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close up photo of two chicken breasts in the basket of an air fryer.
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5 from 6 votes

Air Fryer Lemon Garlic Chicken

This lemon garlic chicken is packed with flavor, and is such a versatile dinner idea for the family!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Rest time5 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Entree, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: air fryer chicken
Servings: 2 servings
Calories: 330kcal
Author: The Chunky Chef

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp avocado oil olive or vegetable oil can be substituted
  • 3 tsp lemon juice
  • zest from one lemon
  • 1 tsp dried parsley
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika regular paprika can be substituted
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 - 3 cloves garlic finely minced or grated
  • 2 (8 oz each) boneless skinless chicken breasts trimmed of any excess fat

Garnishes

  • lemon zest
  • lemon wedges to add a squirt of lemon juice
  • minced fresh parsley

Instructions

Make marinade and prepare

  • Preheat air fryer to 370°F.
  • In a mixing bowl, add the avocado oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, dried parsley, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, and garlic. Whisk to combine well.
  • Add chicken to bowl, and turn to coat. Let chicken sit in the marinade while the air fryer finishes preheating.

Air fry

  • Lightly spray the basket of the air fryer with a nonstick cooking spray (we love a non-aerosol avocado oil spray), then add chicken, leaving some room in between each breast to allow the air to circulate.
  • Cook for 10 minutes, then open the basket and turn the chicken over. Continue air frying another 5-7 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160°F (an internal thermometer is super helpful, and relatively cheap).

Rest

  • Remove the chicken from the air fryer and place on a plate, tent some aluminum foil over the top, and let rest for 5-7 minutes. This will allow the chicken to rest (so the juices can redistribute), and the chicken will actually continue to cook a bit (this is called carryover cooking), and rise several more degrees to reach an internal temperature of 165°F.

Garnish and serve

  • Serve chicken garnished with some fresh parsley, and a wedge of lemon, which can be squeezed over the chicken for an added pop of flavor.

Notes

  1. This recipe makes 2 chicken breasts. If you'd like to make more than that, you'll either need a larger air fryer that can accommodate that, or you'll have to cook the chicken in batches.

Oven Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F, and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
  2. Marinate as directed, then transfer chicken to prepared baking sheet and bake for 16-20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F.
  3. Let chicken rest as directed, then garnish and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 330kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 48g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 845mg | Potassium: 887mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 565IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg