Air Fryer Crispy Breaded Chicken Breast

I’m a really big fan of chicken breast, it’s so versatile, and, can be cooked in so many ways. On this occasion, I’m going to use my air fryer. My crispy air fryer breaded chicken breast is versatile in itself. In a bun with lettuce, tomato and some mayo. It’s the base for an amazing chicken parmesan. Feel free to slice it up and lay it on a salad. And, it will sit perfectly on a plate with some vegetables

The humble chicken has come a long way over the last 50 years or so. For most of history it was a dual purpose bird kept in the back yard. primarily an endless supply of eggs. And, also the occasional Sunday lunch. However in the mid twentieth century, through breeding and manufacturing advancements, chicken gained popularity. In the mid eighties it surpassed pork consumption, and, in the mid nineties, surpassed beef consumption.

This went from just buying the whole bird, unprocessed back in the 50’s, to the processed chicken parts we see today in the poultry department of your local store. When our grandparents wanted a chicken breast they had to first “dress” the bird. Remove the feathers, the entrails (heart, liver, stomach etc.), then break the bird down into it’s various parts. I’m really glad I can just walk into my store and buy boneless, skinless chicken breast.

And, I’m going to cook my chicken breast in something else that has become relatively popular of late, the air fryer.

The air fryer that we today, is, essentially, a small, countertop convection oven. Originally designed for the commercial kitchen in the mid twentieth century. Parts and manufacturing costs have since come down, and now we have this wonderful piece of modern computerized tech right in our kitchen.

I’m not going to compare it to a microwave because it doesn’t shorten cooking times. Although, you don’t have to wait 15-20 mins for it to heat up like you do a regular oven. It doesn’t heat the house as much as an oven, which in the summer counts. And, it’s cheaper to run than an oven, which is important. As with all kitchen appliances, it has it’s place, and the more we use it, the more uses we can find for it

Now on to the cooking portion of the post. Breaded chicken breast. The key to coating anything to cook, is to make the coating stick, nobody wants bald bits. And the trick to that is the three step process. Dredge in flour, dip in beaten egg, then dredge in seasoned breadcrumbs with grated parmesan. This usually involves three plates, however, it can all be done with one, and it’s quite easy. The coating process allows for seasoning too, add kosher salt and coarse ground pepper to the flour to make a seasoned base. I use seasoned breadcrumbs, because they have the flavor already built in. Then add fresh grated parmesan, because, it tastes delicious.

Starting with two chicken breasts, pat dry with a paper towel, and lay them on a dinner plate. Now sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of flour, kosher salt and coarse ground pepper, flip and turn to coat. That should use up most of the flour. Now, beat an egg in a cup, and, pour over the breast. Again, flip and turn to completely coat, and that should take care of the egg. Now, a couple of tablespoons of the seasoned breadcrumbs with grated parmesan, again, flip and turn to coat. it may take a little practice, but you get the idea, one plate, less mess, less waste. Now they’re ready to cook.

When it comes to cooking in the air fryer, they’re all different. depending on size and power, controls cooking time. I’ve found the manufactures preset programs work well, you can always add a little if you like. I’d say 20 mins at 400 should work. But as with all chicken, check temp before serving, 165 degrees is the magic number. Place the breaded chicken breast in the basket, set the timer, let it do it’s thing, you can periodically check. I think most air fryers allow you to open the drawer and check, when you close the drawer, it continues where you left off.

Once they’re done and temp checked, on to the good part. That would be dinner, with a salad, vegetables, cut up on a salad, or, the base for chicken parmesan. The options are many, but either way my air fryer crispy breaded chicken breast will be amazing. Enjoy dinner, and, thank you for reading.