Air fryer crispy onion chicken is flavorful and easy to make. This air fryer chicken can be cooked in less than 25 minutes and is perfectly crunchy thanks to the French fried crispy onions.
Okay, the other day we got Hello Fresh. And in our order was this onion crunch chicken. And it was so delicious, I dreamt about it afterwards. Okay, maybe not quite.
But I DID think about it the next day. And the next. And then I decided I needed to make a version of it, but in the air fryer.
The chicken gets lightly dredged in flour here, and then coated in a homemade honey mustard sauce, and then covered in the crushed French fried onions.
After it's cooked in the air fryer, it is so flavorful and crispy and delicious. This onion crunch chicken is one of my favorite chicken dishes that requires minimal ingredients, but is so easy to make.
Ingredients
- Chicken breast
- French fried onions
- Dijon mustard
- Honey
- Olive oil
- Flour
- Salt
- Pepper
What are French fried onions?
French fried onions, also known as fried onion straws or crispy onions, are thin slices of onions that have been coated in a seasoned flour or breadcrumb mixture and then deep-fried until crispy and golden brown.
They are commonly used as a topping for salads, casseroles (like green bean casserole!), and other dishes to add a crunchy texture and savory flavor.
You can find these French onions in most grocery stores, and Trader Joe's, Randall's, and Target have their own branded versions.
Customization ideas
Want a bit of spice? When adding salt and pepper to the chicken, also add a little ground cayenne. You can also add red pepper flakes.
Want even more flavor? Season the chicken breast with onion powder, garlic powder, or smoked paprika before adding flour.
What to serve with the French onion chicken?
This chicken pairs well with so many other dishes! Some of my favorites are air fryer asparagus, air fryer sweet potato wedges, air fryer smashed potatoes, or air fryer lemon zucchini.
Recipe notes
- Watch carefully to make sure french onions do not burn in the air fryer.
- When cooking chicken in the air fryer, I highly recommend a meat thermometer as cook times can vary based on the thickness of your chicken breast.
How to make air fryer crispy onion chicken
Add the crispy French fried onions to a bowl. Smash some with a spoon/fork so that there are no overly large pieces.
To another bowl, add the dijon mustard, olive oil, and honey.
Stir together with a fork or a whisk.
Take your chicken breast and slice in half lengthwise so that you have two thinner slices of chicken breast. This will help them to cook more quickly in the air fryer.
Season with pepper and a tiny bit of salt (if desired) -- note -- the Fried onions also add a lot of salt to the chicken.
Sprinkle the flour over the chicken breasts and then rub into coat on all sides.
Coat each chicken breast in the honey mustard mixture.
Dip in the crispy onions to coat on each side. Don't worry, there will be spaces in between the onions.
Either brush your air fryer basket with oil or use air fryer parchment paper.
Place the chicken in the air fryer basket.
Cook at 380 degrees F for 10-14 minutes, flipping after 6 minutes. Chicken is done when internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
Plate and enjoy!
More air fryer chicken recipes
- Air fryer peri peri chicken
- Air fryer bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- Air fryer bbq chicken thighs
- Air fryer panko chicken
- Air fryer paprika chicken
- Air fryer honey dijon chicken
- Air Fryer Pretzel Chicken
More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes
Recipes to love
Air Fryer Crispy Onion Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 chicken breast
- 1 cup crispy fried onions
- 2 Tablespoons dijon mustard
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon flour
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
- Pat chicken breast dry with paper towels. Slice in half so that you have two thin chicken breasts.
- In a bowl, add the crispy fried onions. Crush any larger pieces with a fork or spoon.
- To another bowl, add the dijon mustard, olive oil, and honey. Stir until combined.
- Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper. Then, sprinkle the flour over the chicken breasts and then rub into coat on all sides.
- Dip each chicken breast in the honey dijon mixture, and then in the crispy onions to coat the chicken breasts.
- Either brush air fryer basket with oil or use air fryer parchment paper. Place chicken breasts in air fryer basket.
- Cook at 380 degrees F for 6 minutes, then flip and cook another 4-8 minutes until chicken breast is cooked through (for a total of 10-14 minutes).
- Plate and enjoy.
Notes
- Do not oversalt your chicken before cooking. The crispy fried onions can be salty, so they already add a nice amount of salt.
- Watch carefully to make sure french onions do not burn in the air fryer.
- When cooking chicken in the air fryer, I highly recommend a meat thermometer as cook times can vary based on the thickness of your chicken breast. Chicken should be cooked to a temperature of 165 degrees F when measured with a meat thermometer.
Nutrition
If nutrition info is shown, values are based on an online calculator and are estimates. Please verify using your own data.
karen richards
i have no air fryer..can this be made in the oven.
Aimee
It absolutely can! Cooking times will depend on the thickness and size of chicken, but I would do 425 degrees F for 20-25 minutes for smaller chicken breasts. Use a meat thermometer if you have one to make sure chicken is cooked through (if they are thick or large, they may need a longer cooking time).