Easy Air Fryer Chicken Recipes

Air Fryer Chicken Breast Recipes

How long to cook chicken breast in air fryer

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts tend to be cooked after 10-12 minutes in the air fryer. Bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts are much thicker, so they need 25-30 minutes instead. If you pound your chicken breasts thin, bread them, or stuff them, they may need a little more or less time, so use a meat thermometer.

How to air fry chicken breast without drying it out

• Marinate them – If you have time, letting your chicken breasts sit in marinade for several hours can help keep them juicy even if you accidentally overcook them a little.
• Pound them thin – You can get a quicker, more even cook if you pound your chicken breasts into a uniform thickness. This helps avoid the thinner bits and tips from getting dry while the thicker parts are still cooking.
• Remove at 160 degrees F – Chicken is “safe” at 165 degrees F, but you can always expect large cuts of meat to continue cooking while it rests. Removing the chicken from the air fryer at 160 degrees helps ensure the chicken doesn’t get overcooked.
• Don’t forget your resting time – If you slice into chicken as soon as it comes out of the air fryer, all the moisture comes seeping out and onto your plate. Waiting 5-10 minutes allows the juice to settle, keeping the fibers plump and moist.

Air Fryer Chicken Tenders

How long to cook chicken tenders in air fryer

Cooking times for chicken tenders will all depend on the size and breading. Smaller chicken strips with less breading can be ready in 7-10 minutes while larger chicken strips with thicker breading may need 10-12 minutes.

Tips for the best chicken tenderloins in air fryer

• Remove the tendons – If you see the white tendon in your tenderloins, you’ll get a better texture by removing it before cooking! Hold a fork against the tenderloin with the tendon poking between the tines, grab with a paper towel, then pull slowly and forcefully until it comes out entirely.
• Get creative with your breading – Go light with parmesan and spices, get heavier with almond flour or breadcrumbs, or get crunchier with cornflake cereal!
• Add a spray of oil – Breading will crisp up better and brown nicely with a light spritz of oil on both sides of your chicken tenderloins.

Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets and Chicken Bites

How long to cook chicken nuggets in air fryer

Homemade chicken nuggets often require 9-10 minutes at 390 degrees F while frozen nuggets usually cook best at 400 degrees F for 10-12 minutes. Chicken bites without breading turn out juicier at 380 degrees F for about 10 minutes.

How to use air fryer chicken bites

• Toss onto a salad
• Pair with tortillas for tacos
• Make lettuce wraps
• Stir into creamy pasta
• Serve as an appetizer with toothpicks
• Add into a grain bowl

Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

How long to air fry chicken thighs

Air frying chicken thighs is always quick, but the cooking time depends on what kind of chicken thighs you are using! Boneless, skinless chicken thighs can be ready in as little as 10 minutes while bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs often benefit from about 15 minutes. These dark meat cuts have more fat to render, so don’t feel like you have to remove them right at 165 degrees F. You’ll often get a more tender, fall-apart texture if you push them to 175-195 degrees F!

Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs vs. Bone In Skin On Chicken Thighs

More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes

Best cooking temps for chicken

• The magic safe point for chicken is 165 degrees F. You want to use a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the meatiest part of your chicken. Avoid bone or cavities because you’re measuring the temperature of the meat itself.
• White meat (chicken breasts, tenderloins, wings) tends to dry out faster, especially over 165 degrees F. Lean chicken breasts can be pulled from the heat at 160 degrees so that the temperature increase during resting doesn’t dry out the meat.
• Dark meat (chicken thighs and drumsticks) have a higher fat content, which means they benefit from longer cooking times as it allows the fat to render. For dark meat with skin on, consider cooking to 175-195 degrees F for the best melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Easy Chicken Dinner Recipes

The key to a quick and healthy dinner is cutting your chicken nice and small, then air frying it with your favorite chopped veggies! Here are a few tips for making the best chicken dinners without a ton of effort:

Tips for easy chicken meals:

• Cut uniform pieces – Small pieces of chicken all roughly the same size and shape are perfect for the air fryer. They cook quickly, are easy to toss in your seasoning, and are super versatile to eat.
• Clean out the fridge – You can chop up random veggies you have left, like peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, cabbage, or broccoli. The heartier the vegetable, the smaller the pieces should be to ensure they will be cooked when the chicken is.
• Add a little oil or butter – The air fryer doesn’t require a lot of oil for cooking, but you don’t want to skip it entirely! Using oil to help your seasoning adhere or finishing with a flavorful butter sauce can help each bite come out super juicy.