Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Cutlets | Tender and Juicy Recipe! (2024)

These Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Cutlets are tender, juicy, and cooked to perfection with a crispy outside. Your air fryer or Ninja Foodi does all the work!

Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Cutlets | Tender and Juicy Recipe! (1)

Chicken cutlets are thin slices of chicken that are breaded and then fried. They can be served as a main course or used in salads, pasta dishes, sandwiches, and more!

While you can make fresh chicken cutlets in the air fryer, this recipe uses frozen chicken cutlets that you can purchase in the frozen section of your grocery store! Popular brands include Tyson, Perdue, Great Value, and Foster Farms.

The air fryer uses dry circulating heat that both thaws and cooks your chicken cutlets. This gives them a crispy outside, while the inside remains tender and juicy.

🍗Ingredients and Tools

  • Frozen Chicken Cutlets – Frozen chicken cutlets are great when you’re in a pinch and need a main course that’s crispy, crunchy, and packed with protein.
  • Air Fryer or Ninja Foodi – Any air fryer will work for this recipe. be sure to cook in batches to make sure they are in a single even layer.
  • Heat-Safe Tongs – The chicken will need to be flipped halfway, so make sure you have heat-safe tongs to keep your hands from burning.

📖How To Make Frozen Chicken Cutlets In Air Fryer

1️⃣Preheat the air fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 375°F for 3-5 minutes.

2️⃣Place the frozen cutlets in the air fryer: Place your chicken cutlets in a single layer on the preheated air fryer basket or tray.

3️⃣Air fry for 10 minutes: Cook the frozen chicken cutlets for 5 minutes, flip them with tongs, then increase the temperature to 400F. Cook for an additional 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through on the inside and crispy on the outside.

4️⃣Remove and serve: Using tongs, carefully remove the cooked chicken cutlets from the air fryer and serve with your favorite sides. Enjoy!

👩‍🍳Air Fryer Cooking Tips

  • If you are air frying multiple pieces at once, make sure they fit in a single layer and not on top of each other.
  • The air fryer chicken cutlets will be cooked through after 10 minutes of air frying, but if you prefer your chicken to be more golden brown on top, air fry for an additional 3-4 minutes.
  • The safe internal temperature of chicken breast is 165°F (74°C). If your chicken is thick, use a meat thermometer to check that the chicken is fully cooked.
  • How long to cook frozen chicken cutlets in the air fryer depends on the wattage and size of your air fryer and how thick the chicken is. Generally, they will be fully cooked in 10 minutes at 375F. You can experiment with higher cooking temperatures and longer times.

🍗More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes

  • Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Breast
  • Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Cutlets
  • Air Fryer Chicken Cutlets
  • Air Fryer Chicken Cutlets (No Breading)
  • Air Fryer Chicken Burger
  • Air Fryer Chicken Meatloaf

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Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Cutlets | Tender and Juicy Recipe! (2)

Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Cutlets

These Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Cutlets are tender, juicy, and cooked to perfection with a crispy outside. Your air fryer or Ninja Foodi does all the work!

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Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 129kcal

Author: Valerie Skinner

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Chicken Cutlets frozen

Instructions

  • Preheat the air fryer to 375°F for 3-5 minutes.

  • Place your chicken cutlets in a single layer on the preheated air fryer basket or tray.

  • Cook the frozen chicken cutlets for 5 minutes, flip them with tongs, then increase the temperature to 400F. Cook for an additional 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through on the inside and crispy on the outside.

  • Using tongs, carefully remove the cooked chicken cutlets from the air fryer and serve with your favorite sides. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 129kcal | Protein: 24g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 132mg | Potassium: 420mg | Vitamin A: 34IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 0.4mg

Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Cutlets | Tender and Juicy Recipe! (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep chicken breast from drying out in an air fryer? ›

The #1 tip for the best chicken breasts in an air fryer is: Don't overcook them! Chicken breasts should be cooked to 160°F, but if you cook them all the way to that temperature in the air fryer, carryover cooking will take them beyond that temp and cause them to dry out.

How long does it take to cook a frozen breaded chicken breast in an air fryer? ›

You don't need to use any oil in this recipe. I've never had the chicken breasts stick to the bottom. How long do you air fry breaded chicken breast? Cook frozen chicken breast for about 16 to 19 minutes at 380 degrees Fahrenheit, shaking the basket once at 8 minutes.

Can you put water in an air fryer to keep chicken moist? ›

The main reason for using a small amount of water is that it can help the food retain moisture while cooking and prevents burning. It can also reduce the amount of smoke if you're cooking greasy foods. The amount of water that you can put inside of your air fryer will depend on its size and capacity.

Can you cook chicken breast from frozen in an air fryer? ›

Can you put frozen chicken in an air fryer? Yes! Preheat your air fryer to 400℉ (200 ℃ ) and then place the frozen chicken in the basket for 10 minutes. Remove the chicken, add oil and seasoning, and cook it until the internal temperature is 74℃ (165℉) .

How to keep meat moist in an air fryer? ›

Using oil

Using oil in an air fryer is perfectly fine and helps the meat to remain moist and come out looking golden brown. However, a little oil in an air fryer does go a long way. With most cuts of pork, simply rubbing some oil into the meat will be all you need. You can use either regular olive oil or a spray oil.

How do I make sure my chicken breast is moist? ›

The best way to cook a chicken breast so it's moist and tender and not dry is to cook it in a water bath in a vacuum sealed bag. The temperature of the water bath should be between 150–160F. The chicken should be seared in a hot pan for no more than 2 minutes per side for color and texture.

What is the best way to cook frozen breaded chicken? ›

Place desired number of frozen breaded chicken breasts in 1 layer on cookie sheet. Bake 20 minutes. Turn over; bake 8 to 10 minutes or until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut (at least 165°F).

How long to air fry frozen breaded fillets? ›

Place the frozen breaded fish fillet in the air fryer basket. Make sure they aren't overlapping. No oil spray is needed. Air Fry at 380°F/193°C for 12 minutes.

Can you put foil in an air fryer? ›

The great news about air fryers is that you can use foil along with parchment paper to cook your food in an air fryer. Just remember that if it's safe and effective to use in a conventional oven, it will work just fine in an air fryer.

Why put water in the bottom of an air fryer? ›

Adding a little bit of water can help to hydrate the food in your air fryer and prevent it from becoming too dry. It adds moisture into the atmosphere of your air fryer and it's a great way to refresh any baked items you might want to cook in your air fryer.

Why is air fryer chicken so juicy? ›

"Due to the compact design of an air fryer, there's not as much room for the juices to evaporate like they sometimes do in other methods," Dang said. Air fryers also don't have preheating times. The fans in an air fryer turn faster, making the outer layer of food crispier, compared to a convection oven.

Do you spray the chicken with oil or the air fryer? ›

The oil will help the chicken to brown and not stick to the air fryer. You can brush the chicken with canola, avocado, or olive oil or simply spray cooking spray. If you do use cooking spray, I recommend using avocado or olive oil spray.

Can you cook straight from frozen in air fryer? ›

The air fryer is convenient for those with busy schedules who don't have time to cook on the stove throughout the week. However, did you know that you don't even have to thaw meat before cooking it in an air fryer? That's right — you can cook meat straight from frozen with little fuss.

Is it better to air fry frozen or thawed chicken? ›

Frozen foods are my favorite ones to cook in air fryer as you do not need to defrost anything. Frozen chicken breast is one of them I always recommend to try. And if you your chicken is already thawed, try our oven-baked chicken cutlets, BBQ chicken breasts in the oven or air fryer breaded chicken breasts.

How long does it take to cook frozen breaded chicken in an air fryer? ›

How long to cook frozen breaded chicken breast fillet in air fryer is 16-18 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillets. Smaller sizes will cook around the lower time range while larger pieces might take up to 18 minutes or longer.

Should I put foil in my air fryer for chicken? ›

Foil is safe to use in an air fryer so long as you follow three basic rules: never let foil touch the heating element; make sure the foil is weighted so it doesn't blow around the basket; and avoid contact with acidic ingredients, which can cause the foil to leach onto your food.

How do you keep skinless chicken breast from drying out? ›

To bake: Preheat the oven to 400 F. Place the breasts on a lined sheet tray in the oven and cook for 30 to 40 minutes. To maintain extra moisture, tent the foil halfway through to keep the breasts covered and lock in some more moisture.

Is air fryer chicken breast dry? ›

If your air fryer chicken breast is dry, it is mostly likely because you overcooked it. Use an inexpensive instant read thermometer to check for doneness. Chicken is considered cooked at 165 degrees F.

Why is my chicken still raw in the air fryer? ›

Energy Editor, said: 'Air fryers are generally easy to use, but it is possible for things to go badly wrong. If you overfill your machine or don't clean it properly you could end up with undercooked chicken and chips or a kitchen full of smoke.

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