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Extra juicy and flavorful, this air fryer chicken breast gets its tenderness from a quick saltwater brine. Seasoned with simple spices, it cooks in minutes for a healthy, versatile main dish you can enjoy in countless ways.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Juicy and Tender: A quick brine ensures moist, flavorful chicken every time.
- Quick Cooking: Ready in about 12 minutes.
- Simple Ingredients: Uses pantry staples you likely already have on hand.
- Versatile: Delicious on its own, in salads, sandwiches, pasta dishes, or as part of your weekly meal prep.
I held off on buying an air fryer for the longest time, but I finally gave in. Honestly, I bought it mostly for chicken. This recipe quickly became my go-to.
Juicy, flavorful, and so easy to use in different ways. One night I’ll top them with a creamy béchamel sauce, another night it’s homemade BBQ sauce or spinach pesto, and it feels like a whole new meal.
The brining is my secret step. If you’ve never brined before, it’s simply soaking the chicken in salted water for a short time. That little step keeps the chicken tender and helps it hold on to its natural juices so it never turns out dry.
It’s the kind of dinner that’s quick enough for tonight but just as good tucked into a salad or sandwich the next day.
Looking for more single serving air fryer recipes? Try our air fryer sweet potato fries, air fryer Brussels sprouts, air fryer chicken thighs, air fryer asparagus, air fryer chocolate chip cookies, and air fryer shrimp recipes.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this air fryer chicken breasts recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Chicken Breasts: Use 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (5–6 ounces each).
- For the Brine: Water, kosher salt, garlic powder. The salt tenderizes the meat and locks in moisture, while the garlic powder adds flavor.
- For the Rub: Onion powder, paprika, thyme, black pepper. These seasonings create a flavorful coating. You can swap in your favorite spice blend or use our homemade Creole seasoning for a bolder flavor.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How To Make This Air Fryer Chicken Breast
These photos and instructions help you visualize how to use the air fryer for chicken. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Pound the Chicken: Lightly pound the thick end of each chicken breast on a cutting board until the meat is an even thickness from end to end.
Note: I like to place the chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper to keep things neat while pounding.
- Brine: In a medium bowl, stir cold water and kosher salt until the salt dissolves. Stir in garlic powder. Add the chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat the Air Fryer: Set the air fryer to 375°F (190°C).
- Make the Rub: In a small bowl, mix all the rub ingredients. Set aside.
- Dry the Chicken: Remove the chicken from the brine, discard the liquid, and pat dry with paper towels.
- Add Oil: Brush olive oil evenly over both sides of the chicken.
- Season: Generously coat both sides with the rub.
- Air Fry: Place chicken in the air fryer basket. Cook at 375°F (190°C) for 10–12 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Check Doneness: Use a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the breast. If it reads 165°F (74°C), it’s ready. If not, cook for 2–3 more minutes. Let the chicken rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing so the juices can redistribute, keeping the meat moist and flavorful.
No Air Fryer? Use the Oven Instead!
Bake your chicken in the oven with our easy baked chicken breast recipe.
Expert Tips
- Brine for Best Results: Even a short 1-hour brine will make a noticeable difference in juiciness.
- Size Matters: Small to medium breasts (5–6 oz.) take about 12 minutes. Larger pieces may need an extra 2–4 minutes.
- Rest Before Slicing: Let the chicken sit for 5 minutes after cooking to retain juices.
- Check Your Model: Air fryer cook times can vary, so test for doneness before serving.
Serving Suggestions
This air fryer chicken breast pairs well with a variety of sides to make a complete meal. Here are a few of my favorites:
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but the chicken may not be as juicy. The brine helps the meat hold on to its natural moisture, which makes a big difference in texture.
Small to medium chicken breasts (5–6 oz.) cook in about 12 minutes. Larger pieces may need an extra 2–4 minutes. Always flip halfway and check with a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
Yes, but thaw them completely before brining and cooking to ensure even cooking.
Cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve made this air fryer chicken breast recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out for you. Please rate the recipe and share your thoughts in the comments below.
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Ninja Air Fryer
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Air Fryer Chicken Breast
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 (6 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
For the Brine
- 2 cups cold water
- 1 ½ tablespoons kosher salt
- ½ tablespoon garlic powder
For the Rub
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Lightly pound the thick end of each chicken breast on a cutting board until the meat is an even thickness from end to end.
- Brine the Chicken: In a medium bowl, stir water and kosher salt until the salt dissolves. Stir in garlic powder. Add the chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Make the Rub: In a small bowl, mix together the onion powder, paprika, thyme, and black pepper. Set aside.
- Preheat the air fryer to 375°F (190°C).
- Remove the chicken from the brine, discard the liquid, and pat dry with paper towels.
- Brush olive oil evenly over both sides of the chicken and generously coat both sides with the rub.
- Place chicken in the air fryer basket. Cook at 375°F (190°C) for 10–12 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Use a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the breast. If it reads 165°F (74°C), it’s ready. If not, cook for 2–3 more minutes. Let the chicken rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing so the juices can redistribute, keeping the meat moist and flavorful.
Notes
- Brine for Best Results: Even a short 1-hour brine will make a noticeable difference in juiciness.
- Size Matters: Small to medium breasts (5–6 oz.) take about 12 minutes. Larger pieces may need an extra 2–4 minutes.
- Rest Before Slicing: Let the chicken sit for 5 minutes after cooking to retain juices.
- Check Your Model: Air fryer cook times can vary, so test for doneness before serving.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
What if you are using kosher chicken that has already been salted as part of the koshering process? Would I still need to use a brine?
I haven’t tested this recipe with kosher chicken, but from what I understand, it’s already salted during the koshering process. That means you could likely skip the brine since the meat has already been seasoned and moisture is better retained.
Wowza! This was the easiest, juiciest chicken I’ve ever made. I think I’ll be brining all chicken from now on.
First time to try recipe. Trying to eat healthier. The chicken was fantastic . Very moist and flavorfully. Didnt have any thyme used oregano instead and it taste greated. Will definitely be using this recipe again. Thank you for the single serve recipes.
Can you use thin chicken breast?
You can definitely use a thin chicken cutlet with this recipe. Since it’s thinner, the cooking time will be shorter. I’d start checking for doneness a few minutes earlier than the recipe calls for, and make sure the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Hey I just bought a new air-fryer so I’m gonna Love this & future recipes for the air-fryer!
Have you tried this with chicken thighs? If so, what’s the time difference? I want to try this for dinner tonight but I have chicken thighs.
Yes, we have! Take a look at our air fryer chicken thighs recipe for all the details – https://onedishkitchen.com/air-fryer-chicken-thighs/
Perfect thank you. Will check that out!