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This quick, easy, and super flavorful Air Fryer Blackened Chicken is a great recipe to liven up chicken. It is also awesome for meal prep — make a batch of these for the week to add on top of salads, wraps, pastas, and more!

sliced air fryer blackened chicken on a wooden cutting board
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Alright, I’m a complete convert. I am in disbelief how often I reach for my air fryer these days. It really does cook things in a fraction of the time! This blackened chicken recipe took less than 15 minutes to make with two ingredients! And you know what? Depending on what you do with the blackened chicken, it could last you several meals.

Why You’ll Love This

  • Minimal ingredients. If you’ve got my blackening seasoning on deck then you have 1 of the 2 ingredients needed for this air fryer blackened chicken!
  • Fast and easy. The air fryer makes this blackened chicken cook FAST. Like lightning fast.
  • Meal-prep friendly. Since this is a great base chicken recipe and because it is so versatile, it is perfect for meal prep. You can make several of these and slice them up for the week to put on top of salads or pasta dishes or to put them in a wrap or have on its own.
  • Protein-focused. Boneless skinless chicken breast is all protein and less fat than its counterpart, chicken thighs. I’m typically a chicken thigh kind of girl but sometimes I do actually love white meat to keep my meals on the leaner side.
  • Minimal clean up. All clean up entails is cleaning the air fryer basket and even with that, all you gotta do is put some Dawn dish soap in the basket with some water and let it air fry for 10 minutes then rinse!
ingredients for air fryer blackened chicken

Ingredients You’ll Need

The shortest ingredient list for this air fryer blackened chicken! Make sure to scroll down to view exact measurements, though!

How To Make Air Fryer Blackened Chicken

Here is a general overview of the steps involved to make blackened chicken in the air fryer. Be sure to scroll to the bottom of this post for the full recipe.

Preheat air fryer. Preheat air fryer for 5 minutes.

Season the chicken. Generously season the chicken breasts on both sides then place the chicken into the air fryer basket. Lightly mist with cooking spray.

Cook the chicken. Air fry the chicken at 380 degrees F for 9 minutes, flipping halfway through. Once done, check for doneness with a meat thermometer to make sure the internal temperature is at 165 degrees F. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Substitutions and Variations

If you don’t have blackening seasoning, fajita seasoning will work in this recipe too.

up close image of air fryer blackened chicken on a wooden cutting board to show blackened seasoning on chicken exterior

Tips for Success

As easy as this recipe is, of course I still have to give some tips and tricks to help you make the best air fryer blackened chicken!

  • Be generous with your seasoning. This is a recipe where you want a lot of flavor because chicken breasts are usually just bland. Don’t be shy with the seasoning! Coat both sides!
  • Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket. You don’t want to overcrowd your air fryer and end up steaming your chicken. You also don’t want to stack the chicken breasts on top of each other because they won’t cook evenly and you won’t get a nice crust on the exterior.
  • Flip halfway through. Make sure to flip the chicken breasts halfway through so both sides get a nice blackened exterior.
sliced air fryer blackened chicken on a wooden cutting board with black tongs on the cutting board

Storage and Reheating Instructions

There are several options to store blackened chicken.

  • Refrigerator: place chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
  • Freezer: pre-slice the chicken into strips or smaller pieces (cubes) and let cool to room temperature before placing into a freezer bag. This will last in the freezer for up to three months.

To reheat, microwave or air fry them until heated through.

Ways to Use Air Fryer Blackened Chicken

5 from 2 votes

Air Fryer Blackened Chicken

A quick and versatile chicken recipe made right in the air fryer!
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 12 minutes
Servings: 2

Equipment

Ingredients 

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Instructions 

  • Preheat air fryer for 5 minutes.
  • Generously season both sides of chicken breasts with blackening seasoning then place into the basket of the air fryer. Lightly mist the top of it with cooking spray.
  • Cook at 380 °F (193 °C) for 9 minutes and flip halfway through. Check for doneness with a meat thermometer. You want the internal temperature to be 165 °F (74 °C).
  • Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 129kcal, Protein: 24g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 72mg, Sodium: 664mg, Potassium: 418mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For the most precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator based on the actual ingredients you used in the recipe.

The default measuring system for this website is US Customary. Unit conversions are provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. While we strive to provide accurate unit conversions, please be aware that there may be some discrepancies.

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4 Comments

  1. Violette says:

    So easy but my air fryer intimidates me. Can I do this in a regular oven too? Temp and time?

    1. Julie Chiou says:

      You can do it in the oven, if preferred. Probably 350 degrees F and 30ish minutes?

  2. Claudia says:

    I don’t have an air fryer. Would an instant pot work as well, if so what adjustments would be needed ?

    Thanks.

    1. Julie Chiou says:

      I haven’t tried this for an Instant Pot, but typically, if I make chicken in the IP, I do high pressure for 12 minutes so you could try that.