Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Chicken Breast

Succulent lean chicken breasts in a flourless breading packed with lots of lemon pepper flavour. A totally simple, grain/gluten free chicken dinner that can be made in your air fryer or in your oven.

Chicken breasts garner a bad reputation of being very samey, bland with a lack of variety. Well I totally disagree with with this statement because using the right ingredients and method anything is possible.

This lemon pepper chicken is truly mind blowing because it has the right balance of lemon, black pepper and there's even some rosemary and garlic thrown in for good measure.

It's a duo optional recipe so you can either make it in the oven or air fryer which is my favourite kitchen gadget.

Lemon pepper chicken breast is a great option if you are seeking poultry that is clean, lean and flavoursome.

I make this recipe using two methods - breaded or unbreaded depending on my fitness regime or what additional foods my body may need.

I also like to rotate between these Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings, Gluten Free Chicken Nuggets and these Thai Chicken Satay as long as I have some almond butter in my house.

My favourite way to bread chicken now is using ground almonds, trust me its foolproof and does the job. I buy huge bags of ground almonds and use them for baking or breading meat.

If you are keto, gluten free or even paleo the great news is I've covered three lifestyle with this recipe.

It is an air fryer recipe BUT I know not everyone owns an air fryer I do always aim to offer alternative cooking instructions where possible.

Ingredients you will need

• Chicken fillets
• Almond meal/ground almonds
• Lemon pepper seasoning
• Garlic granules
• Rosemary
• Lemon zest
• Lemon juice
• Eggs
• Himalayan pink salt

How to make lemon pepper chicken

• Start by tenderising the chicken using a mallet/tenderiser to soften and flatten the meat.
• Dip the chicken in the egg wash (use hands or tongs if you wish)

Roll the chicken in the breading so it is evenly coated and shake off any excess.

Then cook the chicken in the air fryer for 14 minutes, turning over half way through.

Breading the chicken (avoid it flaking off)

This seems to be a common complaint when making homemade breaded chicken. I will try my best to troubleshoot this issue.

Let's imagine you have all of you ingredients in place, the seasoned breadcrumbs in one bowl and the egg wash directly next to each another. Okay, great so .........

• Grab each chicken fillet (one at a time)
• Dip the chicken in the egg wash (leave it to sit in the egg wash for a few seconds while holding it)
• Use a pinching motion (index finger and thumb or use tongs) to pick up the chicken and suspend it over the bowl with the egg wash so the excess drips back into the bowl.
• Place the chicken in the bowl with the breadcrumbs and roll the breadcrumbs onto the chicken, while still holding onto the chicken breast using the pinching motion. DON'T USE TONGS FOR THIS STEP OR THE BREADING WILL SLIDE OFF. Pile any extra crumbs on if there are any uncoated areas. The key is to not create a thick breading so it doesn't dislodge during cooking.
• Pull the breaded chicken from the bowl and again hold it over the bowl so any excess falls off.

Oven version

• Preheat to 200c/400F/gas mark 4 and place a grate or grill over a baking tray.
• Lightly oil the grate/grill and set aside.
• Place the ingredients for the lemon pepper seasoning in a large bowl.
• Crack the eggs in another medium sized bowl and beat together to make the egg wash and place next to the breading.
• Dip one chicken breast at a time in the egg wash. Then use a pinching motion using your index finger  (or tongs) and thumb to pick up the chicken breast. Allowing the excess to drip back into the bowl before placing in the bowl with the breadcrumbs.
• Place the chicken on top of the breading (still holding onto the chicken in a pinching motion). Roll the chicken into the breadcrumbs while still holding onto the chicken breast using the pinching motion. Pile any extra crumbs on if there are any uncoated areas.
• Pull the chicken from the breading (still pinching it in place) and shake off the excess crumbs
• Repeat the above 3 steps with the remaining chicken
• Place each chicken in the grill/grate and drizzle/spray a small amount of oil on top of the chicken fillets.
• Bake in the oven for 30 minutes turning over half way through

Notes and tips

• Chicken breast fillets are preferred for this recipe especially if you want lean meat and follow a healthy eating lifestyle. However you can use a different cut of meat if you wish i.e thighs, wings, leg but you would need to adjust the cooking time.
• 
• Tenderising the meat: Very important aspect for that succulent chicken fillets. I used a mallet, chopping board and cling flim (saran wrap) to create a barrier between the chicken and the mallet so it won't directly hit the meat.
• I used my homemade Lemon Pepper Seasoning . It's a nice inexpensive balance of lemon & pepper that can be used for other culinary concepts.
• Use gluten free panko or chickpea breadcrumbs if you have a nut allergy.
• The egg wash:  Add lemon juice so the fillet can be infused with more lemon. Don't put off by the amount of lemon being referenced in the recipe. I have tried it several times on family too and they have given me the seal of approval.

More chicken recipe you make like

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Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Chicken Breast

This Lemon pepper chicken is cooked perfectly in the air fryer and perfect to make weeknights for the family.

5 from 7 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Entree

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 14 minutes

Total Time: 39 minutes

Servings: 4 -6 servings

Calories: 347kcal

Author: Charla

Ingredients

• ▢ 4-6 chicken breasts washed and dried

The breading

• ▢ 2 cups of almond meal
• ▢ 2 tablespoon of lemon pepper seasoning see post for link
• ▢ ½ teaspoon of garlic granules
• ▢ ½ tablespoon of rosemary
• ▢ 1 tablespoon of lemon zest
• ▢ ¼ cup of lemon juice
• ▢ 1 teaspoon of himalayan pink salt

For the egg wash

• ▢ 2 large eggs
• ▢ 2 tablespoon of lemon juice

Instructions

• Coat/spray the air fryer basket with oil and set aside
• Place the chicken on a chopping board then cover over the chicken with cling film (saran wrap). Use your mallet/tenderiser to hit the chicken several times all over to soften and flatten it out.
• Place all of the ingredients for the breading in a large bowl and mix thoroughly
• Crack the eggs in another medium sized bowl and beat together to make the egg wash and place next to the breading
• Dip one chicken breast at a time in the egg wash. Then use a pinching motion using your index finger (or tongs) and thumb to pick up the chicken breast. Allow the excess to drip back into the bowl before placing the bowl with the breadcrumbs.
• Place the chicken in the breading (still holding onto the chicken in a pinching motion) and roll the chicken into the breadcrumbs while still holding onto the chicken breast using the pinching motion. Pile any extra crumbs on if there are any uncoated areas.
• Pull the chicken from the breading (still pinching it in place) and shake off the excess crumbs
• Repeat the above 3 steps with the remaining chicken
• Place each chicken in the air fryer basket (work in batches if necessary) and drizzle/spray a small amount of oil top of the chicken fillets.
• Switch the air fryer on then select M temperate for 14 minutes at temperature 180c/356F making sure to turn half way through.

Notes

• Chicken breast fillets are preferred for this recipe especially if you want lean meat and follow a healthy eating lifestyle. However you can use a different cut of meat if you wish i.e thighs, wings, leg but you would need to adjust the cooking time.
• Tenderising the meat: Very important aspect for that succulent chicken fillets. I used a mallet, chopping board and cling flim (saran wrap) to create a barrier between the chicken and the mallet so it won't directly hit the meat.
• I used my homemade Lemon Pepper Seasoning . It's a nice inexpensive balance of lemon & pepper that can be used for other culinary concepts.
• Use gluten free panko or chickpea breadcrumbs if you have a nut allergy.
• The egg wash: Add lemon juice so the fillet can be infused with more lemon. Don't put off by the amount of lemon being referenced in the recipe. I have tried it several times on family too and they have given me the seal of approval.

Nutrition

Calories: 347kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 64g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 275mg | Sodium: 879mg | Potassium: 975mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 377IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 268mg | Iron: 6mg

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