This lemon pepper chicken breast Air Fryer recipe is savory, tart and peppery, deliciously tender, and juicy. Simple and absolutely delicious!
Do you have 30 minutes? That's all the time you need to make this delicious lemon pepper chicken breast air fryer recipe. You'll make a juicy chicken breast with a beautiful citrus flavor by using lemon pepper seasoning available in any grocery store and a dash of onion, garlic, and paprika.

Air fryer lemon pepper chicken is super tender because the air fryer cooks the meat quickly and evenly so that moisture isn't lost. The zesty lemon pepper seasoning on the outside goes wonderfully crisp, contrasting wonderfully with the juicy chicken breast in the middle.
Lemon pepper chicken breast is quick and simple to prepare, making it perfect for a weeknight dinner or to meal prep for the week ahead. Light yet satisfying, it's lovely served with your favorite roast veggies, chopped into pasta, or a simple salad.
Ingredients you'll need to make lemon pepper chicken breast.

**Find the full list of ingredients along with the recipe instructions at the end of this post**
Chicken breast - the better quality the meat, the more delicious your lemon pepper chicken in the air fryer will be! Chicken breast is low in fat but high in protein, which will help you feel full and may help with weight loss.
- Olive oil - the air fryer uses less oil than other cooking methods, which means less fat in your meal.
- Lemon pepper seasoning - lemon pepper seasoning is available in most grocery stores. However, you can make it yourself out of lemon zest, pepper, and salt if you want to. If you're going to try something different, you can also use fajita seasoning, jerk seasoning, parsley, rosemary, basil, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Garlic powder.
- Onion powder.
- Paprika. Choose paprika, smoked paprika (for a rich smoky flavor), or hot paprika (for added spice).
Tools used to make the recipe.
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- Small bowl (to mix the seasoning)
- Large bowl (to season the chicken)
- Air fryer
- Meat thermometer
How to cook lemon pepper chicken breast in air fryer
Combine the lemon pepper seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika in a small bowl. Set aside

Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel and place them in a large bowl; rub the olive oil and the lemon pepper seasoning mixture on both sides.

Place the seasoned chicken breasts in the air fryer basket in a single layer and cook to 380ºF for 20 minutes turning halfway through or until an instant meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part reaches 165ºF. Serve and enjoy!

How long to cook lemon pepper chicken breast in an air fryer
It takes around 20 minutes at 380°F to cook lemon pepper chicken air fryer; however, the exact timing will depend on the size of your chicken breast and on which air fryer you have.
When cooking chicken, always use a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the meat to check that it has reached a safe internal temperature of 165°F before serving.

What to serve with lemon pepper chicken breast
This easy lemon pepper chicken breast is terrific served with creamy instant pot mashed cauliflower and crisp air fryer green beans for a low-carb meal that's packed full of flavor.
Other delicious sides you can make in the air fryer are:
- Cauliflower tots in the air fryer
- Japanese sweet potatoes air fryer
- Air Fryer Baby Carrots
- Air Fryer acorn squash
- Easy Air Fryer Eggplant
How to store leftover chicken breast
When storing leftover air fryer lemon pepper chicken breast, always be sure to get it into the fridge or freezer within 2 hours of cooking; this helps to ensure that bacteria can't grow.
Seal your chicken into an airtight container or zip lock bag and store in the fridge for 3-4 days and the freezer for 3-4 months.
How to reheat chicken in the air fryer
To reheat lemon pepper air fryer chicken, preheat the air fryer to 360°F and then air dry for 6 to 8 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Be sure to flip it once during cooking to ensure it heats evenly.
If you are heating from frozen, you will need to increase the time by 10 minutes.
FAQ's
You can use fresh lemon zest to make your own lemon pepper seasoning if you like, but I always use pre-made lemon pepper seasoning to make lemon pepper air fryer chicken breast. It's easier and delicious!
Lemon pepper seasoning is a zesty citrus seasoning perfect for making air fryer lemon pepper chicken breast recipes. It's made from dried lemon zest, salt and pepper, and sometimes onion and garlic powder.
Can I use chicken thighs?
If you're making lemon pepper chicken in the air fryer, chicken thighs will still be delicious, but they will taste different from chicken breast. The main difference is that chicken thighs are fattier than chicken breasts.
More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes you'll love
- Air Fryer Pecan Crusted Chicken Breast
- Air Fryer Grilled Chicken Breasts
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Chicken Quesadilla
- Air Fryer Chicken Meatballs
- Chicken Fajitas in Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Chicken Chilaquiles
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Lemon Pepper Chicken Breast Air Fryer Recipe
This lemon pepper chicken breast Air Fryer recipe is savory, tart and peppery, deliciously tender, and juicy. Simple and absolutely delicious!
Ingredients
- 2 (9 ounces) Chicken breasts
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon lemon pepper seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
Tools Used
Instructions
- In a small bowl combine the lemon pepper seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. Set aside
- Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel and place in a large bowl, rub the olive oil and rub the lemon pepper seasoning mixture on both sides of the chicken breasts.
- Place the seasoned chicken breasts in the air fryer basket in a single layer and cook to 380ºF for 20 minutes turning halfway through or until an instant meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part reaches 165ºF. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 78Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 650mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 1g
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is calculated using a nutrition facts calculator. It is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on products used. When the recipe list salt to taste the amount of salt is not calculated, only the sodium in the other ingredients is calculated.