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    Pinch Me Good! » Healthy Dinner Ideas » Air Fryer Breaded Chicken Breast – 15 minutes

    Air Fryer Breaded Chicken Breast – 15 minutes

    February 17, 2021 by Amy 12 Comments

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    This Crispy Air Fryer Breaded Chicken Breast is such an easy meal you can have ready in 15 minutes. Tender, protein-rich chicken breast coated in an incredibly flavorful parmesan breadcrumb mixture, then air-fried to crispy, juicy perfection. A healthy chicken recipe you must try!

    Air fryer breaded chicken breast sliced into strips on a bed of arugula and shaved Parmesan on a plate with another plate of chicken behind it.

    Having an air fryer has totally changed my life! It’s true! Air-fryers are amazing and they allow you to cook incredibly delicious food using much less oil. Like this super crispy air fryer breaded chicken breast that only takes 15 minutes to make!

    This air fryer chicken breast gets so crispy on the outside and crazy tender and juicy on the inside, it’s amazing.

    We make it at least once a week, maybe more since it is great for meal prep. It goes well with so many other recipes like on top of this Mediterranean Couscous Salad with this Easy Oven Roasted Broccoli, roasted potatoes and asparagus or air fryer mushrooms.

    Why you should buy an air fryer

    Investing in an air fryer is so worth the money. You can cook healthy crispy proteins and veggies in no time at all using little to no oil.

    It is also such a time-saver and most air-fryers are very easy to clean plus relatively inexpensive (around $40-$100).

    It will help you cook food faster, use less calorie filled oils, and is a great way to easily cook veggies and protein in less time with less effort. Plus it results in insanely delicious and healthy food you can enjoy and still stay on track.

    This is literally the perfect go-to recipe for when you are craving crispy fried chicken but you don’t want to consume all of the fat and calories. Trust me it is amazing!

    If you don’t have an air fryer yet then you definitely will want to check out these Oven Baked Chicken Cutlets that are also so good!

    Why you’ll love this recipe

    • A healthy easy chicken breast recipe your whole family will love!
    • It only requires a few simple ingredients
    • Ready in 15 minutes, thanks to the air fryer
    • Simple, healthy recipe that anyone with an air fryer can make!
    • Perfect for meal prep.
    • Super crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside.
    • Loaded with great flavor!

    Ingredients needed to make air fryer breaded chicken breast

    • Chicken breast – try to find nice, plump chicken breast that are organic and pasture-raised, if possible. I used 2 (5 oz) chicken breasts that I sliced in half to make cutlets. You can also buy chicken cutlets and use those in this recipe.
    • Eggs – 2 large eggs
    • Breadcrumbs – you can use any breadcrumbs mixture you like. I like to use gluten free parmesan breadcrumbs for the best results.
    • Olive oil cooking spray – to help make the chicken super crispy and delicious.
    Air Fryer breaded chicken breast ingredients with labels for each ingredients on a dark blue board.

    Other optional ingredients to add more flavor

    • Parmesan cheese
    • Parsley
    • Salt and pepper
    • Red pepper flakes
    • Hot sauce
    • Lemon

    How to make breaded chicken breast in the air fryer

    1. Prep the chicken. Dry the chicken by patting it dry with a clean paper towel then slice it in half lengthwise with a sharp kitchen knife.
    2. Make the coating mixture. Crack the eggs into a medium shallow bowl, sprinkle with salt and pepper and lightly whisk. Pour the breadcrumbs into a separate shallow bowl and add more flavor by mixing in 1/4 cup of shredded parmesan cheese and some dried parsley. You can also buy parmesan and herb breadcrumbs that are already seasoned.
    3. Coat the chicken breast. Dredge each piece of chicken in the egg mixture then in the breadcrumbs mixture, pressing the breadcrumbs into the chicken to get it all nice and coated. Place the breaded chicken breasts onto a clean plate.
    4. Preheat the air-fryer and cook. Preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees F. Once it is ready, spray the basket with olive oil spray. Generously spray each piece of chicken as well. Place two pieces of chicken at a time (or however many you can fit in your air fryer in a single layer.) into the airmfryer basket, close and cook for 11 minutes, turning the chicken over halfway through the cooking time. Continue until all of the chicken is cooked. Air-fryers may vary. See notes section for what brand I used for this recipe.
    5. Slice and serve. Let the chicken rest for a few minutes after cooking then sprinkle it with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon for more flavor. Slice it on a bias and serve with your favorite quick salad or healthy side dish.
    Bowl filled with breadcrumbs with a piece of chicken breast in it with another bowl filled with whisked eggs with a piece of raw chicken in it behind it.
    Combine coating and dredge chicken
    Pile of raw chicken breast with breading on it on a grey plate.
    Place onto plate
    Uncooked breaded chicken cutlets in a round air fryer basket.
    Place into air-fryer basket and spray
    Golden breaded chicken breast in an air fryer basket.
    Cook for 11 minutes, flip halfway
    2 chicken cutlets cooked in a round air fryer basket.
    Remove and let cool
    Top plates filled with greens topped with crispy chicken with two forks next to the plates.
    Season, slice and serve

    So crazy good with almost no oil! Can you believe it? This air-fryer chicken breast is literally the perfect meal prep recipe and it tastes even better the next day!

    How Long Should you cook chicken in the air fryer?

    For breaded chicken cutlets, they should be cooked through and crispy but still juicy after 11-15 minutes if cooked at 390 degrees F. Cooking times will vary based on the size of the chicken breast that you use as well as the type of air fryer.

    I used 5 ounce pieces of boneless skinless chicken breast that I sliced in half before I breaded them. It took exactly 11 minutes to cook them, turning them over halfway through the cooking time and cooking them another 5 minutes.

    To ensure the chicken breast is cooked through, you can insert a kitchen thermometer into the widest part of the chicken. Once it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F then it is done.

    Do I need to use oil to air fry chicken?

    This is up to you, but in my opinion if you are making this crispy air fryer breaded chicken breast than oil is not necessary. Olive oil spray that contains little to no additional calories works out just as well and results in crazy crispy and delicious chicken that tastes fried.

    Now, if you are making non-breaded boneless chicken breast in the air-fryer then you will want to use a little bit of olive oil so that the chicken doesn’t dry out and still gets a nice crispy outer layer.

    You would just want to mix up your spices of choice with some oil, coat the chicken in the seasoning then cook it the same way I did in this recipe.

    Sliced golden air fryer breaded chicken breast on top of greens with shredded cheese on it with another plate behind it.

    What to serve with air fryer breaded chicken breast

    This chicken recipe goes so well with a number of other dishes that will make it a complete meal. Here are a few of my faves.

    • Easy Maple Glazed Butternut Squash
    • Ranch Roasted Carrots
    • Roasted Cauliflower Rice with Chickpeas
    • Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash
    • Crispy Chickpea Kale Caesar Salad
    • Kale and Brussel Sprout Salad
    • Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower

    How to store and reheat breaded chicken breast?

    To store this air fryer chicken breast – let it cool completely, transfer it to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

    To reheat: You can easily reheat this breaded chicken in the air fryer or at 350 degrees in the for 2-3 minutes.

    Recipe Tips

    • Select nice thick, plump chicken breast. You want to use a good thick chicken breast for this recipe since you will be slicing it in half, which will still result in crazy juicy amazing chicken.
    • Any breadcrumbs will work in this recipe. You can use store-bought panko seasoned breadcrumbs, gluten free breadcrumbs, parmesan herb breadcrumbs, or even whole wheat breadcrumbs in this recipe.
    • Dry the chicken breast well with a clean paper towel before you dredge it. This will help you get super crispy chicken once it is breaded and cooked.
    • Cook the chicken at high-heat. Cooking this chicken at high heat will allow it to cook through and get super crispy on the outside while still keeping it super juicy on the inside. Flipping it halfway through the cooking time will also help it become evenly cooked on all sides. Note. Air fryers vary.
    • To make your own breadcrumb mixture. Mix 2 cups plain breadcrumbs, with a 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons dried parsley and a pinch of salt and pepper.
    Plate filled with arugula salad topped with breaded chicken sliced with cutlery behind it.

    More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes

    • Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
    • 10 Minute Air Fryer Ground Chicken Meatballs
    • Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
    • Amazing Air Fryer Whole Chicken

    Other quick and easy dinner ideas

    • Easy Veggie Chicken Pizza Bake
    • Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
    • Simple Chickpea Chicken Salad
    • 10 Minute Curry Chicken Salad
    • Healthy Eggplant Parmesan – Air-Fryer Recipe
    • Healthy Green Chicken Enchiladas

    Did you make this air fryer breaded chicken breast recipe? If you did, then please leave a rating and comment below. I would love to hear how yours turned out!

    Print
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    15 Minute Crispy Air Fryer Breaded Chicken Breast


    ★★★★★

    5 from 1 reviews

    • Author: Amy
    • Total Time: 16 minutes
    • Yield: 4 1x
    • Diet: Low Calorie
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    This Crispy Air-Fryer Chicken Breast is such an easy meal you can have ready in 15 minutes. Tender, protein-rich chicken breast coated in an incredibly flavorful parmesan breadcrumb mixture, then air-fried to crispy, juicy perfection with no oil at all. A healthy chicken recipe you must try!


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 2  skinless boneless chicken breasts (about 4–5 ounces each)
    • 2 cups seasoned parmesan breadcrumbs – or make your own, see notes below 
    • 2 large eggs
    • Salt and pepper

    Optional additional seasoning

    • Shredded parmesan cheese – for topping
    • Lemon
    • Parsely
    • Red pepper flakes
    • Hot sauce

    Instructions

    1. Prep the chicken. Dry the chicken by patting it dry with a clean paper towel then slice it in half lengthwise. This is easy to do with a sharp kitchen knife.
    2. Make the coating mixture. Crack the eggs into a medium shallow bowl, sprinkle with salt and pepper and lightly whisk until the yolks are broken down and the mixture is nice and bright yellow. Pour the breadcrumbs into a separate shallow bowl and add more flavor by mixing in 1/4 cup of shredded parmesan cheese and some dried parsley, which is optional but will add more flavor to the chicken. You can also buy parmesan and herb breadcrumbs that are already seasoned.
    3. Coat the chicken breast. Dredge each piece of chicken in the egg mixture then in the breadcrumbs mixture, pressing the breadcrumbs into the chicken to get it all nice and coated. Place the breaded chicken breasts onto a clean plate.
    4. Preheat the air-fryer and cook. Preheat the air-fryer to 390 degrees F. Once it is ready, spray the basket with olive oil spray. Generously spray each piece of chicken as well. Place two pieces of chicken at a time (or however many you can fit in your air fryer in a single layer.) into the air-fryer basket, close and cook for 11 minutes, turning the chicken over halfway through the cooking time. Continue until all of the chicken is cooked. Air-fryers may vary. See notes section for what brand I used for this recipe
    5. Slice and serve. Let the chicken rest for a few minutes after cooking then sprinkle it with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon for more flavor. Slice it on a bias and serve with your favorite salad or healthy side dish.

    Equipment

    knife

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    Notes

    • Select nice thick, plump chicken breast. You want to use a good thick chicken breast for this recipe since you will be slicing it in half, which will still result in crazy juicy amazing chicken.
    • Use large eggs that are pasture-raised. For the healthiest version of this recipe, you want to select organic, pasture-raised eggs that are large in size.
    • Any breadcrumbs will work in this recipe. You can use store-bought panko seasoned breadcrumbs, gluten free breadcrumbs, parmesan herb breadcrumbs, or even whole wheat breadcrumbs in this recipe.
    • Dry the chicken breast well with a clean paper towel before you dredge it. This will help you get uber crispy chicken once it is breaded and cooked.
    • Use a good quality, non-aerosol olive oil spray.  Such as Pompeian Olive Oil Cooking Spray, which is okay to use in most air fryers. 
    • Cook the chicken at high-heat. Cooking this chicken at high heat will allow it to cook through and get super crispy on the outside while still keeping it super juicy on the inside. Flipping it halfway through the cooking time will also help it become evenly cooked on all sides. Note. Air fryers vary. 
    • To make your own breadcrumb mixture. Mix 2 cups plain breadcrumbs, with a 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons dried parsley and a pinch of salt and pepper.
    • To store this air-fryer chicken breast. To easily store this chicken, let it cool completely, transfer it to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Easily reheat in the microwave or at 350 degrees in the air fryer for 2-3 minutes.
    • Prep Time: 5
    • Cook Time: 11
    • Category: Healthy Dinner Ideas
    • Method: Air-Fried
    • Cuisine: American

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @pinchmegoodfood on Instagram and hashtag it #pinchmegoodfood

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    Filed Under: 30 Minute Meals, Air Fryer Recipes, Favorite Winter Recipes, Gluten-Free, Healthy Dinner Ideas, Healthy Spring Recipes, Kid-Friendly, Meal Planning and Prep, Most Popular

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Shanita

      April 23, 2021 at 5:32 pm

      Delicious! I didn’t need the full 15 minutes. They came out so flavorful and juicy.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    2. Sharon

      July 6, 2021 at 6:16 pm

      Could you add any veggies at the same time ans temp?

      Reply
      • Amy

        July 8, 2021 at 7:45 am

        Hi Sharon, I would cook the veggies separately at around 390 degrees F for 12-15 minutes. I am working on an air fryer roasted veggies and chicken post, so stay tuned.

        Reply
    3. Lisa

      October 1, 2021 at 9:31 am

      Where do you use the hot sauce and red pepper flakes in this recipe? Am I missing it?

      Reply
      • Amy

        October 1, 2021 at 2:17 pm

        Hi Lisa, those are just optional ingredients that you can add for even more flavor on top of the chicken after you cook it.

        Reply
    4. Jerrie grebeck

      February 28, 2022 at 5:15 pm

      What did you use on the arugula

      Reply
      • Amy

        February 28, 2022 at 5:40 pm

        Hi Jerrie, just a squeeze of lemon juice and a pinch of salt.

        Reply
    5. Jim Archer

      March 22, 2022 at 9:42 pm

      Made this tonight and chicken was so tender and juicy. Highly recommend this recipe. It was delicious

      Reply
      • Amy

        March 25, 2022 at 9:58 am

        Hi Jim! I am so glad you liked it!

        Reply
    6. Joan D

      July 3, 2022 at 9:59 pm

      Why use a thick chicken breast if you’re just going to slice it in half? Couldn’t two smaller and thinner chicken breasts work just as well?

      Reply
      • Amy

        July 10, 2022 at 7:38 am

        Hi Joan, Yes two smaller, thinner chicken breasts will work. Enjoy!

        Reply

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