How Long to Cook Chicken Breast Strips in an Air Fryer for Perfectly Cooked and Crispy Results

Air fryers have become increasingly popular in recent years as a quick and healthy way to cook foods like chicken breast strips When using an air fryer, it’s important to understand how long to cook chicken breasts in order to achieve the best results

What is an Air Fryer?

An air fryer is a kitchen appliance that uses hot air circulated at high speed to cook food. It works similarly to a convection oven, using convection to quickly cook food by circulating hot air around it. This allows food to cook fast and get crispy using little to no oil.

Compared to deep frying, air frying significantly reduces the amount of oil needed while still producing the crispy texture and great taste of deep fried foods. It’s a great option for cooking lean meats like chicken breast strips.

Benefits of Cooking Chicken Breast Strips in an Air Fryer

There are several benefits to cooking chicken breast strips in an air fryer rather than oven baking or pan frying:

• Uses less oil: Air frying requires little to no oil, resulting in chicken that is lower in fat and calories compared to deep frying. This makes it a healthier cooking method.

• Gets crispy: The high heat airflow circulates around the food, crisping up the outside of chicken strips for crunch without deep frying.

• Cooks quickly Air fryers can cook chicken breast strips in a fraction of the time of a traditional oven The average cooking time is 10-15 minutes.

• Easy cleanup: With minimal oil, air fryers are easier to clean up than deep frying.

• Versatile: Air fryers allow you to easily make a variety of breaded chicken recipes from strips to nuggets.

How Long to Cook Chicken Breast Strips in an Air Fryer

Cooking times can vary based on the model and size of your air fryer, thickness of the chicken strips, and your desired level of crispiness. Here are some general guidelines for how long to cook chicken breast strips in an air fryer:

• Thinner cut strips, around 1/2 inch thick: 8-12 minutes at 370°F.

• Thicker cut strips, around 3/4 to 1 inch thick: 10-15 minutes at 370°F.

• Larger chicken tenderloins or pieces: May need up to 18 minutes at 370°F.

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into strips: Cook for 15-18 minutes at 370°F.

• Breaded chicken strips or nuggets: Add 1-3 minutes to the cooking time.

For food safety, chicken should always be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F as measured by a food thermometer.

Tips for Cooking Chicken Breast Strips in an Air Fryer

Follow these tips to achieve perfectly cooked, tender and crispy air fryer chicken breast strips:

• Pat chicken strips dry before cooking to help them get crispy.

• Brush strips lightly with oil or spray with oil to prevent them from drying out.

• Flip strips halfway during cooking time for even browning.

• Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket. Leave space between strips.

• Use a meat thermometer to confirm chicken reaches 165°F internally.

• Check strips a few minutes early and adjust cook time if needed.

• Let strips rest 3-5 minutes after cooking before serving.

Air Fryer Chicken Breast Recipes

The air fryer allows you to make a variety of delicious chicken breast recipes beyond just plain strips:

• Breaded Chicken Strips: Coat strips in breadcrumbs or panko before air frying.

• Buffalo Chicken Strips: Toss cooked strips in buffalo sauce and serve with blue cheese dressing.

• Chicken Fajita Strips: Season strips with fajita seasoning and serve in warm tortillas.

• Teriyaki Chicken Strips: Toss cooked chicken strips with teriyaki sauce.

• Honey Sriracha Chicken Strips: Toss strips in a honey sriracha sauce.

• Chicken Parmesan Strips: Top breaded strips with marinara and mozzarella after cooking.

With minimal prep time and quick cook time, air fried chicken breast strips make for a fast weeknight dinner or healthy snack any time. In just 10-15 minutes, you can enjoy juicy chicken strips with a crispy crunchy exterior.