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If you like spicy this Air Fryer Blackened Chicken is for you! Pair this spicy chicken dish with your favorite sides for an easy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients for Air Fryer Blackened Chicken
This recipe only really requires 3 ingredients unless you plan to make your own homemade blackened seasoning. Since we wanted to keep it extra simple we used a premade seasoning. For this recipe you will need:
- Chicken (breasts, thighs or tenderloins will all work)
- Melted butter
- Blackened seasoning- we used Zatarain’s premade seasoning or make your own.
Once all of your ingredients are ready, time to make your air fryer chicken.
How to Make Air Fryer Blackened Chicken
First, preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees while you prepare your chicken. To prepare your chicken, trim any fat off if desired. Chicken breasts, chicken tenderloins or chicken thighs will all work for this recipe!
Then, melt the butter in the microwave. Using a brush, cover the chicken in the melted butter on one side. Then coat heavily in the blackened seasoning. Flip chicken over and cover with butter and seasoning on the other side.
Next, place seasoned chicken into the air fryer basket. Be sure not to stack chicken and place in one layer in the air fryer basket. If necessary cook chicken in two batches. Cook at 400 degrees until the internal temperature has reached a minimum of 165 degrees.
We used chicken breasts and they took about 20 minutes to reach a safe temperature. Time should be adjusted based on the size of chicken breast. Thighs or tenderloins may also cook faster.
Once done, remove the chicken from the air fryer and let rest for 2-3 minutes before serving.
More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes
Serving Suggestions
Make blackened chicken tenders or chicken strips and serve on a sandwich. Add spicy pepper jack cheese for even more heat! Serve with chips as a side for an easy dinner.
Make blackened chicken tenderloins or breasts and slice to serve over a salad. Or replace the chicken in this Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad with blackened chicken for some extra flavor.
Have some extra time to make a big meal? Serve blackened chicken breast along with Gluten Free Dairy Free Corn Casserole and Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Parmesan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Blackened seasoning is made from a variety of spices that include chili pepper, red pepper, paprika, onion and garlic. It can be found premade in grocery stores or can be made at home. This homemade blackened seasoning is made from smoked paprika, cayenne powder, onion powder, garlic powder, ground black pepper, sea salt, dried basil, dried oregano and dried thyme.
Yes! Another great way to make blackened chicken is with a cast iron skillet. Prepare the chicken as instructed and then cook over medium/high heat in a cast iron skillet to brown on each side then finish in the oven at 400 degrees until cooked to a minimum of 165 degrees.
For this recipe you do not. The butter spread on the chicken before cooking will help it keep from sticking to the basket. As long as you have some kind of fat (such as olive oil or butter) on the meat or vegetables you are cooking in the air fryer you don’t need to spray the basket.
Absolutely! Raw chicken can be cooked in an air fryer just be sure to use a meat thermometer to ensure that it has reached a minimum of 165 degrees before removing it from the air fryer.
This recipe is gluten free as written but be sure to check your blackened seasoning if buying a premade version. To make this recipe dairy free substitute the butter with your favorite non-dairy butter. I do not recommend substituting olive oil in this recipe.
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Looking for more air fryer recipes? Try our Easy Air Fryer Crispy Parmesan Eggplant Fries, Easy Air Fryer Green Beans, 63 Best Vegan Air Fryer Recipes, Small Batch 20 Minute Air Fryer Snack Mix, Air Fryer Cube Steak, Air Fryer Teriyaki Tofu and Air Fryer Boneless Pork Chops.
Air Fryer Blackened Chicken
If you like spicy this Air Fryer Blackened Chicken is for you! Pair this spicy chicken dish with your favorite sides for an easy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken (breasts, thighs or tenderloins)
- 1 stick of butter, melted
- 1/4 cup blackened seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees.
- Prepare the chicken by trimming any fat off if desired.
- Melt the butter in the microwave in a microwave safe bowl.
- Using a brush, cover the chicken in the melted butter on one side.
- Coat heavily in the blackened seasoning. Flip chicken over and cover with butter and seasoning on the other side.
- Place seasoned chicken into the air fryer basket. Cook at 400 degrees until the internal temperature has reached a minimum of 165 degrees. We used chicken breasts and they took about 20 minutes to reach a safe temperature. Time should be adjusted based on the size of chicken breast. Thighs or tenderloins may also cook faster. If you have more chicken than you can cook at one time, cook in batches. Be sure to place chicken in one layer, do not stack.
- Once done, remove the chicken from the air fryer and let rest for 2-3 minutes before serving.
Notes
See post for additional notes on blackened seasoning.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 459Total Fat: 38gSaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 167mgSodium: 4821mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 28g