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Frozen Chicken Breast in Air Fryer

Tender frozen chicken breast in air fryer is so easy to make! Great hack if you forget to defrost your chicken but dinner is just minutes away. Yes air fryer frozen chicken wings are great but to feed hungry kids you’ll want more than that. Works great to make Ninja Foodi frozen chicken too.

how to cook frozen chicken in air fryer

Want to make air fryer chicken breast with no breading but forgot to defrost it?? We’ll show you how to make tender frozen chicken breast in air fryer so dinner isn’t ruined! (affiliate links present)

How Long to Cook Frozen Chicken in Air Fryer

You’ll need about 15 minutes start to finish! First we made a KFC copycat air fryer fried chicken breast recipe. Then the next time I thought about it they were still rock hard! SO I had to figure that one out in order to save dinner for us, and share my findings with all of you too. 😉

Yes, we shared how to cook frozen chicken in the Instant Pot but now it’s time to use our other favorite appliance! And yes you can use those instructions for frozen chicken Ninja Foodi style too, they both have the high pressure function.

If you love air fryer recipes too, here are some resources to start with:

Then join our Facebook page where you can share and find more ideas you’ll love. We have a Foodi social media group as well.

cosori review

How Long to Cook Frozen Chicken Breast in Ninja Foodi

When using the air crisp feature in the basket provided this machine has the same timing! I am far from perfect. I have 3 girls, am homeschooling 2 of them, work full time (here), and sometimes forget to prep dinner. I always have a bag of frozen chicken in the freezer so that is usually my go to.

Yes I have made Crockpot frozen chicken before and that is great for shredded chicken tacos. BUT you have to remember to take that out and put it in the pot in the morning.

I am not always totally together in the morning to do this especially if we have a busy day of work and horseback riding ahead of us. 😉 SO I’m here to share my air fryer hack with you here today.

Frozen Chicken Breast in Air Fryer 2

How to Cook Ninja Foodi Frozen Chicken Breast

For this machine you would use the lid that is attached and the air crisp button. Directions below are the same from there. In 15 minutes you can go from out of the freezer to tender and juicy for dinner! Yes this is a healthy air fryer recipe, so if you’re following a keto or low fat diet this will be great.

We didn’t use any bread crumbs this time to keep the calories down, and if they’re rock hard nothing is going to stick anyway. If you’re looking for something more like air fried chicken without buttermilk but with a coating follow this recipe, or the one for homemade Ninja Foodi chicken tenders.

    BUT this basic chicken in the air fryer recipe is great for everyone, even my 11 year old loves it.  We’re using medium to large pieces found in a bag in your local grocery store freezer. Timing is set for the size and thickness you see here, it may vary slightly depending on the size of your chicken pieces. If you have a Foodi you can make pressure cooker frozen chicken breast with sauce using the other lid too.

    air fryer chicken breast no breading
    What temperature should I cook frozen chicken breasts in an air fryer?

    360 F – 380 degrees Fahrenheit is the best temperature to air fry frozen chicken keeping the inside tender. You don’t want to cook it too high or else the middle won’t get done by the time the outside gets crispy.

    What seasonings should I use on frozen chicken breasts before cooking them in an air fryer?

    Use at least salt and pepper on the outside after spraying with a bit of olive oil so it sticks. You can use any other herbs you normally would use on fresh or defrosted pieces.

    How do I know when frozen chicken breasts are cooked through in an air fryer?

    The outsides should be golden brown and the insides should be tender. Lift the piece(s) out of the basket and it needs to register a safe 165 degrees in the thickest part before consuming.

    Ingredients

    1. Bag of frozen chicken breasts – 2 at a time fit comfortably
    2. Salt and pepper
    3. Garlic powder
    4. Parsley

    Let’s start with putting 2 into your air fryer basket. Then you’ll want to sprinkle with seasonings like garlic powder and anything else you’d normally use. This is what we sprinkled on before we began to cook the chicken. Add any other dry seasonings you’d like as well.

    air fryer frozen chicken

    How to Cook Frozen Chicken Breast in Air Fryer

    • I highly suggest you preheat the air fryer or the cook time will not be right. Doing so will also give you a better crisp on the outsides.
    • Now place your frozen chicken into your basket, we’re talking about previously fresh and not breaded chicken here
    • Add your seasonings (could spray a bit of olive oil if it is not sticking)
    • Close your basket and set to 360 degrees for 15 minutes
      • if your meat is on the smaller side I would set for 12 minutes and check
      • always ensure internal temperature of chicken is 165 degrees to be safe
    • Allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing to maintain juiciness and enjoy!

    How to Cook Tyson Frozen Chicken Breast in Air Fryer

    The brand doesn’t matter. One thing that would make a difference would be if it was a processed breast that was breaded. In that case you would want to follow our Frozen Chicken Patties in Air Fryer instructions, still great but just not the same.

    Frozen Chicken Breast in Air Fryer

    What other frozen meat can you cook in an air fryer?

    Other Ninja Foodi air fryer recipes you’ll love

    If you’re wondering how to cook other frozen foods, follow and print out our air fryer cooking times chart (linked above). That’s how we knew how long to cook our frozen Ninja Foodi sausages and more.

    Side dishes that go well

    I mean a vegetable is usually what we pair with every meal and many times some sort of carb. Rice is an easy one that is cheap and everyone loves it. Since you have the protein covered think outside of the box and grab produce that is on sale at the time.

    ninja foodi frozen chicken breast

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    ***** If you LOVED this recipe give it 5 Stars below and let everyone know what you thought about it. 😉

    the typical mom
    A plate of grilled chicken breast slices garnished with chopped parsley. The chicken, originally cooked as frozen chicken breast in an air fryer, has visible grill marks and the slices are arranged neatly on a rectangular white plate. The background includes a wooden surface.
    Print Pin
    5 from 7 votes

    Frozen Chicken Breast in Air Fryer

    Tender frozen chicken breast in air fryer is so easy to make! Great hack if you forget to defrost your chicken but dinner is just minutes away.
    Course Entree, Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Keyword air fryer, chicken, chicken breasts, frozen, keto, low carb, ninja foodi, no breading
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Cook Time 15 minutes
    Servings 2
    Calories 260kcal
    Author The Typical Mom

    Equipment

    Ingredients

    • 2 large frozen chicken breasts frozen, boneless skinless is what was used
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1/4 tsp pepper
    • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
    • 1/4 tsp parsley flakes

    Instructions

    • Put frozen chicken breasts in your air fryer basket. Sprinkle ingredients on top evenly between the two of them.
    • Close and cook at 360 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove and check to ensure they are done (some are thicker than others so may need additional time). Allow to sit for 5 minutes to maintain juices before slicing them.

    Video

    Nutrition Facts
    Frozen Chicken Breast in Air Fryer
    Amount Per Serving (3 oz)
    Calories 260 Calories from Fat 54
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 6g9%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Cholesterol 145mg48%
    Sodium 844mg37%
    Potassium 836mg24%
    Carbohydrates 1g0%
    Sugar 1g1%
    Protein 48g96%
    Vitamin A 68IU1%
    Vitamin C 3mg4%
    Calcium 11mg1%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    how to cook frozen chicken in air fryer
    frozen chicken in air fryer
    5 from 7 votes (3 ratings without comment)
    Recipe Rating




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    Christy

    Saturday 26th of June 2021

    I recently purchased a Cuisinart Air Fryer/ Toaster Oven TOA-60. The first thing that I made was over-cooked and dry (not your recipe). I found your blog and placed one smaller-sized frozen chicken breast sprinkled with tumeric, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper and lightly brushed with avocado oil in the basket and air fried for 11 minutes; it was beautifully browned but not quite up to temperature, so I turned it over and cooked it for another 3 minutes. It was absolutely perfect—good enough for company! THANK YOU for all of the time it takes for you to test and share!

    The Typical Mom

    Tuesday 29th of June 2021

    You're welcome, glad it was a hit

    Katie

    Tuesday 16th of March 2021

    This is such a great tip to know, especially when you just want an easy meal!

    The Typical Mom

    Tuesday 16th of March 2021

    Yay!

    Jill Baird

    Tuesday 16th of March 2021

    Ok, why haven't I thought of doing this before!?! Thanks for all your air fryer recipes! This one is another winner!

    Vanessa

    Thursday 19th of November 2020

    Are you cooking this on air fry or on roast setting?

    The Typical Mom

    Thursday 19th of November 2020

    In an air fryer basket or in Foodi using air crisp

    Lorraine

    Thursday 27th of August 2020

    I have frozen chicken cutlets. Does anyone have a recipe I could use. I just got the pressure cooker air fryer. Never used it before. Does anyone have any advice

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