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This juicy and delicious Air Fryer Lemon Chicken Bites recipe is the perfect addition to so many meal ideas and it’s perfect for meal prep! The flavor factor pops by a million!
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Air Fryer Chicken Breast
Chicken is probably the most popular protein used in our house. We eat it 3-4 times per week. With all of those nights of chicken on the menu, I’m always looking for new and easy ways to prepare it.
This Air Fryer Chicken Bites recipe has quickly become a favorite because of how quick and easy it is to put together. Also because of how flavorful and juicy the chicken is when cooked in the air fryer!
Lately, I have become obsessed with air fryer recipes – it seems like I’m trying to cook everything in there! I love how versatile this recipe is and have even meal prepped it to eat throughout the week!
Ingredients
- boneless skinless chicken breasts – boneless skinless chicken thighs will also work very well for this recipe. Especially because chicken thighs are very juicy.
- lemons (or lemon juice) – If you want to use bottled lemon juice for the marinade instead of fresh lemons, feel free to do so. Lime juice will change the flavor, but limes can be used instead.
- olive oil – Add some extra olive oil if you are going to marinate this overnight. You can use grapeseed oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil as a substitute.
- garlic powder
- salt
- lemon pepper
- dried basil
- fresh parsley, optional garnish
- additional lemon slices, optional garnish
How to make Air Fryer Lemon Chicken Bites
- Cut the chicken into 1-inch, bite-sized cubes and pat dry with a paper towel. Place the chicken pieces into a gallon-sized plastic bag.
- Cut the lemons in half and squeeze the juice into a medium-sized mixing bowl. Whisk in the olive oil, garlic powder, salt, lemon pepper, and dried basil.
- Transfer the marinade mixture into the bag with the chicken cubes and slosh the bag to coat the chicken thoroughly with the marinade.
- Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, up to 4 hours.
- When ready to cook, heat the air fryer to 375°F.
- Place the chicken cubes in the air fryer but be sure not to overcrowd the basket. Do them in batches if needed.
- Cook in the air fryer at 375°F for 8 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F, then remove the chicken from the air fryer to a plate.
- Serve warm with chopped parsley and sliced lemons as optional garnishes.
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Lemon Chicken Bites FAQs
Make sure to store any leftover chicken bites in the refrigerator. Cooked chicken will be good for 3-4 days. You can also freeze this, and it will keep for a couple of months. Be sure to reheat the chicken to 165°F inside before consuming.
What I love about these Lemon Chicken Bites is that they are very versatile and easy to put into many different dishes.
– Use these in any salad that works well with lemon flavoring.
– Add this chicken to rice for a delicious chicken and rice dish.
– These bites are a perfect addition to a white sauce pasta dish.
– You can also use these as an excellent protein for a typical dinner dish, like mashed potatoes and roasted cabbage, brussels sprouts, or asparagus.
Recipe Notes
- It is important to cook your chicken to 165°F.
- Air fryers and cook times may vary. Please use common sense when cooking your chicken.
- It is important to preheat your air fryer. Preheating helps ensure even cooking and helps the chicken tastes its best.
- I like to give the air fryer basket a little jiggle halfway through the cooking time to help ensure even browning. Also, since the heat source is at the top, it will tend to cook slightly faster.
- Do not overload the basket. It’s best to cook in batches if necessary.
- Do not marinate for longer than 4 hours, or the chicken may start to cook on the edges from the acid in the marinade.
- This is a great recipe to meal prep ahead for the week. There are tons of ways to use this chicken recipe once it’s cooked.
Other recipes you may enjoy
Air Fryer Lemon Chicken Bites
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 lemons, or about 4 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- Chopped fresh parsley, optional garnish
- Additional lemon slices, optional garnish
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into 1-inch, bite-sized cubes and pat dry with a paper towel. Place the chicken pieces into a gallon-sized plastic bag.
- Cut the lemons in half and squeeze the juice into a medium-sized mixing bowl. Whisk in the olive oil, garlic powder, salt, lemon pepper, and dried basil.
- Transfer the marinade mixture into the bag with the chicken cubes and slosh the bag to coat the chicken thoroughly with the marinade.
- Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, up to 4 hours.
- When ready to cook, heat the air fryer to 375°F.
- Place the chicken cubes in the air fryer but be sure not to overcrowd the basket. Do them in batches if needed.
- Cook in the air fryer at 375°F for 8 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F, then remove the chicken from the air fryer to a plate.
- Serve warm with chopped parsley and sliced lemons as optional garnishes.
Notes
- It is important to cook your chicken to 165°F.
- Air fryers and cook times may vary. Please use common sense when cooking your chicken.
- It is important to preheat your air fryer. Preheating helps ensure even cooking and helps the chicken tastes its best.
- I like to give the air fryer basket a little jiggle halfway through the cooking time to help ensure even browning. Also, since the heat source is at the top, it will tend to cook slightly faster.
- Do not overload the basket. It’s best to cook in batches if necessary.
- Do not marinate for longer than 4 hours, or the chicken may start to cook on the edges from the acid in the marinade.
- This is a great recipe to meal prep ahead for the week. There are tons of ways to use this chicken recipe once it’s cooked.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made this and it was delicious,
Delicious!! I made this tonight. It is on my list of go to meals moving forward.