Air Fryer Chili Lime Chicken Breast

Air Fryer Chili Lime Chicken Breast is easy to make and so flavorful. This chicken breast is easy to cook in the air fryer and flavored with chili and fresh lime juice.

Chicken in the air fryer is so easy to make. All you need is your favorite seasonings and spices, and some chicken, and you can create an easy and flavorful meal.

One of the best things about cooking chicken is that you can cook a few pieces and then eat throughout the week! It's great for meal prep. I'll use these in salads, grain bowls, or pastas. The chicken breasts are also delicious on their own paired with your favorite vegetable.

Ingredients:

• Chicken breasts
• Chili powder
• Limes
• Garlic powder
• Olive oil
• Salt

Equipment needed

Air Fryer - This is an air fryer recipe, so having an air fryer is key! This is the air fryer I have and I love it.

Meat Thermometer - Any time I make chicken in my air fryer, I always want to make sure it is cooked to a safe temperature. With chicken, cook times can vary so much based on the size and thickness of your chicken. A meat thermometer helps me to always know my chicken is cooked properly. Chicken breast should be cooked to a temperature of at least 165 degrees F.

Customizations:

These chili lime chicken breasts are so easy to customize.

For a spicier kick, add a little cayenne pepper to the marinade. You could also add red pepper flakes or even some harissa.

Love cilantro? Turn this into a cilantro lime chicken by topping with fresh cilantro leaves.

Can this be made with chicken thighs?

Yes! This can be made with boneless skinless chicken thighs or bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs.

For boneless skinless chicken thighs, simply marinate as recommended, then cook in the air fryer at 400 degrees F for 12-14 minutes, flipping halfway through until chicken thighs reach a temperature of 175-195 degrees F.

For bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, follow our recipe here for air fryer chili lime chicken thighs.

Can this recipe be made in the oven?

Yes! To make oven-baked chili lime chicken breasts, simply marinate as instructed, then put on a greased sheet pan. Bake at 375 degrees F until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Cook time will vary based on the size of your chicken breast. For medium/large chicken breasts, cook at least 20-30 minutes.

How to serve:

The chili lime chicken breast is a great recipe to meal prep and then use later in salads, grain bowls, or in pastas.

You can also serve with a fresh squeeze of fresh lime juice, lime wedges, and lime zest to increase the citrus flavor.

Side dishes that pair well with the chicken include air fryer butternut squash, air fryer asparagus, air fryer broccolini, roasted red cabbage, and chipotle mashed sweet potatoes.

Recipe tips:

• All sizes of chicken will cook differently. Use a meat thermometer to make sure your chicken is cooked properly (to at least 165 degrees F). Larger chicken breasts may need an extra 7-15 minutes of cook time, depending on the size.
• Love more chili or more lime? Simply add more of what you love to the marinade.
• You should not need to spray your air fryer with olive oil spray/cooking spray. However, if your air fryer is prone to sticking, you may want to use an air fryer-safe spray or air fryer parchment paper.

How to make the chili lime chicken breasts:

First, add your chili lime marinate ingredients to a bowl. Add the fresh lime juice, olive oil, garlic powder, chili powder, and salt.

Mix together until combined.

Add chicken breasts and coat with the marinade. Marinate for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Remove chicken breasts and place into air fryer basket.

Cook in the air fryer for 16-20 minutes, flipping after 10 minutes until chicken is perfectly juicy. Serve with extra lime wedges if desired for extra lime flavor.

Other air fryer chicken recipes to love: