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I finally found a Breaded Air Fryer Chicken that guarantees perfect results every time. It took many tries, but this air fryer breaded chicken breast is crispy and juicy—and, of course, healthier than fried chicken! It also takes less than 30 minutes to make, which is my kind of weeknight meal.
Table of Contents
- Recipe At a Glance
- Ingredients to Make Air Fryer Breaded Chicken
- Popular Substitutions & Additions
- How to Make Air Fryer Breaded Chicken
- Tips for Making the Best Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Breast
- What to Serve With Air Fryer Breaded Chicken Breast
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes:
- Air Fryer Breaded Chicken Recipe
The first thing I made with my new air fryer was air fryer potatoes! And the second thing I made was this breaded air fryer chicken. To me, these are essential air fryer recipes. And are two big reasons why my air fryer is my BFF.
The key is to use seasoned breadcrumbs and very thinly sliced chicken breast, so the chicken cooks in mere minutes. This way, the chicken is so juicy and delicious, served with potatoes or sliced and served on a crunchy chopped salad.
Recipe At a Glance
Cuisine Inspiration: American
Primary Cooking Method: Air fryer
Dietary Info: Dairy-free
Key Flavor: Chicken
Skill Level: Easy
Why This Is So Good
- Uses little oil: Unlike traditional fried chicken, this crispy air fryer chicken breast uses cooking spray to thinly and evenly coat it, which makes for all-over browning without having to use a ton of oil!
- Minimal ingredients: With just 8 ingredients (including salt, pepper, and cooking spray!), I love that this recipe relies on pantry staples.
- Cooks fast: Because of how small and efficient air fryers are, this air fryer breaded chicken cooks in about 10 minutes.
Ingredients to Make Air Fryer Breaded Chicken
- Chicken: Use boneless, skinless chicken breast and evenly slice it lengthwise into thin pieces!
- Breadcrumbs: I recommend fine breadcrumbs (not coarse panko) so it’s easier to coat the chicken.
- Oregano, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper: I keep the seasonings simple, but they still add so much flavor to this air-fried breaded chicken breast.
- Cooking spray: You can use any kind!
Popular Substitutions & Additions
- Switch up the spices. This air fryer breaded chicken would be delicious with ranch or BBQ seasoning mixed into the breadcrumbs.
- Add grated cheese. Try mixing in finely grated Parmesan or pecorino romano into the breading.
- Make it gluten-free. Just use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- Serve with a sauce. Yogurt sauce, ranch dip, or BBQ sauce would be delicious.
- Make it Parmesan. After the chicken’s cooked, add marinara and sliced mozzarella and pop it back in the air fryer while the sauce warms and the cheese melts.
How to Make Air Fryer Breaded Chicken
I skip the flour and eggs of traditional breaded chicken and instead start with thinly sliced chicken breasts, spray them with olive oil, and then dredge them in seasoned breadcrumbs. The oil helps the breadcrumbs stick to the chicken and makes it crispy!
Tips for Making the Best Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Breast
- Adjust your air fryer’s temperature as needed. You may find that following my exact temperature and time instructions may not be right for your specific air fryer (some run hotter and others colder!). Use my recipe as a starting point and tweak as needed.
- Don’t overcrowd the basket. If you overcrowd the basket and the chicken overlaps, you may end up creating a steaming effect instead of a crisping one. It’s better to just cook in batches.
- Flip the chicken halfway through. The air will circulate all around the chicken, but you’ll get more even crispiness if you flip the chicken halfway.
- Be thorough with the breadcrumbs. Make sure to cover the chicken completely, which will seal in the moisture and keep it juicy.
What to Serve With Air Fryer Breaded Chicken Breast
Frequently Asked Questions
Store any leftovers in an airtight container. They will last about 3-4 days in the fridge. To reheat, just place in the air fryer at 360°F for 2-3 minutes until heated through and crispy. You can also reheat the chicken in the microwave but it won’t be as crispy!
You can, though it will be harder to thinly slice them since chicken thighs are already fairly small!
I recommend using a meat thermometer! Once the thermometer reads 165°F, the chicken is done.
This air fryer breaded chicken is so easy and way healthier than traditional fried chicken! Plus, it takes barely 10 minutes to cook in the air fryer, which is less than the amount of time it’d take my oven to preheat.
More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes:
- Pickle Brined Chicken Tenders
- Chicken Wings in Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
- Simple Air Fryer Chicken Breasts
- Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
- Air Fryer Whole Chicken
If you’ve tried this healthy-ish feel good Breaded Air Fryer Chicken recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!
This recipe was originally published on March 8, 2019, and has recently been updated with new photos and step-by-step process shots to help make the recipe.
Air Fryer Breaded Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 (6-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breast sliced thinly
- ⅓ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 390°F.
- In a medium bowl, mix the breadcrumbs with oregano, paprika, and garlic powder until well combined. Season with salt and pepper.
- Spray the chicken with cooking spray, then dredge in the breadcrumbs mixture. Shake off excess breading. Repeat for the remaining chicken.
- Spray the air fryer pan with cooking spray. Then spray the outside of the breaded chicken with cooking spray. Place the chicken in the basket of the air fryer, without over crowding the pan. You may need to work in batches.
- Cook for 10-12 minutes or until the chicken is golden brown. Cook time will depend on the size and thickness of the chicken breasts.
- Remove and enjoy immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Hi Yumna, I have an oven-style air fryer that only has temperature settings of 300, 350, 400. Where would you suggest I start for this recipe calling for 390 degrees? Thank you.
I would do 400ºF and cook it for 10-11 minutes! That should work great.
Thank you!!
Hi! I just made this with my ninja air fryer on its virgin voyage together with your recipe for roast potato and they w
Both were super delicious! Thanks for the great recipes! Greetings Sweden
Thank you so much!! So glad you enjoyed both recipes!
Hello, I have a ninja airfryer and wanting to make this, what temp did you cook it on and how long for? 🥰
I had a box of turkey stuffing mix leftover from Christmas. I put it in the blender and made bread crumbs. The chicken turned out fantastic.
Love this! Such a creative idea, thanks for sharing!
I was good with your article until you wrote, “Sunflower, vegetable and canola are all solid choices.”
Seed oils are cancer-causing and linked to poor gene expression.
Thank you for pointing that out! This recipe was written a few years ago, so we’ve updated it to reflect what oil we suggest based on what we know now.
Hello! I have some frozen cutlets already prepared, so I will try this out tomorrow! Mine might be about 1/2in thick, so it should be fine as long as I adjust the cooking time? I might try it out dipping the chicken in eggs too thank you!
Can’t wait for you to try it! Yes, it should be fine – you can also use a thermometer to make sure it’s fully cooked throughout.
Loved it!!! Used the breasts for chicken Parm. Everyone loves it! Thanks so much for posting.
Yay!! That’s so great to hear! You’re welcome!
We had it for dinner today and I got two thumbs up from my husband.
Best breaded chicken ever
Thank you so much!
This looks so good! I will definitely add this to my repertoire of air fryer recipes. I think your suggestion to spray the outside with oil before cooking makes perfect sense. That will guarantee that your chicken gets crisp and develops good color.
Yay! Let me know what you think when you give this a try!