How To Make Air Fryer Chicken Cutlets
To make air fried chicken cutlets, start by pounding the chicken out. Heres a great step by step instructions for pounding chicken, but be aware that youll want to get the chicken even thinner. About ¼-inch is perfect for chicken cutlets.
Once your chicken cutlets are pounded to an even thinness, dust the chicken with flour. This will help dry the surface of the chicken so the breading sticks to it and doesnt go sliding off. Next dip the chicken in beaten eggs. Then, press the cutlets into a shallow dish filled with panko bread crumbs. Panko breadcrumbs, sometimes called Japanese breadcrumbs, are coarser and harder than traditional bread crumbs so theyre the best for crispy chicken cutlets. I like to keep mine pretty simple, seasoning them with just a little fresh garlic, salt, and pepper.
Spray the chicken cutlets with cooking spray or brush them with a little oil. This will help the outside of the breading get that delicious fried flavor and texture.
Finally, cook the chicken at 400°F for about 8 minutes, or until its cooked through.
Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may only be able to cook one or two pieces of chicken at a time. If you need to work in batches, arrange the cooked chicken in a single layer on a cooling rack set on top of a baking sheet keep warm in a 250°F oven.
- 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- Lemon wedges, for serving
What Is A Chicken Cutlet
A chicken cutlet is basically a thin piece of a chicken breast, which usually come pre-sliced thin at your local grocery store. Chicken cutlets can be easily prepared at home from a whole boneless, skinless chicken breast. Slice each whole chicken breast horizontally from the thick end to the thin end into two equal pieces. Then you simply pound them with a mallet to an even 1/4-inch thickness. Chicken breast cutlets cook quick and evenly, thats why they are perfect for air frying!
Quick Chicken Hack: If slicing your own cutlets, its helpful to freeze the chicken breasts for 20-30 minutes before cutting. I find it easier to slice through a slightly frozen piece of chicken or meat.
Fresh Chicken Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
Start with 2 fresh boneless, skinless chicken breasts of about 6-8 oz each. If they are much larger, cut them in half horizontally. If the chicken if very thick, youll get the best results by pounding them to a more uniform thickness. Use a meat mallet or even a rolling pin with the chicken between pieces of plastic wrap. We want the chicken breasts to be about ½-¾ thick.
Also Check: Big Jj Fish And Chicken
Air Fryer Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
Expertly seasoned and cooked to juicy perfection, these air fryer boneless skinless chicken breasts are perfect for a quick meal any day of the week. No need for breading, just a few common ingredients to create a mouthwatering seasoning blend and incredibly juicy and tender chicken breasts.
Fresh Or Frozen Chicken Breasts
Do you probably wonder if it is better to cook fresh or frozen chicken breasts in your air fryer? Well, both work great! You dont have to worry about cooking fresh chicken over the frozen.
What kind of chicken you want to use is entirely your choice. Usually, I cook fresh chicken breasts, but there have been times when Ive cooked frozen chicken breasts, and they turned out great as well!
Can You Eat Cooked Chicken After 5 Days In Fridge
The answer is yes, but it depends on how you store it. Raw chicken can be kept in the refrigerator for up to five days before cooking, according to the USDA. After that, it may not be safe to eat.
Cooked chicken can be stored safely for up to three days in the fridge. You can also freeze cooked chicken and use it later.
The spoilage time for cooked chicken depends on how its prepared: Cold cuts like deli meat can be refrigerated for up to seven days, while hot dogs are good for two days. Chicken salad is good for one day in the refrigerator and duck confit should be served immediately after cooking because it spoils quickly.
What To Make With Chicken Cutlets
This!! Serve as is with a few side dishes or you could serve it up in the middle of two buns with some tartar sauce and lettuce too. Yes we have made all sorts of air fryer chicken recipes over the past year. When it comes to kids though they want finger foods.
If air fryer frozen chicken nuggets arent your style and you want something homemade, this is it friends!
If you love air fryer recipes too, here are some resources to start with:
How Long To Bake Chicken Breast At 400 Degrees
We usually think about our oven when cooking chicken breast, but not many people know how long to bake chicken breast at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. The answer is simple: bake it for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the thickness and size of your meat.
Baking chicken can be done in two ways: you can either roast or grill. However, both methods will require you to preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit before you put the chicken inside. If you want to make sure that your meat is cooked thoroughly and evenly, then use a meat thermometer to check if the temperature inside has reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit. After 20 minutes, remove your chicken from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
How To Make Air Fryerchicken Cutlets
To make chicken cutlets in the air fryer, were going to start out with regular skinless chicken breast.
I didnt weigh the chicken breasts, but I estimate that each was between 8-10oz in size.
Two large chicken breasts will yield 4 chicken cutlets since we are going to be slicing each down the middle.
First, trim the fat off each chicken breast, then slice each chicken breast across the center. My cuts are never perfect, so dont stress if the chicken is uneven when you slice it.
Once sliced, lay a piece of plastic wrap over the chicken and use a meat tenderizer to flatten each out into a chicken cutlet. Flattening the chicken will help each chicken piece cook evenly in the air fryer.
Once flattened, its time to make the breaded chicken.
To keep this recipe simple, I used Italian-style breadcrumbs, which are pre-seasoned breadcrumbs you can find at any grocery store. If you only have plain breadcrumbs, you can easily season them up yourself! Here is a recipe I found to make your own.
Add the bread crumbs to one bowl, and whisk up 2 eggs in a separate bowl. I added a small amount of hot sauce in with my eggs, but that part is totally optional.
Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel, then add to your breadcrumbs.
Dip the breaded chicken into the eggs, allowing any excess egg to run off before fully coating in the bread crumbs once more.
The exact cooking time will vary based on the size of your chicken cutlets, but 10 minutes ended up being the perfect time for me!
Can You Stack Chicken Cutlets In Air Fryer
Just dont. No matter what cut you have you should never overlap food. The way this machine works is with very hot circulating air. If food touches it will inhibit cooking in those areas. A single layer is always the best.
Depending on the size of your basket you can probably fit 2 in at a time. If you are making a larger batch work in batches. When done place on a baking sheet covered to keep your juicy chicken warm. Youll need:
Of course youll always want to check internal temperature before consuming your pieces of chicken.
Cooking time will vary just a bit depending on how thick yours are. Best is to buy medium size breasts so they arent real thick.
Time needed: 8 minutes.
Chicken Cutlets in Air Fryer
Put bread crumbs in a shallow bowl with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix together. Put your flour into another shallow bowl, and whisked eggs in a 3rd dish.Season meat with salt and pepper on the outside. Dredge into flour, then egg and allow excess to fall off. Then put into breadcrumbs and gently press on both sides so it sticks.Spray inside of air fryer basket with non stick spray and lay air fryer chicken breast cutlets inside.
Can I Change The Seasoning
The lemon juice in this Foodi chicken recipe creates a really juicy, tender chicken breast, so I would make sure not to leave that out. You could substitute with lime juice instead though. For the other seasonings, feel free to use any that appeal to you. Chicken breast is delicious with all sorts of flavors.
How To Grill Perfect Boneless Chicken Breasts
Grilling boneless chicken breasts is one of the easiest meals to make. You can grill chicken breasts whole, cut them into chunks, or cut them into strips. The best way to grill boneless chicken breasts is to use a meat thermometer and cook until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
The first thing you need to do is preheat your grill on high. While youre waiting for it to heat up, take some aluminum foil and wrap each piece of chicken in it just like a package. This will keep the juices inside of your chicken and help keep it from drying out on the grill. Make sure that there are no gaps between the meat and foil because if there is a gap, then all of those juices will leak out onto the grill which will ruin your meal before you even have a chance to eat it!
When grilling any type of meat, you want to keep it away from direct heat as much as possible so that it doesnt burn before it cooks through completely. If at all possible, try not having any flames directly under your meat as this can cause flare-ups which can char your food before its done cooking .
What Are Chicken Cutlets
Chicken cutlets are simply thin, flattened-out chicken breasts. I grew up in New York, and I used to call any piece of chicken a chicken cutlet.
Now, living in the Midwest, I dont hear the term used nearly as much, but thats not stopping me from making them!
To make these chicken cutlets, were going to take regular chicken breasts, slice them up thin, and coat them in bread crumbs before air frying to perfection.
These chicken cutlets are perfect for chicken sandwiches, pasta dishes, chicken parmesan stuffed peppers, or served over rice or salad. Or, you can get creative and serve these any other way you see fit!
How To Cut Chicken Breasts Into Cutlets
Ninja Foodi Chicken Breast Recipe
This recipe for Ninja Foodi Chicken Breast has no breading and is a healthy, low-carb, simple to make dinner that the whole family will enjoy. Once you learn how to make chicken in the ninja foodi, you’ll wonder why you ever made it any other way!
We’re seasoning the ninja foodi chicken breast with lemon juice, garlic and basil. The flavor is bright, but not overpowering, making this a great option for meal prep or adding to salads like this Greek Cucumber Salad.
If you’re cooking with an air fryer that isn’t a Ninja Foodi, see this Air Fryer Chicken recipe instead. The instructions are slightly different.
Can You Cook Raw Chicken And Fries Together In Air Fryer
The answer is YES. You can cook both together in an air fryer as long as you follow certain steps and precautions.
Air fryers are a great tool for cooking foods quickly without using much oil or fat. They are also known to produce very crispy food that tastes delicious. However, when it comes to cooking raw chicken and fries together, some people might think its not possible or advisable because they are not sure of the safety of doing so.
But, were here to tell you that it is possible, safe, and worth trying out if you have an air fryer!
How To Make Air Fryer Chicken Breast
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
What kind of chicken breasts should I use?
Use thin, boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this air fryer recipe.
Why do the chicken breasts need to be thin?
Thin chicken breasts will cook more evenly and quickly in the air fryer. Thick breasts should be cut in half or pounded thin.
How long do chicken breasts take to cook in the air fryer?
These chicken breasts take about 15 minutes to cook in a 370°F air fryer.
How do I know when the chicken is cooked through?
Chicken breasts are cooked through when the internal temperature reaches 165°F. They should be a uniformed white color when sliced open.
Air Fryer Chicken Breast Without Breading
» You might also like these Air Fryer Sausage, Peppers and Onions or Air Fryer Sirloin Steak.
The best thing about this dish is you can make it in advance and store it for later use. Try adding it to this crack chicken broccoli casserole or cobb salad with penne pasta. Place it in an airtight container and refrigerate. It will last for up to 3 days. Furthermore, you can also freeze cooked or uncooked chicken for up to 2 months. Thus it is a very convenient dish you can make whenever you want!
Seasoning Combos To Add To Boneless Chicken Breasts
While the seasoning I mentioned in the recipe card down below is one of my favorites, there are a few different seasoning combos I like to keep in rotation for some added variety
- Lemon Garlic: Another favorite! All you need to do is squeeze a few lemons and add a bunch of chopped garlic.
- BBQ: Add a bit of your favorite bbq sauce to these chicken breasts before cooking to keep your chicken seasoned with some yummy smokey flavors.
Dont have an air fryer? Try cooking these chicken breasts in the Instant Pot instead!
How To Make Chicken Breast In Ninja Foodi
These numbered steps match the numbered photos above and are for illustration purposes. For the complete list of ingredients and instructions for Ninja Foodi Chicken Breast, please see the recipe below.
Breaded Air Fryer Chicken
This Breaded Air Fryer Chicken is a healthier alternative to fried chicken. It’s made with less oil, so it has less fat/calories but is still juicy & tender
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This recipe for Breaded Air Fryer Chicken guarantees perfect results every time. It is easy to make and is a great healthy weeknight meal. Air Fryer chicken breast is crispy and succulent, its the best way to fry chicken! Lower in fat and calories, fried chicken in an air fryer is now my go to!
The first thing I made with my new air fryer was air fryer potatoes! And the second thing I made was this breaded air fryer chicken. I think those are two essential recipes that most people test out first in an air fryer. Once I tested both and realized how flavorful and easy the recipes were, the air fryer was my new BFF. If you just bought an air fryer and looking for beginning recipes to get you started, start with these two!
You can do straight air fryer chicken if you wanted to, but I think that tastes better on a skillet cooked on the stovetop. But breading the chicken and air frying it creates a golden crisp and very juicy flavorful chicken. It tastes like healthy fried chicken. I used very thinly sliced chicken breast, so these were done in minutes and pair so well with a salad!
Reasons Why You Will Love Air Fryer Recipes
- Cooking becomes really quick. If you compare it to cooking the same recipe in the oven, or on the stove then cooking in the air fryer takes less time.
- Its very convenient and it doesnt leave a mess. All youll need to wash after cooking is the Air fryer basket, and it can go in the dishwasher anyway.
- Its quite healthy as you can use just 1 tablespoon of oil if youre air frying chicken, but you will need 2 cups of oil if youre deep-frying on the stove.
- Its economical since you dont need as much oil when compared to cooking on the stove. It also uses less electricity than the oven.
- There are so many things that you can cook in the air fryer oven, you can even bake in it!