Air Fryer Chicken Breast – Quick 17-Minute Recipe
Tender and flavorful chicken breast cubes, quickly cooked in the air fryer. A healthy and tasty dinner ready in under 20 minutes.
Steps
- 1
Pat the chicken breast cubes dry with paper towels. Cut large pieces into uniform sizes for even cooking.
- 2
In a bowl, mix the chicken cubes with olive oil, salt, pepper, and chosen spices (paprika, garlic, chili). Let marinate for a few minutes if time allows.
- 3
Preheat the air fryer to 190°C (375°F). Cook the chicken cubes for 12 minutes, shaking the basket or turning the pieces halfway through for even browning.
- 4
Let the chicken rest for a minute, then serve hot. Ensure it is fully cooked before serving.
Shopping list
400g chicken breast, 1 tbsp olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika powder, garlic powder, chili powder
Recipe story
Oven-baked chicken has long been a celebratory dish in many cultures, from French cuisine to Mediterranean. This modern air fryer recipe retains the essence of classic flavors but reduces cooking time, making it ideal for quick weekday dinners.
Ingredient Secrets
Black pepper
Known as 'black gold' in antiquity, pepper was so valuable that it served as currency and tribute. In the Middle Ages, Venetian merchants controlled the pepper trade, and individual peppercorns were often counted. Legend has it that when Alaric, king of the Visigoths, demanded tribute from Rome, he included 3,000 pounds of pepper.
Sea salt
Sea salt, extracted from ocean waters by evaporation, was one of the most precious goods of antiquity, used both as food and as currency. In ancient Rome, soldiers were paid with salt, which is the origin of the word 'salary'. Salt roads connected entire civilizations, and in the Middle Ages, salt was so valuable it was called 'white gold'.
Paprika
Paprika, a emblematic spice brought to Europe by Christopher Columbus from the New World. Although associated with Hungarian cuisine, its origins are in Central America, where it was used by the Aztecs.
Garlic
Native to Central Asia, garlic was already known in ancient Egypt, where it was given to slaves to boost their strength. In ancient Greece, athletes consumed it before competitions, and in Rome, legionaries considered it essential for courage. During the Middle Ages, it was used to ward off vampires and the plague.
Olive oil
Originating in the Mediterranean basin, olive oil was already produced in ancient Crete 5,000 years ago. In ancient Greece, it was considered a gift from Athena and used in lamps, cosmetics, and religious ceremonies. The Romans spread it throughout the empire, and in the Middle Ages, monasteries preserved the tradition of its production.
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