Air Fryer
Juicy Air Fryer Chicken Breast
Air fryer chicken breast that stays juicy, in ten minutes. The two steps that stop it drying out: pounding to an even thickness, and a five-minute rest.
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts, about 200g each
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic granules
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Method
- Even them out. Put each breast between two sheets of baking paper and pound the thick end until the whole breast is an even thickness. Uneven breasts cook unevenly and the thin end dries out.
- Season. Rub with the olive oil, then the paprika, garlic granules, salt and pepper on both sides.
- Air fry. Cook at 190°C (375°F) for 8-10 minutes, turning once at the halfway point.
- Rest. Rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Cut it straight away and the juice runs onto the board instead of staying in the meat.
Notes
- Pounding to an even thickness is the single biggest thing you can do. A tapered breast always has a dry end.
- The 5-minute rest is not optional. It is the difference between juicy and merely cooked.
- Slice against the grain, which on a chicken breast runs lengthways.
- Air fryer models vary. Treat the times as a guide, go by colour and crispness, and adjust the seasoning to your taste.
Watch it
More Air Fryer Chicken
Air fryer models vary in power and basket size, so treat the times here as a guide — go by colour and crispness rather than the clock, and adjust the seasoning and glaze to your taste.
Recipe source: Method corroborated across published air-fryer recipes (Well Plated, Budget Bytes, Springer Mountain Farms and others): breasts pounded to an even thickness, cooked at 190°C (375°F) for roughly 8-10 minutes turning once, rested before slicing. Even thickness and the rest are the two steps every source names.