How to air fry a frozen chicken breast

Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Breasts are tender, juicy, golden brown, and seasoned to perfection. This easy chicken breast air fryer dinner will please the whole family and is ready in 20 minutes!

Picture it: you get home late from work only to find you forgot to defrost the chicken breasts for dinner. Ugh! But in comes the air fryer to save the day!

You may be wondering, can you cook frozen chicken breast in the air fryer, and the answer is YES! You can cook the frozen chicken directly in the air fryer in less time than it would take to defrost it.

Serve with rice and veggies, salad, pasta, tacos, or make into sandwiches. The possibilities are endless for this versatile chicken breast air fryer recipe.

If you are looking for even more Easy Air Fryer Chicken Recipes, check out these favorites FROZEN CHICKEN PATTIES IN THE AIR FRYER, AIR FRYER CHICKEN BREAST (LEMON GARLIC), AIR FRYER HEALTHY BUFFALO CHICKEN, and AIR FRYER ITALIAN DRESSING CHICKEN.

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Why You’ll Love Chicken In The Air Fryer

• It’s always juicy and tender!
• No thawing required
• Simple & quick
• Family friendly
• Ready in 20 minutes

Ingredients Needed For Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Breasts

This super simple air fryer recipe only requires a few ingredients.

• Frozen, boneless, skinless chicken breast – Frozen chicken breasts are widely available in most grocery stores, like Wal-Mart, Costco, Target, and Trader Joe’s. You can also use frozen boneless chicken thighs or chicken tenderloins. Find them in the frozen foods section.
• Cooking oil – You can use olive oil, avocado oil, or vegetable oil.
• Seasonings of your choice – Some options are salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and thyme. You can also use seasoning mixes like lemon pepper, BBQ seasoning, all-purpose seasoning, Italian seasoning, poultry seasoning, or dry rubs. Experiment with your favorite flavor combinations! Alternatively, you can also use sauces on your air fryer chicken, like BBQ sauce or bourbon chicken sauce. 

Equipment Needed:

Cooking chicken breasts in the air fryer is a great way to get dinner on the table fast, especially since you don’t have to worry about defrosting! For this recipe, you will need an air fryer.

The air fryer works by circulating hot air around the frozen chicken breasts to cook them faster than cooking in the conventional oven or stovetop.

Depending on the type of air fryer you have, it may have a basket or a tray.

Here are a few popular air fryer brands:

• Instant Vortex 4-in-1 Air Fryer
• Ninja Foodi
• Instant Pot Vortex Plus
• Secura Air Fryer

You can also make other frozen chicken products in the air fryer: FROZEN CHICKEN PATTIES, FROZEN CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS, FROZEN CHICKEN TENDERS, CHICKEN NUGGETS (CHICK-FIL-A COPYCAT), TYSON CRISPY CHICKEN STRIPS, and FROZEN CHICKEN WINGS all in the air fryer!

How to make air fryer frozen chicken breasts

Step 1: Preheat & prepare chicken

First, preheat the air fryer to 370 degrees F (or 188 degrees Celsius) on the air fryer setting for about 5 minutes.

Lightly coat the frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts with olive oil or cooking spray—season with salt, pepper, and any other combination of your favorite seasoning.

Step 2: Cook chicken

Place the seasoned frozen chicken breasts in the air fryer tray or basket. Cook for 7 minutes, flip the chicken over and cook for another 7 minutes. When the internal temperature reaches 165ºF (75 degrees Celsius), the chicken is done.

You can quickly check this with an instant-read thermometer at the thickest part of the chicken breast. If the chicken needs a little more time, cook for another few minutes and check the internal temperature again.

COOKING TIME NOTE: Total cook time will depend on the thickness of the chicken breast. The average cook time for a frozen chicken breast in the air fryer is about 15 minutes for a 1-inch thick piece of chicken. Thinner chicken breasts will need less time, and thicker breasts will need more. Adjust your cooking times accordingly.

I have made this recipe with several different air fryer brands (Ninja Foodi, Instant Pot Vortex, GoWise, Secura, and even the Instant Pot Crisp Lid), and the chicken breast in the air fryer cook times are all within 1-2 minutes of each other.

Pro Tips For This Frozen Chicken Breast Air Fryer Recipe

• Use chicken breasts of equal sizes, so they cook at similar times.
• Flatter chicken breasts will cook more evenly.
• Place frozen chicken breast in the air fryer in a single layer. It’s always best to add food any food in a single layer to the air fryer basket for the most even cooking.
• For best results, use a meat thermometer so you know exactly when they are done.
• No need to defrost! You can cook these air fryer frozen chicken breasts straight out of the freezer.

How to season chicken in air fryer

There are so many ways to season this frozen chicken breast in air fryer recipe. Try a few different ways to find your family’s favorite. You can use seasonings or sauces.

Some of my favorite chicken seasonings are:

• Salt, Black Pepper, Paprika
• Lemon Pepper Seasoning
• Kick’n Chicken Seasoning
• Lawry’s All-Purpose Chicken Seasonings
• Any Dry Rub

Some of my favorite chicken sauces are:

• BBQ Sauce
• Sweet Baby Rays Chicken Dipping Sauce
• Capital City Mambo Sauce
• Bourbon Chicken Sauce

To season this frozen chicken breast air fryer dinner with a sauce, I recommend letting the chicken breasts thaw slightly, then spread a thin layer of sauce on the chicken before adding it to the air fryer.

You can also use a sauce and make shredded chicken! Cook chicken as directed, then shred with two forks. Coat with more sauce and mix well.

Chicken Breast Air Fryer Serving Recommendations

One of the best things about chicken breasts is how versatile they are. You can serve up a healthy chicken dinner or make it a little more decadent. You can also use chicken breasts for specific diets, like Keto, weight watchers, or low carb.

Here are some of my favorite ways to serve frozen chicken breasts.

• sliced on a garden salad
• on top of pasta
• inside of tacos or enchiladas
• with rice and a vegetable side
• add it to a bun to make a chicken sandwich

FAQs

How long to cook frozen chicken breasts in an air fryer?

The amount of time it takes to cook frozen chicken breast in the air fryer will depend on two things: the thickness of the breast and the type of air fryer. The average time of cooking a frozen chicken in an air fryer is about 15 minutes for a regular 1-inch frozen chicken breast. For thicker breasts, add about 4 to 7 minutes. Always cook until an instant-read thermometer indicates 165°F. Different brands of air fryers will vary in cook times by 1-2 minutes.

Is it safe to cook frozen chicken breasts in the air fryer?

Yes, it is perfectly safe to cook frozen chicken breasts in the air fryer, as long as you cook until the thickest part of the chicken breast reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit internal temperature.

How to store leftovers

You can store any leftover chicken in an airtight container for 2-3 days in the refrigerator.

Some Other Great Air Fryer Chicken Recipes

• FROZEN CHICKEN PATTIES IN THE AIR FRYER
• AIR FRYER PICKLE-BRINED CHICKEN TENDERS
• AIR FRYER FROZEN ORANGE CHICKEN
• EASY AIR FRYER SESAME CHICKEN
• EASY AIR FRYER CHICKEN WINGS
• AIR FRYER HONEY BBQ CHICKEN TENDERS

Air fryer frozen chicken breasts are tender, juicy, golden brown, and seasoned to perfection. Easy chicken dinner ready in 20 minutes!

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Main Entree

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Air Fryer Easy Meals, Air Fryer Frozen Chicken, Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Breasts, Air Fryer Main Entree, Air Fryer Quick Meals

Servings: 2 Servings

Calories: 132 kcal

• 2 6 ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast (frozen)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 tesapoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon seasonings, any kind

1. Preheat the air fryer to 370 degrees F on air fryer setting for about 5 minutes.

2. Add the chicken to the basket or tray, lightly coat the chicken with oil or cooking spray, and season with salt and pepper.

3. Set the timer to 7 minutes. After the time is up, flip the chicken again, and set the timer for another 7 minutes

4. Check the internal temperature before you remove it. It should reach at least 165 degrees F.

5. Plate, serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Frozen Chicken Breast In The Air Fryer

Amount Per Serving (1 g)

Calories 132 Calories from Fat 126

% Daily Value*

Fat 14g22%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 10g

Cholesterol 1mg0%

Sodium 1165mg51%

Potassium 38mg1%

Carbohydrates 2g1%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 44IU1%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 41mg4%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Can you cook chicken breast from frozen in air fryer?

Can you fry frozen chicken in air fryer?