing to do is keep trying!

Sauces and Stuff

If you watch The Food Network you know that plating is everything. I’m a Food Network junkie, hence the name of this blog. A perfectly cooked chicken breast needs no sauce, especially if you choose to go the simple route. The salt, pepper, and garlic breasts taste excellent.

However, if you add the sweet heat (brown sugar and cayenne), offset the hotness with a cranberry apple glaze from Terrapin Ridge Farms. And like I advise in all my posts, balance out your air-fried foods with some fruits and vegetables. Cherries and broccoli work great with chicken. Apples and cantaloupes hit the spot too.

Plating Ideas For Your Boneless Chicken Breasts

After you do the work, show it off. Slice it, board it, or plate it. Make your meal feel like a million bucks by simply using anything other than your drab dinner plates. Find some unique shaped trays and plates. Use a trendy cutting board, and add whites and clear dishes on brightly colored mats. That will turn this quick meal into an enjoyable dining experience. I always try to make my boneless chicken breasts look like a restaurant-ready feast.

The Junkie Lifestyle

I close out all of my posts by emphasizing the same thing. Air frying is a lifestyle. It’s quick, fun, and casual. Just fry, eat and repeat! Chicken has quickly become the #1 protein of choice for most families. It works as a healthy meal option, it’s a staple in the keto diet, and it trends so high on social media.

I’ve said that in previous posts. And I can’t say it much better here, except this post features the best that chicken has to offer. The boneless chicken breast is light, juicy, and unbelievably versatile. It works as an entree, a sandwich, a salad topping, a wrap, and that’s just the start. Air fry it at the beginning of the week, enjoy it in every form throughout the week. That’s my tip for today!

Recipe