comment icon 222 more comments But my life has changed in such a big way out here in the year 2024, and I’m now making this air fryer chicken almost on the daily. It’s so juicy, so delicious, and those crispity little browned bits! Ugh. How I got here: Bjork has been going hog wild on all things protein in the last few months. As resident cooker of all the food in our house, I decided it’s time for me to figure out a really foolproof way to make chicken – for him (#protein), and for me, so that I actually like it. So even though I’ve resisted it for years… I bought an air fryer (affiliate link). Almost exclusively to make chicken. And guess what? The one recipe I keep coming back to is these thinly sliced chicken breast pieces, coated to the max in spices, plus a bit of brown sugar and cornstarch, and air fried to golden, juicy perfection. I LOVE THIS CHICKEN SO MUCH! There’s an excessive amount of seasoning and flavor that doesn’t taste like any one single thing – it’s just a beautiful blend of smoky, savory, and sweet. But it’s the golden crisped exterior with little edge bits that you will die for. And all the while it stays nice and juicy on the inside. Takes 15 minutes to make and it’s such a family winner for us. I hope you love it! 4.9 from 120 reviews
1 pound of chicken breasts: 3/4 teaspoon table salt (as written) 1.5 pounds of chicken breasts: 1 teaspoon table salt If using coarse kosher salt: 1 teaspoon salt for 1 pound of chicken breasts
Marinating: You can let the chicken sit with the spices for an extended period of time – up to 24 hours in the fridge – but for best results, wait to add the cornstarch until just before you throw it in the air fryer. Paprika: For this recipe, paprika refers to the ground spice labeled “ground paprika” or “paprika”. Paprika is great here for flavor and color. There are tons of varieties of paprika out there, including smoked paprika, hot paprika, Hungarian paprika, or sweet paprika. If you follow the amounts as written, you’ll get just a teeny tiny bit of the smoky paprika so it’s just a bit more rich and savory – just that little extra something that makes you go “mmmm” – without being overwhelmingly smoky. To me, as written, it’s the perfect blend. But if you like to play, try other paprika ratios or bring in other spices to your tastes! Cheat Code for the Seasoning: This recipe is very clutch with McCormick Rotisserie Chicken Seasoning blend. Not sponsored, just so easy and so good. I found a neglected bottle of it when I was cleaning out my spice cabinet and it is DELICIOUS on this chicken. For a pound of chicken, just use about 1 tablespoon of the seasoning mix in place of the paprika, salt, onion and garlic powders. Then add your cornstarch and brown sugar to it and love your juicy, delicious chicken life! Amazing Gochujang Dipping Sauce: This is my current favorite sauce to have with this chicken, either in a bowl, a salad, or just dipping the chicken pieces straight in. Mix 1/2 cup mayo with about 2 tablespoons gochujang sauce (table sauce, not paste), 1 clove grated garlic, a shot of soy sauce, and a dash of rice vinegar if you want. Season with salt and pepper. Oooof. So good.
Three Life-Changing Chicken Breast Recipes
