All Purpose Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Breasts

Cooked Chicken Breasts in Air Fryer sitting on the grill grate.

All Purpose Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Breasts

These all purpose Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Breasts are incredibly easy to make and work perfectly for all kinds of meals because they are juicy and flavorful. Make a batch and use for salads, casseroles, sandwiches, tacos etc.

Course Meat

Cuisine American

Keyword Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Breasts, Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts in Air Fryer, Ninja Air Fryer Chicken Breasts

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 25

Servings Servings

Calories 197kcal

Author Heather

Equipment

Ninja Foodie Pro Air Fryer with Smart Probe *or any air fryer with an integrated thermometer

Ingredients

1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts *approximately 2-3 breasts, See Note #1 below
1 tablespoon oil *either olive oil, avocado or vegetable oil

Chicken Seasoning

1 teaspoon salt See Note #2 below for seasoning alternatives
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/8 teaspoon chipotle powder *(Optional) chili powder or cayenne powder may be substituted

Instructions

In a small bowl mix together the chicken seasoning.
Remove chicken breasts from packaging and dry with paper towels.
Drizzle and then rub half of the oil on the first side of the breasts. Sprinkle half of the chicken seasoning over the oil rubbed side.
Flip the breasts and repeat with the remaining oil and seasoning.
Insert the smart probe horizontally into the thickest side of one of the breasts.
Preheat the air fryer to 350℉ using both the bake setting and the temperature smart probe setting.
Once Air Fryer reaches temperature add chicken breasts making sure to leave space around each breast.
Flip the breasts when the internal temperature reaches approximately 100℉.
Finish cooking until the internal temperature reaches 155-160℉. At this point turn off the air fryer and let the chicken rest with the lid closed for 5 minutes. See Note #3 and 4 below.
Once the 5 minutes have passed, remove breasts from air fryer and enjoy.

Notes

Recipe Notes

Note #1- With this recipe there is no need to pound the chicken breasts. However, because of this the cooking time is similar to cooking in an oven.

Note #2- This chicken seasoning blend is an all purpose blend that works well in most every type of dish (ex: tacos, casseroles, salads, etc.) However, listed below are a few alternative seasoning options.

Mexican Chicken Seasoning (works well for tacos, burritos, quesadillas, etc)

1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1/8 teaspoon real chili powder

Herb Chicken Seasoning (works well for some casseroles, pasta salads and hot pasta dishes)

1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
( 1/2 teaspoon of both ground fennel seeds and ground rosemary may also be added. These 2 spices work well in Italian themed recipes)

Note #3- Cooking the breasts to 155-160℉, turning off the air fryer and then letting them sit in the air fryer is a very simple way to let them rest.

The final temperature after resting should reach 165℉. If using a digital read thermometer that is separate from the air fryer do not follow the instructions of cooking to an internal temperature of 170℉. This will result in chicken that is dried out, lacking the desired juiciness.

Note #4- Oven Instructions

Preheat oven to 350℉.
In a small bowl mix together the simple chicken rub.
Remove chicken breasts from packaging and dry with paper towels.
Drizzle and then rub half of the oil on the first side of the breasts. Sprinkle half of the chicken rub over the oil rubbed side.
Flip the breasts and repeat with the remaining oil and rub.
Insert an oven safe meat thermometer into the thickest side of one of the chicken breasts. Note: You can either use an Old Fashioned Meat thermometer or Digital Meat Thermometer. However, it is important to not use the preset temperature suggestions if using the digital thermometer. The suggested temperatures will cause dried out and over cooked meat.
Add the breasts to a roasting pan and bake uncovered until breasts reach an internal temperature of 155-160℉.
Remove pan from oven. Cover with a sheet of aluminum foil and let rest for 5 minutes.

Pro Tip: When cooking in the oven there is no need to flip the breasts halfway through cooking. Also, total cooking time in both the oven and air fryer will take approximately 25-30 minutes.

Note #5- When serving chicken breasts along with a side dish this recipe creates 4 servings. However, when adding to casseroles, pasta, salads, tacos, etc., the servings will be much higher.

Nutrition