Yes, you can actually cook frozen chicken breasts in air fryer, and they turn out surprisingly juicy. I do this all the time on busy weeknights when I forget to thaw the chicken, and this method gives me tender, flavorful results in about 30 minutes, with only a few simple steps.
From our community:
"The Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Breasts were absolutely wonderful! Just full of flavor, so juicy, and tender. It's the best "grilled" chicken I've ever made. I laid hot slices on a salad of arugula apple, strawberries, sliced walnuts, and feta cheese topped with Honey Lime Vinaigrette. 5 Stars!"
Air frying from frozen has become my favorite kitchen shortcut, and I love keeping my big chest freezer with chicken. This method is truly a lifesaver, if you are looking for minimum prep, no-thaw dinner that tastes great. Frozen chicken breasts and frozen chicken wings are the two I make the most at home, so if you love this method, definitely try my frozen chicken wings next.
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Why this recipe works
- Tested, and perfected by my me and and approved by readers: I cook chicken straight from the freezer all the time and after testing dozens of batches, this method gives me the most consistent, juicy results and the seasonings stay on the chicken. You can scroll down and see all great reviews from people who have made this recipe.
- Works with both basket and oven-style air fryers: I own both types, so I had a chance to tested this recipe on each. Oven-style air fryer may need one or two extra minutes of cooking time, but otherwise, the recipe comes out perfectly using either type.
- Recipe got improved over time: As I kept cooking more chicken from frozen, I have noticed that letting the chicken rest was not always enough to keep it juicy. So I tried wrapping hot chicken in foil and letting it rest for 5 minutes, and it made the meat noticeably juicier and more tender This small step improved the recipe, so I updated it to make results even better.
- Great for easy family-friendly dinners and meal prep: simple spices go well with any side dish. These chicken breasts stay juicy when sliced or shredded to use for meal prep. You can add them to your salads, bowls, pastas.
Below, I am sharing my step-by-step cooking process, tested tips, plus seasoning ideas and size-by-size timing.
Ingredients
See the recipe card for the ingredient quantities at the bottom of this post.
- Frozen chicken breasts: I usually buy a bag of already frozen skinless chicken breasts. They often come in small or medium sizes, perfect for air frying.
- Salt: I add salt to a frozen chicken before cooking. You can also add more after it has been air fried
- Oil: Olive oil or avocado oil works well.
- Dried herbs and spices: my everyday mix includes as paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried basil, and black pepper. You can also use your favorite seasoning blends.
Step-by-step process
Step 1. Remove the needed quantity of frozen chicken breasts from the bag. Sprinkle both sides of frozen chicken with salt. You can add more to taste after the chicken is cooked. In a small bowl, combine paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried basil, and black pepper to make the simple seasoning mix.
Step 2. Preheat the air fryer for at Spray the bottom of the pan with non-aerosol cooking spray or brush it with oil. Place chicken breast in the air fryer basket and back into the unit.
Step 3. Air fry at 375°F for 10 minutes, flipping the meat once halfway through. Air frying frozen meat first without oil and spices at lower temperatures allows the chicken to thaw.
Step 4. Next, remove the chicken on a plate and rub it with the oil and the spice mix.
Step 5. Place it back in the air fryer and cook it at 400℉ for another 10-20 or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F according to the USDA guidelines.
Note: The cooking time will depend on the size of the chicken breasts, you can see the cooking time breakdown chart below.
Step 6. After cooking, wrap each chicken breast in foil and let it rest for about 6 minutes. It helps the juices redistribute and the meat will not be dry.
My Expert Tip
I start by seasoning frozen chicken with just salt during the initial cooking time. Once the chicken has thawed a little in thee air fryer, I add oil and all the seasonings. This tip allows the spices to stay on the chicken, brown nicely, and release their full aroma without burning. You will have flavorful chicken that stays juicy, especially if you wrap it in oil and let it rest for a few minutes after cooking.
How long to cook frozen chicken in the air fryer
The cooking time will depend on the size and the thickness of your chicken breasts, as well as the type of the air fryer you use. Oven-style air fryer might take a slightly longer time to cook.
The most reliable way to know if the chicken is fully cooked is by using an Instant-read thermometer. It also helps you avoid overcooking it, which can make white chicken breast meat tough and dry, they are not as forgiving as chicken legs or wings. So instead of guessing, I always recommend using the thermometer.
I always use the approximate cooking times below based on the chicken breast size. and always confirm doneness with the instant read thermometer.
I recommend using the time ranges below based on the average weight of frozen chicken breasts for juicy results. However, every air fryer cooks a little differently, so it is always a good idea to confirm doneness with the instant read thermometer.
- Small (4-5 oz, 113 to 142 g) - 18-20 minutes
- Medium (6-8 oz, 170 to 227 g) - 23-25 minutes
- Large (10-12 oz, 283-340 g) - 28-30 minutes
Chicken breasts are fully cooked when the internal temperature reaches 165℉.
Make ahead
It's Sunday night and you forgot to meal prep your lunch for tomorrow? That bag of chicken in your freezer can come to the rescue. Just use your air fryer to have it ready in 30 minutes, cut into strips and pack it in airtight container with a side of veggies, salad, or rice.
- To store: Let chicken cool down completely, then transfer it to the air-tight container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days., according to these USDA guidelines.
- To freeze: After cooking the raw chicken from frozen, it is safe to freeze cooked meat.
- To reheat: Reheat cooked chicken in the air fryer for about 4-5 minutes at 375°F. You can also use a preheated oven at 375°F for about 10 minutes. If using a microwave, cover the chicken with a damp paper towel and reheat for 30-90 seconds until warmed through.
Favorite chicken seasonings and sauces
We cook chicken quite often at home, and it's easy to get bored with the same flavors. That's why I like to mix things up with different herbs and spices. Each one brings something new, especially when cooking the chicken from frozen. If you decide to brush it with the sauce, do it during the last 3-4 minutes of cooking time.
- Taco seasoning: chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, coriander.
- Italian seasoning: equal parts of dried oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, and a pinch of garlic powder.
- Cajun seasoning: combine paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, thyme, cayenne pepper, black pepper.
- Jamaican jerk: blend allspice, thyme, cinnamon, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper and a little bit of brown sugar.
- Sauces and glazes: BBQ, Honey BBQ, honey mustard, teriyaki glaze, lemon butter.
Favorite side dishes
Juicy chicken breasts go well with almost everything, and we rotate on different sides depending on how busy the day is. Here are some of our favorite side dishes that pair well with air fryer frozen chicken:
- Salads: keep it simple with fresh garden salad using whatever vegetables and dressing you have on hand, or go with classic Caesar salad.
- Potatoes: classic comfort side dish for chicken. You cannot go wrong with creamy mashed potatoes or try my easy and quick air fryer baked sweet potatoes.
- Rice: Simple Basmati rice works any time or add flavor and color with my Mediterranean rice with veggies.
- Oven-roasted or air fried vegetables sides: we love it with roasted green beans and carrots, or air fryer Brussels sprouts
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Breasts (Juicy, No Thaw Method)
Equipment
- 1 Air fryer I used Ninja XL
- 1 measuring spoons
- 1 meat thermometer
- 1 sheet foil
Ingredients
- 2 ea frozen chicken breasts ($6.00)
- ¼-½ teaspoon salt ($0.01)
- 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil ($0.50)
- 1 teaspoon paprika ($0.10)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder ($0.05)
- ½ teaspoon dried basil ($0.10)
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder ($0.05)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper ($0.05)
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer for 3-4 minutes. For now, season both sides of each chicken breast with only salt.
- Spray air fryer basket with the non-aerosol cooking spray or brush it lightly with oil. Place two frozen chicken breast in the preheated air fryer basket. Air fry at 375℉ for 10 minutes, flipping them once half way through.
- The chicken should be mostly thawed now. Remove from the basket, rub with olive oil and spices and return it to the air fryer. Cook for another 13-20 minutes at 400℉, or until the internal temperature reaches 165℉.
- Wrap cooked chicken in foil and let it rest for 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can safely cook frozen chicken breasts in air fryer without thawing. Start with lower temperature to thaw it first, then increase the temperature to 400F to finish cooking.
Cooking time depends on thickness and size of the chicken breasts. Small (4-5 oz, 113 to 142 g) take about 18-20 minutes, medium (6-8 oz, 170 to 227 g) take about 23-25 minutes, and large may need (10-12 oz, 283-340 g) up to 28-30 minutes.
Chicken breasts can turn out dry and tough if overcooked. Lean meat will be overcooked even with extra 1 minute. Use the meat thermometer and stop cooking it when internal temperature reaches 165F. For extra juicy chicken, wrap it in foil and let it rest for 5 minutes after cooking.
Yes, you can add sauce to the air fryer chicken, but do not add it at the beginning. Most sauces will burn. For best results, brush the sauce on the chicken during the last 3-4 minutes of cooking time. Great options include BBQ sauce, honey mustard, teriyaki glaze.
Grace Burns says
Tried this tonight and it worked pretty well! We had large chicken breasts from Costco that took a bit longer to cook (15 minutes until mostly thawed, 25 minutes after seasoning) but the idea to add the seasoning later was perfect! Thank you!
Nataliia says
You are very welcome. I am glad it turned out good. Thank you so much for your review!
Martina says
Worked beautifully! I made chicken thighs that were in the freezer for like 6 months. I never would have expected cooking it from frozen to be so good, thank you!
Nataliia says
Thank you so much for your review, I am happy the recipe turned out good. I absolutely love using my air fryer for cooking anything from frozen. So easy and quick.
Crystal Howard says
Thank you for the recipe! I used Traeger chicken rub and it was a great quick meal for my starving son, that just came in from work and didn’t want what we were having lol!
Nataliia says
I am so happy your son enjoyed it. It is wonderful to hear your feed back, thank you!
Nataliia says
You are very welcome, Will. I am glad your enjoyed this chicken recipe.
JRT says
DONOT use Aerosol spray in your air fryer as it breaks down the non stick coating! Also not good for your human body. Use a sprayed oil from a squirt bottle. Just an FYI.
Nataliia says
Thank you for your advice. 🙂 There are also non-aerosol cooking sprays these days, which I prefer as well.
Katherine Lyndon says
The Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Breasts were absolutely wonderful! Just full of flavor, so juicy, and tender. It's the best "grilled" chicken I've ever made. I laid hot slices on a salad of arugula apple, strawberries, sliced walnuts, and feta cheese topped with Honey Lime Vinaigrette. 5 Stars!
Nataliia says
I am so so happy you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful review and a serving idea. The salad combo sounds delicious.
Megan M says
This is my favorite way to make chicken now! Thank you so so much! The chicken was tender and juicy and full of flavor!
Megan says
Perfect recipe! This is how I’ll be making chicken breasts for the rest of my life!
Joey says
Thank you! I followed the preparation and cooking instructions and it came out great! I just used avocado oil and Montreal Steak Seasoning…I put it on everything :-). Can’t wait to get some Jamaican jerk and cook some more breasts this weekend. Really appreciate this thorough and easy-to-follow instructions for this philistine!
Nataliia says
Thank you for your feedback. I am so happy your enjoyed this quick and easy recipe.
Sue says
this was perfect! completely forgot to thaw chicken and found your site. Thanks!
Nataliia says
Thank you so much for your feedback, I am happy you enjoyed the chicken.
Megan says
Love that I’m the second to comment on this recipe today! It’s a wacky week and dinner was a last minute thought. Thanks for sharing a fantastic easy recipe!!!
Nataliia says
I am so happy you enjoyed it, thank you so much for your review 🙂
Charlene Henson says
Absolutely wonderful. Did not change one thing. I love the seasoning. I have made this recipe 3 times. 😊
Nataliia says
Thank you so much for your review, it really made my day. I am so happy that you enjoy this recipe!
Valerie says
Easy and fast, for those of us who are not good at meal planning!
Nataliia says
I 100% agree, thank you so much for your feedback!
Devon Meiners says
Bout to make this for brunch just don't know what seasoning I'll use 1st time trying frozen chicken boneless breast in a power xl air fryer and I'm hungry I can't wait 😋
Randy Haggerty says
I cook for my wife and I and have been looking for recipes for two. I never cooked any chicken except wings. This was a hit for us and willl be doing it more. Thank you
Nataliia says
I am so happy that it was a hit. Thank you so much for your feedback!
Alicia says
Thank you very much for the recipe. I cooked it for 10 at 375, then at 400 for 19-20 minutes. I also got the organic frozen chicken at Costco. It came out amazing!
Nataliia says
You are very welcome. It makes me very happy you game my recipe a try. Thank you so much for your comment and a feedback. I also like the idea of using organic chicken.
Daniel says
Recipe says "¼ onion powder". Do you mean "¼ tsp onion powder"? Thanks!
Nataliia says
Yes, it is 1/4 teaspoons. Thank you for letting me know. I have fixed it.
Cee says
I’m glad I came across your site. I followed this recipe for dinner tonight. It’s a keeper. I’ll be checking out more of your recipes.
Nataliia says
Thank you so much for your review. I am so happy you loved the recipe. I am excited for you to try my other recipes too.