This thin sliced chicken breast air fryer recipe is going to be your new favorite time saver. This foolproof recipe is the best way to make flavorful chicken breasts in the air fryer and comes out perfectly juicy and tender every single time.
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Why you’ll love this one
This recipe combines two of my favorite time-saving cooking hacks: my air fryer and thinly sliced chicken breast.
If you’ve never purchased it before, thin chicken breast is exactly what it sounds like. It’s chicken that you can buy pre-sliced at your local grocery store.
Cooking chicken breasts can be super time consuming and tricky to make sure they’re cooked completely through. Thin sliced chicken is great because it cooks way faster than a full chicken breast.
Then, when you add in the air fryer, you have chicken that cooks unbelievably fast (and easy). Plus, it’s flavorful and perfectly juicy every single time.
When you need a quick protein or you’re just not in the mood for a lot of cooking, this air fryer chicken breast is one of the easiest ways and only takes about 10 minutes.
Let’s get into how to make this air fryer chicken breast recipe! (I promise, it’s so easy)
Ingredients you’ll need
- Thinly-sliced chicken breast: You can grab boneless, skinless chicken breasts thinly sliced at most grocery stores or ask for your chicken breast thinly sliced at your local butcher.
- Olive oil: You can use any cooking oil that you like here, I personally like using olive oil or avocado oil.
- Spices: You’ll need a few spices that you probably already have on hand. Salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika.
And of course, you need an air fryer! I use the Instant Pot Vortex Air Fryer and I absolutely love it. If you haven’t taken the plunge yet, it is honestly SO worth it. It’s the best thing I’ve purchased for my kitchen. It’s not just any gadget- it’s one that you’ll use almost every single day!
How to make thinly sliced chicken in the air fryer
- Preheat your air fryer to 400 and prep your chicken by patting each breast dry with paper towels.
- Coat both sides of each breast with a thin layer of olive oil (you can also use an olive oil spray).
- Next, season both sides with all seasonings evenly.
- Arrange your chicken breasts in the air fryer basket in a single layer (if you have several, you may need to work in batches depending on the size of your air fryer and the size of your chicken breasts).
- Air fry the chicken breast at 400 degrees for 7-10 minutes. Cook time will depend on the thickness of your chicken breast, so start checking on them around 6 minutes. When they’re done, they’ll be golden brown and should be cooked to an internal temperature 165 degrees f (check with a meat thermometer like this one).
Recipe FAQ
How long does it take to air fry thin sliced chicken breast?
It takes about 7-10 minutes to air fry thin sliced chicken breast at 400 degrees, depending on the thickness. If you have a particularly large chicken breast piece, it may take closer to the 10 minutes. Start checking around 6 minutes for doneness so they don’t dry out.
Can I air fry regular chicken breast that’s not sliced thin?
You can, but it takes about double the time. You can cook for about 7-10 minutes on each side until it reaches 165 degrees, depending on the thickness. I prefer thin sliced because I find the shorter cooking time to yield a more consistently juicy piece of chicken.
Can I marinate or season the chicken differently instead?
Definitely! Marinate your chicken as you normally would and then cook as directed in the recipe. You can also use your favorite seasonings or sauces that you enjoy on chicken. Try adding italian seasoning, using barbecue sauce, buffalo sauce, or any others that you like. You can also coat the breasts in an egg wash, then coat with panko breadcrumbs or regular breadcrumbs for breaded chicken cutlets with a crispy coating.
How do you store the chicken?
This recipe is great for meal prep because you can throw it in the air fryer while you work on other food prep. Simply store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Recipes to serve with air-fried chicken breast:
Arugula Pear Salad with Toasted Pecans & Feta Cheese
Crispy Smashed Broccoli Parmesan with Lemon and Garlic
Easy Cucumber Chickpea Salad with Tomatoes & Feta
The BEST Italian Grinder Salad (Quick and Easy!)
Kale Pomegranate Salad with Butternut Squash & Apple
Cucumber Mango Salad (Easy & Healthy!)
Perfectly Cooked Thin Sliced Chicken Breast (Air Fryer Recipe)
Equipment
- Air fryer
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breast thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 400 and prep your chicken by patting each breast dry with a paper towel.
- Then, coat both sides of each breast with olive oil.
- Next, season both sides with all seasonings evenly.
- Arrange your chicken breasts in the air fryer in one layer (if you have several, you may need to work in batches depending on your air fryer size).
- Air fry the chicken breast at 400 degrees for 7-10 minutes. Cook time will depend on the thickness of your chicken breast, so start checking on them around 6 minutes. When they're done, they should be cooked to 165 degrees (check with a meat thermometer like this one)
- Serve on top of a salad, in a sandwich, or with potatoes or rice and a veggie!
