Cooking frozen chicken breasts in the air fryer is a quick and easy way to get dinner on the table fast. But how long should you cook them to ensure they are fully cooked and safe to eat? In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk through everything you need to know about timing for air frying frozen chicken breasts so you can nail the perfect cook time every time.
Overview of Cooking Frozen Chicken in the Air Fryer
The air fryer has become wildly popular in recent years due to its ability to produce crispy fried results using little to no oil. This makes it an excellent option for cooking frozen foods like chicken breasts. The circulating hot air quickly defrosts the chicken while cooking it through.
Key benefits of using an air fryer for frozen chicken breasts
- Super fast cooking times compared to oven
- No need to defrost beforehand
- Chicken comes out tender and juicy inside with crispy exterior
- Healthier than deep frying; uses less oil
- Easy cleanup
When it comes to timing though, there are a few factors to consider that can impact total cook time. Let’s take a look.
What Impacts Cooking Time for Frozen Chicken Breasts
The cooking time can vary quite a bit depending on a few key factors:
Size of the chicken breasts
- Smaller pieces will cook faster
- Larger, thicker pieces will take longer
Bone-in vs boneless
- Boneless breasts cook quicker
- Bone-in will take more time
State of doneness
- Partially thawed may cook faster
- Completely frozen solid will take longest
In general, thicker boneless chicken breasts tend to take the longest since the heat needs to penetrate all the way to the interior.
Recommended Time Range for Air Frying
Taking those variables into account, here are some general time ranges for air frying frozen chicken breasts:
- Small boneless breasts (4-6 oz): 15-18 minutes
- Medium boneless breasts (6-8 oz): 18-22 minutes
- Large boneless breasts (8-12 oz): 22-28 minutes
- Bone-in breasts: Add 3-5 minutes
For best results, I recommend cooking frozen boneless chicken breasts for 25-30 minutes at 360°F in the air fryer. This allows time for the inside to fully cook through without drying out the exterior.
Always check internal temperature with a meat thermometer before serving. Chicken should reach 165°F at minimum for food safety. If it’s not quite there after the recommended time, just pop it back in the air fryer for 2-3 minute intervals until properly cooked.
Tips for the Best Results with Frozen Chicken
To ensure your air fried frozen chicken breasts turn out perfectly cooked, keep these tips in mind:
- Let the air fryer fully preheat before adding chicken
- Don’t overcrowd the basket – cook in batches if needed
- Brush or spray chicken with oil before cooking for even browning
- Flip chicken halfway through cooking for even doneness
- Use meat thermometer to confirm doneness before serving
- Allow chicken to rest 5 minutes before slicing for juiciest texture
If you follow the recommended cook times and techniques, you’ll be rewarded with wonderfully juicy, tender chicken breasts in record time using your air fryer. Dinnertime just got a whole lot easier!
Can You Cook Chicken From Frozen in the Air Fryer?
Believe it or not, you can cook frozen chicken without thawing it first. In fact, the air fryer is one of my favorite kitchen helpers for nights when a 30-minute dinner is all I have bandwidth for.
If you’re like me and always frozen chicken breasts are your go-to ingredient for making delicious chicken dinners, then you’re going to love this cooking method which works with plain breasts or frozen marinated chicken breasts. And yes, you can even make frozen chicken tenders in the air fryer!
The best part is that the air fryer can help you prevent freezer-burned chicken by using up your uncooked stash! And now that you know it’s possible, let’s get to it.
The recipe card at the bottom of this post includes a simple way to season frozen chicken breasts when cooking them in the air fryer. Here are a few notes regarding the breasts and seasonings:
- Frozen chicken breasts: when you buy frozen chicken breasts they tend to be about the same size in the package, vs when you freeze fresh chicken breasts yourself. Both can be cooked in the air fryer just know that cooking times will vary based on how thick the pieces are.
- Seasoning: olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder is a basic seasoning combination. You can mix olive oil with your favorite seasonings and use that. More on when to season them below.
How Long To Cook Frozen Chicken in the Air Fryer
I’ve found that frozen chicken breasts can take anywhere between 15 and 35 minutes to cook in the air fryer at 400F, which is why when I’m in a hurry, I’ll cook frozen butterflied chicken breasts, which are half as thick as regular.
These cooking times are approximate total cooking times of frozen chicken breasts when measured at the thickest part of the breast –more notes on frozen breast thickness further down.
Approximate cooking times of frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts in an air fryer at 400F
| Frozen Chicken Breast Thickness | Air Fryer Time |
|---|---|
| Thin – ½ inch | 10 to 12 minutes |
| Medium – 1 inch | 15 to 18 minutes |
| Thick – 1 ½ inches | 25 to 30 minutes |
| Thick – 2 inches | 30 to 35 minutes |
How to Cook Frozen Chicken Breasts in the Air Fryer
FAQ
How long do I cook a frozen chicken breast in the air fryer?
Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper on both sides. Put the chicken in the air fryer basket and cook at 360 degrees F until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center reads 165 degrees F, 18 to 20 minutes.
How long should I cook a frozen chicken breast for?
When cooking chicken straight from the freezer, you want to cook for 50 percent longer than you would with unfrozen. The average unfrozen chicken breast weighing 5-7 ounces usually takes 20-30 minutes at 350°F. So for a frozen chicken breast, you’re looking at 30-45 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breast.
How long to cook chicken breast in an air fryer at 400 degrees?
Air fry at 400° F for 8 minutes, then flip the chicken over and continue cooking until chicken is cooked through, about 5-12 more minutes.Jun 24, 2024
How long to cook chicken breast in air fryer not frozen?
- 1-inch thick: 15 minutes at 375ºF.
- 1 1/2-inches thick: 22 minutes at 375ºF.
- 2 inches thick: 30 minutes at 375ºF.
How long do you cook frozen chicken in an air fryer?
The cooking time for frozen chicken breast in an air fryer varies depending on the thickness of the chicken. As a general guide, you can follow these cooking time guidelines: 1. For a chicken breast that is 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) thick, cook for approximately 10-12 minutes. 2.
Can You air Fry frozen chicken breast?
This easy method for Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Breast turns a frozen chicken breast into a tender and juicy part of lunch or dinner in just 30 minutes or less. Great for any air fryer or Ninja Foodi! Preheat the air fryer. Turn the air fryer to a temperature of 375F and preheat for 3-5 minutes. You do not need to grease the basket.
How long to cook chicken breast in air fryer?
Sprinkle this seasoning mix over the chicken breasts, ensuring they’re evenly coated. Transfer the seasoned chicken breasts to the preheated air fryer and cook at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. The cooking time will vary from 12 to 28 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken breasts.
How to air Fry frozen chicken?
Turn the air fryer to a temperature of 375F and preheat for 3-5 minutes. You do not need to grease the basket. Season the chicken breast. Spray the chicken with a light coating of your favorite cooking oil, then season lightly with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika or your favorite seasoning. Air fry frozen chicken.
Can You thaw cooked chicken breast in an air fryer?
If you grilled or pan-seared chicken breasts and froze them, already cooked, for future meals, you can use the air fryer to thaw and reheat them. Technically they’re already cooked. To make a meal with frozen and cooked chicken breasts, first, preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes.
How do you cook chicken in an air fryer?
Turn the air fryer to a temperature of 375F and preheat for 3-5 minutes. You do not need to grease the basket. Season the chicken breast. Spray the chicken with a light coating of your favorite cooking oil, then season lightly with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika or your favorite seasoning. Mine is my homemade ranch seasoning!