Air Fryer Grilled Chicken
These Air Fryer Grilled Chicken Breasts are tender and juicy with a sweet and smokey flavor that will have your mouth watering. Learn more about how to get golden brown grilled chicken in the air fryer.
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Grilled Air Fryer Chicken
This is a recipe that will catch your eyes and your nose with its perfectly cooked and seasoned chicken. One bite will be having you come back for seconds.
This recipe is so quick and easy that you won’t have to worry about spending a long time cooking and dirtying dishes. You can whip them up fast and have them ready in no time. A healthy meal your whole family will love!
I love cooking chicken in the Air fryer and and we have a few favorites like crispy chicken nuggets, air fryer chicken thighs and teriyaki chicken.
For more air fryer chicken recipes, check my Air Fryer Recipe Collection.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
- Perfect grilled chicken without firing up the grill
- A short list of ingredients and simple steps to follow
- Less cooking utensils means less of a mess
- Ready in just minutes
- Great for meal prep
Ingredients
Chicken: I like to use boneless skinless chicken breast. Use a sharp knife to cut off any additional skin or fatty areas.
Oil: You only need a tablespoon of canola, vegetable, avocado oil or your choice of oil. An olive oil spray or a nonstick cooking spray will be great options too.
Brown Sugar: This will not only add a sweetness to the chicken breast to balance out the salty and smokey flavor. But, also adds a bit of caramelization for that rich flavor.
Seasoning: I use a mix of salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika to achieve this amazing flavor.
How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Breasts
*Scroll below for the printable recipe card and ingredient measurements.
Remove excess moisture using a paper towel and put the chicken into a resealable bag. Begin tenderizing the meat with a rolling pin so that the chicken breast has even thickness. Alternatively, you can use a meat mallet too.
Combine the seasonings into a small bowl.
Coat the chicken in oil and the prepared seasoning and spice mixture. If you don’t want to use your hands to coat the chicken in oil and seasonings, you can place all the ingredients into a Ziplock bag and combine them that way instead.
Preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees F. Place the chicken in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
Air fry chicken for 8-10 minutes on each side until the internal temperature reaches 165˚F on a meat thermometer. Take it out and let it cool before slicing and serving.
*Air fryers come in different sizes and models, and you may need to adjust the cook time accordingly.
Recipe Tips
- Preheat air fryer. I find chicken or meat cooks better in a preheated air fryer just like in an oven.
- Line the air fryer basket with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- Make sure you don’t overcrowd the basket and have enough space for the hot air to pass through.
- Brush or spray with oil after cooking to prevent the grilled chicken breasts from drying.
- Let the grilled chicken cool completely before slicing.
How To Serve Grilled Chicken
There are so many different ways to enjoy this grilled chicken. I will normally serve it over a bed of white rice, lemon dill rice or cauliflower rice or salad or enjoy it with different sides like; asparagus, green beans, potatoes, carrots, and more.
You can also cut the chicken up and serve it in tacos, sandwiches, bowls, salads, and more.
Substitutions and Variations
Feel free to try this recipe with additional seasonings that you like. Add chili powder or cayenne pepper for more heat. You can also drizzle some lemon juice or bbq sauce when serving for a delicious flavor.
I prefer chicken breast so I can use leftovers and it will be easier to chop or shred. But, you can use chicken tenderloins or chicken thighs.
Storing and Reheating
Storage – Place the leftover chicken in an airtight container for the best storage method. This can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Freeze -Place the cooked chicken in freezer bags and keep them in the freezer. They an be frozen for up to 3 months.
Reheat – You can reheat the chicken in the air fryer. You can also reheat it in the microwave or in the oven.
How To Cook Frozen Grilled Chicken In Air Fryer?
You will need to make sure the frozen grilled chicken is fully thawed before trying to cook it. You can leave it at room temperature to thaw or keep it in the refrigerator overnight to thaw. Once it is ready, you can follow the cooking instructions.
FAQs
For fully cooked and juicy chicken breasts, you will cook for 8-10 minutes on each side at 390˚F.
If you want to get those lovely grill marks on your chicken, you can use a grill plate attachment to place into the air fryer before cooking it.
It is absolutely safe for you to place raw chicken in the air fryer. However, if you are someone who would rather not do this, you can use a silicone liner. Cook chicken until the internal temperature reaches 165˚F in an instant read thermometer.
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Recipe
Air Fryer Grilled Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts about 8 oz each
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Pat the chicken breast dry with a paper towel. Place the chicken breasts in a plastic bag and pound with a rolling pin or a meat mallet to even thickness.
- In a small bowl, mix together the smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper and brown sugar.
- Rub oil on the chicken breasts and sprinkle with the spice mix on all sides so it's evenly coated. Alternatively, you can add the oil and spice mix to the chicken breast in a zip lock bag and mix to coat them.
- Preheat air fryer to 390˚F. Place the chicken breasts in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
- Air fry chicken breasts for 8 minutes. Flip the chicken breast over and air fry for another 8 to 10 minutes until the internal temperature is 165˚F.
- Remove from the air fryer and let it cool for a few minutes before slicing.
Notes
- Store leftover chicken breasts in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
- Reheat the chicken breasts in the air fryer at 375˚F for a few minutes until warm or microwave them.
