Air Fryer Shake and Bake Chicken

5 from 3 votes

This easy, homemade Air Fryer Shake and Bake Chicken has the perfect crunch and flavor that will have you coming back for more!

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Total Time40

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Air Fryer Shake and Bake, Shake and Bake Air Fryer, Shake and Bake in the Air Fryer

Servings:

Calories: 431kcal

Equipment

Air Fryer
Resealable Gallon Size Ziplock Bags
Measuring Cups

Ingredients

1 cup bread crumbs plain
1 tbsp corn starch
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp paprika
6 tbsp olive oil
2 chicken breasts butterflied

Instructions

Pour all the dry ingredients (bread crumbs, cornstarch, salt & pepper, paprika, onion powder, parsley, and thyme) into a large freezer bag. Mix together well.
Add in one tablespoon of olive oil and mix until a sandy texture is created.
Coat each piece of chicken with the remaining olive oil in a bowl or on a plate.
Put the chicken breasts into the bag, one at a time. Mix the mixture around and coat the chicken. (You can make a super thick coating by coating the chicken again in oil and adding back into the bag for a second coat!)
Preheat the air fryer for 3 minutes to 350 degrees.
Put the chicken breasts into the air fryer for 25 minutes of cook time. Cook until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees.
Take the chicken out of the air fryer and let it cool on a cooling rack. (This will prevent the bottom coating of the chicken from getting soggy as it cools.)

Notes

STORAGE NOTES

Air fryer chicken is perfect for leftovers! Make sure that you store the leftover chicken in an airtight container and keep it nice and cool in the fridge. It should stay fresh for up to 4 days.

HELPFUL TIPS & TRICKS

Keep in mind that thinner pieces of chicken may not need as much baking time. If it's thin, decrease the cooking time down to 17 minutes and then check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer.
Resist the urge to flip the breadcrumb chicken in the air fryer! The air circulation of the hot air in the air fryer will cook and crisp it evenly without the need to flip.
This recipe can be made in the oven as well - but it will lack that crispiness that the air fryer brings!
Adding in thyme is totally up to you. It has a "love it or leave it" mentality for many so you can leave it out without worries if you're not a huge fan.
Use this seasoning mix on chicken legs, chicken drumsticks, and any other air fryer chicken recipe that you want to create a crispy texture on.
Make sure to put the chicken pieces in a single layer so that all parts of the chicken crisp up!
If you're worried about the shake n bake chicken sticking to the air fryer basket, all you need to do is spray air fryer basket with some nonstick cooking spray.

Nutrition