I know that meal planning and batch cooking is a great way to stay on track when eating healthy, but my challenge is, I am not a fan of leftovers. And I especially am not a fan of leftover chicken. So batch cooking at the beginning of the week and reheating chicken for the next 5 days is just not appealing to me. It’s like having to eat cotton every day! But I have discovered a way to cook chicken breast that leaves it flavorful and juicy so I can cook enough for a few days. The key is BRINING!
Brining is the process of soaking meat in seasoned salt water that results in tender, juicy and flavorful meat. My brine mix below can be made ahead of time and stored in a glass container like a mason jar.
The brine is made by dissolving 3 tablespoons of the brine mix in boiling water, cooling with ice cubes and adding chicken and water until the chicken is submerged. Brine for at least 5 hours and up to 12 hours.
Once chicken is brined, rinse with water and rub with olive oil and season with lemon pepper seasoning and a little salt and pepper. Air fry at 380 for 14 minutes, turning halfway.
I like to slice the chicken to store so it can be easily added to any meal. I use it cold on salad or in wraps, or heat up a serving to eat with a side of veggies or rice.
Enjoy and Stay Healthy!
Brined Air Fryer Chicken Breast
Ingredients
Brine Mix
- 1/2 cup kosher or sea salt
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 5 Tbs Italian seasoning can also do a mix of Rosemary, Thyme and Sage
- 2 Tbs dried minced garlic
- 2 Tbs dried lemon peel
Air Fryer Chicken
- 1 lb chicken breast
- 3 Tbs Brine mix from above
- 2 cups water plus more for brining
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
To Make Brine Mix
- Add all brine ingredients to a mason jar and stir to combine. Makes enough for 5 batches of chicken.
To Make Chicken
- Heat 2 cups of water to boiling. Add 3 Tbs of the brine mix and stir to dissolve.
- Add a cup of ice to a large resealable container. Pour brine mix over ice and stir to cool.
- Pound chicken breast to an even thickness and add to brine.
- Add more water until chicken is fully submerged. Cover and let brine in refrigerator for 5-12 hours.
- After brining, rinse chicken well and pat dry. Rub chicken with olive oil and season with lemon pepper seasoning and a little salt and pepper. Note that a lot of salt is not necessary because the chicken is already brined.
- Preheat air fryer to 380 degrees and set turn reminder.
- Add chicken in a single layer and air fry for 14 minutes, turning chicken halfway. Let cool before slicing.
