Description
A quick and flavorful recipe for perfectly cooked, juicy chicken breasts using an air fryer. This method ensures a tender texture with a beautifully seasoned crust, making it a healthy and convenient weeknight dinner option.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
Seasoning
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground paprika (or a mix of regular and smoked ground paprika)
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- Black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Prep: Heat your air fryer to 375°F for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, place the chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap and gently pound them with a meat mallet or rolling pin until they reach about 0.5 to 0.75 inch thickness for even cooking.
- Season chicken: Rub both sides of the chicken breasts with olive oil. In a small bowl, mix together the ground paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, light brown sugar, salt, and black pepper. Evenly rub this seasoning blend all over the chicken breasts for full flavor.
- Air fry: Arrange the seasoned chicken breasts in a single layer inside the air fryer basket, ensuring they don’t overlap. Close the air fryer and cook at 375°F for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F when measured at the thickest part.
- Rest: Remove the chicken breasts from the air fryer and let them rest for 5 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in moist, tender chicken. Serve immediately after resting.
Notes
- Use a meat thermometer to accurately check the doneness of the chicken for safety and best texture.
- Do not overcrowd the air fryer basket; cook in batches if necessary to ensure even cooking and crispness.
- Adjust seasoning amounts based on personal taste preferences or dietary restrictions.
- Resting the chicken is crucial to keeping it juicy, so try not to skip this step.
