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Air Fryer Italian Dressing Chicken

Name: Air Fryer Italian Dressing Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 14 min
Total time: 54 min
Ingredients: 4 boneless skinless, chicken breast; 16 ounces Italian dressing; 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

Author: Laurie Fleming
Published: May 21, 2021

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This Air Fryer Italian dressing chicken is soft, juicy, flavorful and perfect for your weeknight dinner rotation. You’ll just need 3 ingredients and a few minutes of prep time to make this delicious, succulent chicken.

Best of all, the dish is perfect even for beginners- it’s really hard to mess it up.

Air Fryer Italian Dressing Chicken on a plate with fresh herbs

have recently been experimenting with a lot of Italian recipes. The subtle, savory flavors are absolutely divine, and that’s what I love the most about it- less is more!

My Italian pull apart bread rolls and Air Fryer Italian charcuterie boards were both absolute hits at the last house party I hosted, and inspired by their success, I decided to try something with similar flavors, but simpler- something that I could make and enjoy even on a rushed weekday.

And that’s when I tried this recipe!

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

Weeknight meal: It’s so quick and effortless, you’re going to make this again and again, especially on rushed weeknights. I know I do!
Super easy: Making air fried chicken has never been easier! You’ll need no fancy ingredients and lots of prep time to put this Italian dressing chicken together.
Kid-friendly: If you’ve got a picky eater, definitely give this recipe a try! The simple, subtle flavors are sure to be a bit hit even with kids who don’t like to experiment.

Ingredients For the Air Fryer Italian Dressing Chicken Recipe

Ingredients for Air Fryer Italian Dressing Chicken laid out on the table

Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts work best for this recipe. They’re affordable and soak up all those Italian flavors beautifully.
Italian dressing: Choose the best quality Italian dressing you can find. This is the one that’s going to lend all the flavor to the chicken, so take your pick wisely.
Seasonings: Keep it simple here and let the Italian dressing shine. I used just a bit of garlic powder, black pepper and salt.

Variations & Substitutions

You can also choose a different cut of chicken if you want to. Chicken thighs are great, especially if you want to experience that fall-apart-in-your-mouth texture.
Add a bit of freshly squeezed lemon juice and some lemon zest to the marinade to lend it that bright, tangy flavor.
To add an extra bit of umami deliciousness, add a splash of balsamic vinegar to the marinade.
Want the chicken to have a bit of a spicy kick? Sprinkle some cayenne or smoked paprika into the mix. Red pepper flakes work great too!
To make gluten free Air Fryer Italian chicken, use a gluten-free Italian dressing as the marinade.

How to Make Italian Dressing Chicken in the Air Fryer

Marinated chicken breasts soaking in Italian dressing in a glass bowl.

Marinate chicken: Add the chicken breasts to a large bowl and top them with the Italian dressing. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

Step-by-step process: pouring Italian dressing over chicken breasts

Air fry time: Grease the Air Fryer basket with cooking spray and add the marinated chicken breasts in. Cook for 12-14 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway, and basting with more marinade if needed.

Finished marinated chicken breasts on a cutting board, ready to cook

Plate and serve: Serve the chicken immediately with a side dish of your choosing.

Plate if Italian Dressing Chicken garnished with fresh herbs.

Tips & Tricks to Make the Air Fryer Italian Dressing Chicken

Love cheese? Top the chicken with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese and pop it back into the Air Fryer again for a minute to get it nice and melty.
Marination is a must! Marinate the chicken breasts for at least 30 minutes, if not more. Doing this tenderizes the chicken and helps it soak all those delicious flavors.
Avoid filling up the basket with too much chicken. Depending on the size of your Air Fryer, you may need to cook in batches. The goal is to leave enough room so that the hot air can flow around the basket and get the chicken cooked on all sides.
Make sure you pat the chicken dry and remove all moisture from its surface before you air fry it. Doing this will help it get that nice golden brown exterior.
Preheat the Air Fryer for a few minutes before you add the chicken in. This gives the chicken a better texture and cooks it quicker too.
Flip the chicken halfway through the cooking time to get that golden brown crispy exterior on both the sides.
If you’re using frozen chicken for this recipe, make sure you thaw it completely and get rid of the excess liquid before you marinate it.

Storage Instructions

Refrigeration: Store your leftover Italian chicken in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, ideally in an airtight container to keep it fresh.

Freezing: This recipe is great for meal prep and freezing too! Marinate the chicken and pop everything in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. Then, when you want to enjoy it, just thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and cook it as you would, the next day.

Reheating: To reheat the chicken, pop it in the microwave for a few minutes until it has warmed through, or air fry it again with a bit of cooking spray to keep it moist.

Serving Ideas & Suggestions

This Air Fryer Italian dressing chicken is super versatile! Pair it with some Ninja Foodi brown rice to make it a wholesome and hearty meal or serve it with a simple veggie side dish like Air Fryer bang bang cauliflower or Air Fryer breaded zucchini.

On days when I’m really in the mood to put in a bit extra effort, I make my Olive Garden copycat stuffed ziti fritta or my Instant Pot Parmesan risotto to go with this tender, juicy chicken.

FAQs

How will I know the chicken is done cooking? The best way to check for the doneness of the chicken is to use a meat thermometer to check its internal temperature. If it reads 165 degrees, it is completely cooked.

How can I check if the chicken is cooked without a meat thermometer? If you don’t have a meat thermometer, poke the thickest part of the chicken with a fork or a knife. If the juices run clear and the chicken doesn’t look pink on the inside, it is cooked and ready to serve.

Can I use bone-in chicken to make Italian dressing chicken? You totally can! I personally prefer using boneless chicken, but if you have some chicken legs or drumsticks that you want to use, feel free to do so. Just remember that the cooking time for these will be slightly less.

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