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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!
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 You’ll Need
The shortest ingredient list for this air fryer blackened chicken! Make sure to scroll down to view exact measurements, though!
- Boneless, skinless chicken breast
- Blackening seasoning
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.
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.
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
- Add to this pasta: Cajun Chicken Pasta
- Add to this pasta: Alfredo Pasta with Cajun Spiced Chicken
- Make tacos with it such as adding the chicken to this shrimp taco.
Air Fryer Blackened Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1-2 tablespoons blackening seasoning
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
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.
