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This air fryer lemon garlic chicken breast is juicy, tender, and packed with bright, zesty flavor from a simple marinade. The lemon and garlic soak into the chicken while it marinates, so every bite is full of flavor without any extra effort on your end. Then, the chicken cooks quickly in the air fryer for an easy and delicious weeknight meal!
I make chicken breast in the air fryer all the time, but this lemon garlic version is the one I come back to when I want something with a little more flavor. The marinade takes just a few minutes to throw together, and the payoff is so worth it! Trust me, this one’s going to be on repeat in your kitchen, too. And if you’re looking for more ways to switch up your air fryer chicken, try our easy air fryer chicken breast recipe and air fryer BBQ chicken breast next!
Table of Contents
- 🔎 Quick Look: Air Fryer Lemon Garlic Chicken
- Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Substitutions & Variations
- How to Make Air Fryer Lemon Garlic Chicken Breast
- Expert Tips
- Serving Suggestions
- Storage Instructions
- Air Fryer Lemon Garlic Chicken FAQs
- More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes!
- Air Fryer Lemon Garlic Chicken Breast Recipe
🔎 Quick Look: Air Fryer Lemon Garlic Chicken
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 15 minutes
- ⏱️ Marinating Time: 30 minutes to 2 hours
- ⏱️ Cook Time: 10-14 minutes
- 🕒 Total Time: ~25-30 minutes + marinating time
- 🍽 Calories: ~230 kcal per serving
- 👥 Servings: 4
- 🥣 Key Ingredients: Chicken breasts, olive oil, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, Italian seasoning
- 👩🍳 Cook Method: Air Fryer
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Juicy & Tender: That lemon garlic marinade is the secret. It keeps this chicken so juicy and tender. There’s no dry chicken breast here!
- Quick & Easy: Just a little prep and marinating time, then it’s quickly cooked to perfection in the air fryer.
- So Versatile: I love having this chicken on hand for salads, pasta, wraps, you name it.
- Packed With Flavor: This marinade is what makes this recipe a total game-changer. Bright lemon, garlic, and herbs soak into the chicken so every bite is packed with flavor.
Key Ingredients
- Chicken: Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise before marinating. This helps them cook evenly and soak up even more of that lemon garlic flavor.
- Olive Oil: Helps the marinade coat the chicken and keeps it nice and moist in the air fryer.
- Fresh Lemon Juice and Zest: The star of this marinade. Fresh is a must here. Don’t swap in the bottled stuff. The zest adds an extra punch of lemon flavor you just can’t get from juice alone.
- Garlic: Fresh crushed garlic cloves give this marinade so much flavor. I always use fresh over the jarred stuff for this one.
- Italian Seasoning: An easy way to add flavor without measuring out a handful of different spices.
Find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.
Substitutions & Variations
- Chicken Thighs: You can swap in boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts. Just keep in mind the cook time will increase slightly since thighs are a bit thicker. For another delicious recipe, don’t miss our air fryer parmesan boneless skinless chicken thighs.
- Change Up the Marinade: Use this lemon garlic marinade as your base and swap in different citrus and herb combos to change up the flavor. Try lemon and basil, orange and rosemary, or lime and cilantro for a totally different flavor. For another incredible marinade, don’t miss my Grandmother’s lemon chicken marinade recipe!
- Italian Seasoning Blend: If you don’t have Italian seasoning on hand, make your own with 1 teaspoon of dried basil, 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, 1/4 teaspoon of dried rosemary, and 1/4 teaspoon of dried thyme.
- Bake or Grill Option: Don’t have an air fryer? No problem. To bake, place the marinated chicken on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 18-22 minutes, or until it reaches 165°F. To grill, preheat your grill to medium-high heat and grill the chicken for 5-7 minutes per side, or until it reaches 165°F. Either way, once done, let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
How to Make Air Fryer Lemon Garlic Chicken Breast
- Zest and juice the lemon, then whisk it together with the olive oil, minced garlic, and Italian seasoning to make the marinade.
- Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise so you have four even, thinner pieces, then season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Place the chicken in a large Ziploc bag or airtight container, then pour the marinade over top. Move the chicken around so it’s evenly coated. Seal the bag or container and place it in the fridge to marinate for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours.
- Remove the chicken from the fridge, add a parchment paper liner to your air fryer basket, and place the chicken in a single layer. Cook at 375°F for 10-14 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing, and top with chopped fresh parsley before serving.
Expert Tips
- Avoid the Pith: Only zest the yellow outer layer of the lemon. The white pith underneath is bitter and will throw off the flavor of your marinade.
- Slice for Even Cooking: Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise before marinating. This helps them cook evenly in the air fryer and soak up more of that lemon garlic flavor, too.
- Flip Halfway Through: Be sure to flip the chicken halfway through the cook time so it cooks evenly on both sides.
- Don’t Overcook: Keep an eye on your chicken so it doesn’t overcook and dry out. That said, always make sure it’s fully cooked through before serving. I like using a meat thermometer to check for an internal temperature of 165°F. It takes the guesswork out completely.
- Watch Your Chicken’s Thickness: Cook time will vary depending on how thick your chicken is after slicing, so keep an eye on it rather than setting and forgetting. At 375°F, thin cutlets (about ½ inch) will take about 10-11 minutes, medium cutlets (about ¾ inch) take about 12-13 minutes, and thicker halves (closer to 1 inch) take about 13-14 minutes. Always flip halfway through, and use a meat thermometer to confirm 165°F before serving.
- Shred It If You’d Like: Shredding the chicken is a great option for meal prep, tacos, or salads. Once it’s done cooking, shred it with two forks right on a cutting board. You can also toss it in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for an even faster shred. This is a total game-changer when you’re prepping a big batch!
Serving Suggestions
This air fryer lemon garlic chicken is so versatile! It works with just about anything. Here are some of my favorite ways to serve it:
- Salads: Slice it up and toss it over a big green salad, such as our Caesar salad with chicken or Italian chopped salad.
- Pasta: Dice or slice it and add it to your favorite pasta or orzo dish for an easy protein boost. Or, add it to our Italian pasta salad recipe!
- Wraps and Sandwiches: Pile it into a wrap or sandwich with your favorite veggies and a light dressing. Or, use it in our healthy Caesar wrap recipe.
- Bowls: Serve it over rice, quinoa, or cilantro lime cauliflower rice with roasted veggies for an easy meal.
- On Its Own: Pair it with a simple side like air-fried frozen broccoli, crispy air-fried green beans, air-fried garlic parmesan asparagus, or air-fried diced potatoes for a quick dinner.
Storage Instructions
Store leftover cooked lemon garlic chicken breast in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat leftovers in the air fryer or microwave until warmed through, or enjoy it cold over a salad.
Air Fryer Lemon Garlic Chicken FAQs
How Do You Air Fry Lemon Chicken Breast?
Marinate your chicken breasts in the lemon garlic marinade for at least 30 minutes, then place them in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook at 375°F for 10-14 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
What Makes Lemon Garlic Chicken so Tasty?
It’s all about the marinade. Fresh lemon juice and zest add bright, tangy flavor, garlic brings a savory depth, and the Italian seasoning ties it all together. Letting the chicken sit in that marinade gives it time to really soak up all that flavor.
More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes!
If you try this recipe, please be sure to leave us a comment and star rating, ★★★★★, letting us know how it turns out for you.
Air Fryer Lemon Garlic Chicken Breast
This air fryer lemon garlic chicken breast is juicy, tender, and packed with flavor from a simple marinade. It's easy, protein-packed, and great for meal prep!
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the Marinade:
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, after cooking (optional)
Instructions
- Zest and juice the lemon, then whisk it together with the olive oil, minced garlic, and Italian seasoning to make the marinade.
- Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise so you have four even, thinner pieces, then season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Place the chicken in a large Ziploc bag or airtight container, then pour the marinade over top. Move the chicken around so it’s evenly coated. Seal the bag or container and place it in the fridge to marinate for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours.
- Remove the chicken from the fridge, add a parchment paper liner to your air fryer basket, and place the chicken in a single layer. Cook at 375°F for 10-14 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing. This helps keep it juicy. Then, garnish with chopped fresh parsley before serving, and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Slice for Even Cooking: Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise before marinating. This helps them cook evenly and soak up more of that lemon garlic flavor.
- Italian Seasoning Blend: No Italian seasoning on hand? Make your own with 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary, and ¼ teaspoon dried thyme.
- Marinating Note: If marinating for a longer period of time, just note that the exterior of the chicken may appear white or opaque. This is a normal result of the lemon juice’s acidity and does not affect the final dish.
- Avoid the Pith: Only zest the yellow outer layer of the lemon. The white pith underneath is bitter and will throw off the flavor of your marinade.
- Bake or Grill Option: No air fryer? To bake, place the marinated chicken on a parchment-lined baking sheet at 400°F for 18-22 minutes, or until it reaches 165°F. To grill, cook over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes per side, or until it reaches 165°F. Either way, let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
Nutrition
Calories: 230kcal, Carbohydrates: 3g, Protein: 35g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1.5g, Cholesterol: 95mg, Sodium: 225mg, Fiber: 0g, Sugar: 0g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I absolutely love this Lemon Garlic Air Fryer Chicken! The lemon and garlic flavor is so fresh and delicious, and the chicken turns out juicy and tender every single time. It cooks up quickly in the air fryer, making it perfect for busy weeknights.
Yum delicious chicken!
Thank you for the delicious recipes
Hi Pat, thank you so much for the support! I’m so happy you’re enjoying the recipes!