The BEST crispy, juicy and healthy air fryer chicken breast on the web! You need just a few simple ingredients to make this recipe for healthy fried chicken cutlets. Super quick healthy weeknight dinner in just 20 minutes.
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Why This Recipe Works
Since originally publishing this recipe in 2019 it has grown in popularity and if you make it, you will see why! This flavorful breaded chicken breast recipe is quickly becoming one of my most popular healthy air fryer recipes.
- If you're tired of dry, boring chicken, get ready for the most juicy, moist & extra crispy non-fried chicken you will ever have! No need to marinate this, it's delicious without any marinade.
- Healthy fried chicken? Breaded air fryer chicken breast is made with no oil, unlike traditional fried chicken, yet still has all of the same crisp and juiciness.
- This recipe is super easy to adapt into tenders, strips (like our garlic parm tenders) or nuggets. You can jazz it up into a Chicken Parmesan or Piccata or even add it to a yummy quesadilla.
- Mark this recipe as a yummy weekly dinner staple or for a tasty Sunday dinner! You can serve it with green beans and baked potatoes or even meal prep it for a week of lunches. Try it with our Kodiak protein waffles!
- This recipe is delicious to eat cold over a salad or warm up for a quick meal.
- The original recipe is super easy to adapt according to your family's taste preferences or according to what you have on hand! My Air Fryer Chicken Cutlets swap out bread crumbs for cereal!
- This recipe will remind you of the days of seasoned shake and bake chicken on busy weeknights (always a staple in our home growing up)!
- Love this recipe? Be sure to try the Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin and Whole Chicken recipe!
What Ingredients Go In This Recipe
Here are the ingredients you need to make this recipe. Reference the recipe card at the bottom for exact measurements.
- Chicken Breast: Butcher Box is my favorite meat supplier!
- Pancake Mix: I prefer Kodiak Cakes Flapjack mix, but any standard mix will do. Try Birch Benders if you are looking for a Whole30, paleo or keto compliant version.
- Parmesan Cheese: Completely optional if you are dairy free, but I do like the flavor it gives.
- Breadcrumbs: Homemade breadcrumbs are my favorite, but store bought panko breadcrumbs work well here also.
How to Make This Recipe
This is a step by step walkthrough of how to cook this recipe. Exact times and temperatures are available in the recipe card at the bottom.
- You want to begin by preparing your chicken breast. Each piece will need to have an even thickness to ensure proper cooking.
- It does not matter how long or wide your pieces are, only how thick they are. I generally try to cut or pound mine rather thin, to ¼ inch in thickness.
- Once your chicken has been properly sized, begin by mixing up the spices and adding them to the pancake and breadcrumbs.
- After seasoning the pancake mix and bread crumbs, ensure that the chicken is completely dry. Completely coat each cutlet, one-by-one, with pancake mix.
- Dip the chicken in egg wash and coat both sides.
- Coat cutlet in breadcrumbs.
- Add coated cutlets to the air fryer making sure to leave space between the chicken and cooking in multiple batches if necessary. Chicken is cooked when temped with an instant-read thermometer to 165F.
Expert Tips
- Any air fryer will make this recipe taste amazing. I've made it in both the Ninja Foodi and the Ultrean and have had excellent results.
- The temperature for air fryers do vary. Use my recipe temperature and time as a suggestion and adjust to your own model.
- To ensure proper and even cooking, cook food in one layer to make sure both sides get crispy. Make sure you give each piece a bit of space to optimize crispiness.
- Spray your tray and food with coconut oil spray. It is better for your air fryer than using traditional cooking spray.
- Flip your chicken halfway (four minutes per side) for optimum crisp.
- Breading won't stick? Make sure you dry your chicken thoroughly before seasoning and breading.
- Don't overcook! The air fryer can dry food out if you cook it for too long - that is where an instant read thermometer comes in super handy.
- Newbies? If you're a total newbie, Taste of Home has some good cooking tips and tricks.
- Looking for an air fryer chicken with no breading? Check out my air-fried BBQ chicken recipe!
- Need more help? Watch the video of me making this recipe on YouTube!
FAQs
Preheat oven to 300F. Process bread in a food processor until you get small, breadcrumb sized pieces.
Place breadcrumbs on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 3 minutes. Shake pan to loosen bread crumbs and bake for a few minutes longer or until crumbs are lightly browned and crispy.
Yes! You will want to add extra time to account for it being frozen. Be sure to ensure that it is cooked to 165F using an instant read thermometer.
This always depends on the thickness of the chicken breast. I recommend butterflying or pounding your chicken breasts down to ¼ inch before air frying them.
You will want to ensure that chicken is cooked to 165F using an instant read thermometer. Start with four minutes per side and continue cooking until fully cooked.
Yes! Air fried chicken is a healthy alternative to traditional fried chicken. Using real, whole food ingredients and only a fraction of the oil, you are having a healthy, well balanced meal.
Related Recipes
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The BEST Healthy Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Breast Cutlets
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds chicken breast butterflied
- 2 cups panko bread crumbs or make your own (see recipe in post)
- 1 egg
- ½ cup Kodiak Cakes Flapjack Mix
- ½ teaspoon salt divided
- ½ teaspoon onion powder divided
- ½ teaspoon pepper divided
- ¾ teaspoon paprika divided
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
Instructions
- To begin cooking the air fryer chicken breast, preheat Air Fryer to 390F. Spray roasting pan with olive oil spray.
- Trim chicken breast of excess fat. Be sure to butterfly chicken breasts or pound to no thicker than ¼ inch. This is an important step to make sure the chicken cooks thoroughly.
- Measure out breadcrumbs and Kodiak cake mix into two separate bowls. Season breadcrumbs and Kodiak cake mix evenly with spices. Add parmesan cheese to the breadcrumb bowl. Put egg in third bowl and scramble with a fork. Line up the bowls in order of Kodiak Cakes mix, egg, breadcrumbs.
- Dredge chicken in pancake mix then dip and coat into eggs. Coat with breadcrumb mix on all sides.
- Place chicken in air fryer basket and cook at 390F for 4 minutes. Flip and cook for 2-4 minutes depending on thickness of chicken. Chicken is cooked at 165F and is best determined with a meat thermometer. Cook until done.
Notes
- Temperatures for air fryers do vary. Use my recipe temperature and time as a suggestion and adjust to your own model.
- To ensure proper and even cooking, cook food in one layer to make sure both sides get crispy. Make sure you give each piece a bit of space to optimize crispiness.
- Spray your tray and food with coconut oil spray. It is better for your air fryer than using traditional cooking spray.
- Flip your chicken halfway (four minutes per side) for optimum crisp.
- Breading won't stick? Make sure you dry your chicken thoroughly before seasoning and breading.
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Windspirit says
These are absolutely exceptional! They are very flavourful, crunchy and just yummy! Thank you so much for this recipe. It will be my go to.
Lyndsey Piccolino says
I'm so glad you liked it!
Katelyn Kriegel says
Didn’t like, won’t use this recipe again. Lacked serious flavor and time for air fryer was SIGNIFICANTLY off (which I know air fryers can vary). Biggest complaint was lack of flavor. I have to drowned it in bbq sauce. Also, I dredged in the Kodiak and then dipped in the egg and when I did, all the pancake came off, so feel like a waste of the Kodiak. I would recommend increasing the salt and perhaps adding some Italian seasoning.
Lyndsey says
Sorry it didn't work out for you! The thickness of the chicken is super important to match up with the time.
Staci Cottingim says
It’s my second time making this in a week! My husband loved it so much! I even had Kodiak mix on hand, because it’s my favorite, especially because of the added extra protein! Will make this again and again!!!
Lyndsey says
That is awesome Staci! Thanks for your thoughtful review and comment. I'm so glad you liked it!
Kaeline says
I noticed for the nutritional information, it doesn’t mentioned serving size. It just says 6 servings. Is the 363 calories for 2 chickens? What size chickens?
Lyndsey says
Since the 1.5 pounds are cut into pieces, the total is 6 servings. It depends on how big of pieces you cut. Generally I use 3 large chicken breast so a half of a chicken breast is a serving. Hope that helps!
Jenna says
Easier if you convert to ounces. 4oz would be a serving
Isabella says
I used finely sifted almond flour instead of pancake mix but wow these were so good! Will definitely use this recipe again!
Lyndsey says
so glad you liked it!
Cookue53 says
Will definitely make again but will bump up the seasonings
Isabella says
I ran out of pancake mix and used finely sifted almond flour instead and oh wow these are so yummy! Will definitely make these again 🙂
Lyndsey says
so glad you made this and thank you for the comment and review!
Victoria says
This was pretty simple to make! I used regular Bisquik and some Italian bread crumbs that I had on hand, but it was so moist and tender!
Lyndsey says
I'm so glad it worked out for you! Thanks for trying it and for leaving a comment!
Marc says
These are delicious!!!
mommafitpgh@gmail.com says
Thank you!
jeanette west says
Can you use bisquick or another brand of pancake mix?
mommafitpgh@gmail.com says
I think you definitely could! I like Kodiak cakes because of the protein 🙂 Glad you enjoyed!
jeanette west says
Thank you! I’m not familiar with Kodiak Cakes but do have pancake mix!
mommafitpgh@gmail.com says
that will work 🙂
Haley says
Hi! I love this recipe so much but don’t have any pancake mix left. Is there a good substitute?
mommafitpgh@gmail.com says
coconut or almond flour might be good! So glad you like it! If you make it with one of these, let me know how you like it!