Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Breasts are the perfect dinner when you are short on time or did not plan ahead and take anything out of the freezer to cook. You can season and cook chicken breasts completely from frozen. No thawing needed and they are delicious!
Sometimes you forget to thaw out a protein for dinner. My go-to when this happens is to cook the chicken breasts (smothered with a simple “house” dry rub) in the air fryer or Frozen Chicken Wings in Air Fryer.
If you love crispy chicken skin, learn How To Make Air Fryer Teriyaki Chicken. It almost tastes deep fried!
I love to serve this chicken sliced with a couple of sides like Goat Cheese Arugula Salad, Crispy Corn or One Pot Mac & Cheese. Corn on the cob is a great side for the summer. Learn How to Boil Corn on the Cob.
Don't have an air fryer? Try this Cast Iron Chicken Breast Recipe or this Greek Yogurt Chicken.
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Highlights
- Easy frozen chicken breast recipe by cooking in the air fryer
- Flavorful “house” dry rub
- Ready in less than 30 minutes
- Kid friendly
- Versatile
- No thawing required
- Easy last minute dinner idea
Ingredient Notes
- Frozen Chicken Breasts: My chicken breasts took exactly 23 minutes to cook, but this time will vary depending on the size. If you are using thinner chicken breasts (less than 1 inch thick), air fry for only 8-9 minutes per side. These are just estimates. Always use an instant read thermometer to ensure the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
Helpful Equipment & Tools
- COSORI Air Fryer Max XL: My favorite air fryer. It has a great basket and is easy to clean. It also crisps and browns food extremely well.
- ThermoPro TP03 Digital Instant Read Meat Thermometer: A must have for cooking any protein & inexpensive.
- Actor Basting Brush: This silicone brush is great for basting or applying marinade to meat. It is also super easy to clean and is dishwasher safe.
How to Cook Frozen Chicken Breast in an Air Fryer
Overview
- Brush the chicken with the oil & spice blend.
- Air fry, flipping halfway through.
- Allow the chicken to rest & serve.
Step by Step
Step 1: Place chicken breast in the air fryer basket. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil and spices. Brush all over both sides of the chicken breast.
Step 2: Air fry at 380 degrees for 14-15 minutes (depending on thickness).
TIP - Brush the chicken breast with the spice mixture in the air fryer basket to avoid dirtying another plate.
Step 3: Flip the chicken and air fry for another 7-9 minutes at 380 degrees. Use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature of the thickest part of the chicken breast reaches 165 degrees.
Step 4: Transfer the chicken to a plate or cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
TIP - Use a meat thermometer to ensure perfectly cooked chicken.
Make Ahead & Storage
- Make Ahead: You can prepare frozen chicken breast in air fryer in advance and use it for salad or rice bowls throughout the week. Its flavor is extremely versatile.
- Refrigerator: Store leftover air fryer chicken breast in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Reheating: Reheat in the microwave in 30 second intervals or in the air fryer at 350 degrees until warmed through. Overheating will dry out the chicken.
- Freezer: You can freeze cooked chicken. Place individual portions of chicken in airtight containers or freezer bags. Store in the freezer for 2-3 months.
- Thawing: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheating: Reheat chicken directly from frozen or thawed. Reheat in the air fryer at 350, microwave, or on the stove until completely heated through.
Expert Tips
- Use chicken breasts of equal size and thickness. This ensures each frozen chicken breast (air fryer) cooks in the same amount of time.
- Don’t skip the seasoning. Chicken breasts are pretty plain so it is very important that they are seasoned before cooking to avoid bland chicken.
- Use oil. The oil adds flavor and moisture to the frozen chicken breast (air fryer). Chicken breasts are very lean so a little bit of oil prevents them from drying out.
- Do not stack the chicken. The chicken should be placed in a single layer in the air fryer basket. This allows the chicken to cook and brown evenly. If you have a small air fryer basket, you may need to cook in batches.
- Use a meat thermometer. Always use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees. This is especially important when cooking chicken from frozen. A meat thermometer always prevents you from overcooking the chicken. There is nothing worse than a dry chicken breast!
- Let the air fryer chicken rest. Allow the chicken to rest for about 5 minutes before serving. This results in juicer meat.
Recipe Notes
- This recipe can be doubled. You can easily double the spice rub and oil to cook a larger quantity of chicken breasts.
Variations
- Spicy: Add a ¼-1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper to the rub.
- Oven: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the chicken on a baking sheet lined with foil. Apply the rub as stated in the recipe. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
FAQs
- Mac & cheese
- Crispy fried corn
- Berry salad
- The best Instant Pot green beans
Yes. According to the USDA, it is completely safe to cook raw meat unthawed (or from frozen) as long as it reaches a safe internal temperature. Chicken must reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees in the thickest part. Always use a meat thermometer, especially when cooking meat from frozen.
This depends on the thickness of the chicken. The rule of thumb is about 15 minutes per inch of thickness. Larger chicken breasts can take up to 30 minutes from frozen at 380 degrees. Since chicken varies so much in size and thickness, always use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees.
Yes. It is perfectly safe to put raw chicken in the air fryer, as long as it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Yes, it is safe. However, oftentimes you do not want to put aluminum foil in the air fryer though because it stops the air from circulating through the basket.
Yes. It is healthier than deep frying. Air frying also allows all of the grease to drip through the basket so you are consuming less fat.
Related Recipes
Frozen Chicken Breast (Air Fryer)
Ingredients:
- 3 boneless chicken breasts, 1.5-2 pounds, 1.5-2 inches thick*
- 1 ½ - 2 Tablespoons olive oil
Dry Rub
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions:
- Review all recipe notes and instructions before beginning.
- Place chicken breasts in the air fryer basket. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil and spices. Brush all over both sides of the chicken breast.
- Air fry at 380 degrees for 14-15 minutes (depending on thickness).
- Flip the chicken and air fry for another 7-9 minutes at 380 degrees. Use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature of the thickest part of the chicken breast reaches 165 degrees.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate or cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
This recipe is just a staple. Everyone needs a delicious way to cook frozen chicken breasts!
Another amazing recipe that we can add by the use of our air fryer. This chicken breast looks yummy and perfectly cooked. What I love is cooking with an air fryer is that through the meat it can penetrate giving us a really great dish every time.
you had me at No thawing required!
I like the combination of spices you chose for this. Sounds like a convenient and tasty meal idea. The air fryer is such a great way to cook things.
The instructions, tips, etc that you shared were so incredibly helpful! My chicken turned out absolutely perfect. I may not ever use another method to prepare frozen chicken breasts. Thanks so much!