Chicken Breast in the Air Fryer
A plain chicken breast is one of the easiest things to get wrong, because thick and thin ones cook at very different speeds. Start here, then use a thermometer.
Settings
Typical fan oven setting
200°C
20 to 25 minutes
Air fryer, to start from
180°C
16 to 20 minutes
These settings are a starting point, not a guarantee: air fryers and chicken breasts vary. Undercooked chicken can cause food poisoning, so always check it's cooked through before eating. How to tell it's done.
Your packet may say something different. Put your own numbers in the converter.
Shaking and turning
Turn it over halfway through so both sides brown.
How to tell it's done
The only reliable test is a food thermometer in the thickest part. Chicken should be steaming hot all the way through, with no pink meat and clear juices. The Food Standards Agency's guide is 70°C in the centre for 2 minutes, or 75°C for 30 seconds.
What goes wrong
- Thick breasts dry out at the edges before the middle is done. Flattening them a little, or slicing in half horizontally, evens things out.
- Cutting it open to check lets the juices out. A thermometer tells you more and does less damage.
- Let it rest for a few minutes before slicing.
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