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Crispy Air Fryer Chicken – Cozy Dinner Recipe

Crispy air fryer chicken gets a golden panko coating after a quick flour-and-egg breading, then cooks at 400°F until juicy and tender. Rest the cutlets for 3 minutes before serving for an easy cozy dinner.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
resting 3 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 390

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 lb chicken breasts boneless, skinless, cut into 4 cutlets about 1/2 inch thick
  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.5 tsp ground black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp paprika
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 egg large
  • 1 tbsp water
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 nonstick cooking spray as needed

Equipment

  • 1 6-quart air fryer

Method
 

  1. Preheat a 6-quart air fryer to 400°F.
  2. Lightly coat the air fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray.
  3. In a shallow bowl, mix the flour, salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder.
  4. In a second shallow bowl, beat the egg with the water.
  5. Place the panko in a third shallow bowl.
  6. Coat each chicken cutlet in the flour mixture, shaking off the excess.
  7. Dip each cutlet in the egg.
  8. Press each cutlet into the panko until fully coated.
  9. Arrange the cutlets in a single layer in the air fryer basket, working in batches if needed.
  10. Spray both sides lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
  11. Air-fry at 400°F for 10–14 minutes, turning halfway through, until the coating is golden and the thickest part of each cutlet reaches 165°F.
  12. Transfer the chicken to a plate and rest for 3 minutes before serving.

Notes

For an even coating, shake off excess flour before dipping the cutlets in egg. Refrigerate leftovers for 3–4 days; freezer storage is suitable. For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free flour and panko.