Frozen Chicken Breast in the Air Fryer

Looking for an easy way to whip up weeknight dinner? Try making frozen chicken breast in the air fryer! You’ll get tender, juicy, and perfectly seasoned results every time.

Thankfully, the air fryer is a great tool for cooking all sorts of foods from frozen. If you haven’t already, check out this great list of frozen foods you can cook in the air fryer for some other great ideas!

This air fryer frozen chicken breast recipe is the best way to get the flavor of baked or grilled chicken without ever having to turn on your oven. You’ll get perfectly flavor-packed, juicy chicken breasts easily and quickly, with no need to thaw, defrost, or use pre-cooked chicken either.

By the way, I used boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. If you have a bone-in chicken breast, please use this recipe to cook the bone-in chicken breast in the air fryer.

How to Cook Frozen Chicken Breast in the Air Fryer

A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.

STEP ONE: Preheat the air fryer. Mix the olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, oregano, cumin, sea salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper (if using) in a bowl to create your glaze.

STEP TWO: Apply the glaze to the raw, uncooked chicken, then place it in a single layer in the air fryer basket. 

STEP THREE: Air fry the frozen chicken breasts for 20-25 minutes. Flip the chicken halfway through air frying so they cook evenly. Check the internal temperature in the thickest part with a meat thermometer. You’ll know it’s fully cooked when the chicken reaches 165 degrees F.

STEP FOUR: Remove your chicken cutlets from the air fryer and your easy chicken dinner is served!

How Long to Cook Frozen Chicken Breast in the Air Fryer

Cooking frozen chicken breast in the air fryer typically takes between 20-25 minutes.

Thicker pieces may need to be air fried for longer. Just check that internal temp to be sure that it’s fully cooked. 

If you’re concerned about it taking too long, choose chicken breasts that are on the thinner side — or pound them before you air fry frozen chicken breast.

Tips for Cooking Frozen Chicken in the Air Fryer

• Keep things simple and don’t worry about adding any extra ingredients if you don’t want to. Cooking frozen chicken breast in the air fryer with my recipe is a quick and easy way to make a weeknight dinner!
• Make sure to arrange the frozen chicken breast in the air fryer basket in a single layer for even cooking.
• No need to add any excess oil thanks to the olive oil in the homemade glaze.

What to Serve With Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Breasts

• Air Fryer Asparagus
• Air Fryer Carrots
• Air Fryer Baby Potatoes
• Air Fryer Corn-on-the-Cob
• Baked Sweet Potato in the Air Fryer
• Easy Homemade Garlic Bread

Variations to Cooking Frozen Chicken in the Air Fryer

• Add your favorite chicken seasoning. I love the combination of spices that I use in my glaze, but you can switch things up if you’d like! Add that classic lemon pepper flavor when you air fry frozen chicken breast by using sliced lemon and freshly ground black pepper, for example.

• Love buffalo chicken? Me too! I also love the idea of using Sriracha or Frank’s as a glaze! Check out all of my buffalo chicken recipes here.

• Garnish with Parmesan cheese for a cheesy take on cooking frozen chicken in the air fryer.

• Marinate the chicken breast before you freeze it. You can store raw marinated chicken in the freezer for up to 3 months, then cook frozen chicken breasts with the flavor infused. Again, get creative with your marinade!

More Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Recipes

• Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Nuggets
• Frozen Chicken Thighs in the Air Fryer
• Ninja Foodi Frozen Chicken Breasts
• Frozen Chicken Cordon Bleu in the Air Fryer
• Frozen Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer
• Frozen Chicken Tenders in the Air Fryer
• Frozen Chicken Patties in the Air Fryer

How to Reheat Chicken Breasts in the Air Fryer

Always store leftover chicken breasts in an airtight container in the refrigerator, where they will keep for up to 4 days.

You can reheat any leftover chicken breasts right in the air fryer!

Preheat to 350 degrees F and air fry for about 3 minutes, or until it’s warmed through.

This is a great recipe to use for meal prep. It’s a quick and easy way to make delicious chicken for the whole family without a whole lot of forethought.

More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes You’ll Love:

• Air Fryer Chicken Wings With Dry Rub
• Air Fryer Chicken Cordon Bleu
• Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
• Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas
• Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks
• Air Fryer Chicken Legs