Tired of the same old chicken dinners? This air fryer stuffed chicken breast is the ultimate comfort food recipe. Get the juiciest chicken with tender slices of apple and gooey, melted cheese!
Add extra flavor with this awesome dish, perfect for fall or anytime you want a delicious dinner that goes beyond the ordinary. And this dish can be on the table in as little as 30 minutes!
Making homemade stuffed chicken breast can seem intimidating, but the air fryer makes it easy for a weeknight dinner. The simple ingredients of cheese and apples add a burst of flavor that turns this into a gourmet meal!
Find more air fryer chicken recipes! Air Fryer Whole Chicken, Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan, or Chicken Egg Rolls for more easy recipes.
🍎Key Ingredients
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
Chicken breast – Use boneless, skinless breasts since they are easiest to stuff.
Apples – Almost any type of apple will work fine in this recipe. I like to use one that isn’t too soft, so it holds up well to the air frying. Some of my favorites are Empire or Honeycrisp.
Cheese – Munster, Gouda, or cheddar cheese pair well with apples.
Seasoning – The chicken is seasoned with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and parsley.
Oil – Use a spray bottle of olive oil or a pastry brush to add the oil. A commercial cooking spray can damage the nonstick finish on the air fryer basket.
🔪How to Make Air Fryer Stuffed Chicken Breast
1. Start Cooking Chicken
I like to air fry the chicken for about half the cooking time and then stuff it. Start by mixing the spices together in a small bowl. Then sprinkle about half of the seasoning over the raw chicken breasts.
Place a single layer of chicken in the air fryer. Brush or spray a bit of olive oil over the chicken and air fry it at 400 degrees F for 8 minutes. Then take it out of the air fryer and set the chicken on a cutting board to cool for 3-5 minutes.
2. Stuff Chicken Breast
Once the meat is cool enough to touch, use a sharp knife to cut a pocket into the chicken. Make sure you don’t slice all the way through! Add slices of cheese and apples into the butterflied chicken breasts.
The chicken breasts won’t be flipped over during cooking, so they should hold together. But you use a lot of filling, then add toothpicks to keep the filling inside.
3. Finish Air Frying
Put the stuffed chicken back in the air fryer. Brush it with more oil and sprinkle on the remaining spices. Then air fry them at 380 degrees F for 12 minutes until they are golden brown.
Check the internal temperature of the chicken using an instant-read thermometer. The chicken is done when the thickest part has reached 165 degrees F.
Always use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature, don’t try to cook based just on time. A thermometer is not expensive and the peace of mind they give you is priceless. Food poisoning is not fun! This is my favorite inexpensive meat thermometer, which you can buy on Amazon.
🍴Serving Ideas
These cheesy chicken breasts are a quick and tasty meal, especially in the fall. Add some garlic mashed potatoes and green beans for a fantastic dinner!
🍲When to Stuff Air Fryer Chicken Breasts
Many recipes for air fryer stuffed chicken breast suggest stuffing the raw chicken. I prefer to air fry the chicken for about half the cooking time and then fill it. There are a couple of reasons for this:
- It is easier to cleanly and evenly butterfly the chicken when it is partially cooked.
- It tends to be less messy. But the cheese still has plenty of time to get gooey and melt, and the remaining filling ingredients will soften.
📝Variations
You can use many different filling ingredients for chicken! Here are some other ideas to try.
- Use fresh spinach, sliced tomato, and mozzarella cheese, and season the chicken with Italian seasoning for an Italian-style meal.
- Use cream cheese or goat cheese instead of sliced cheese for a creamy filling.
💭How to Store and Reheat
To save the leftover chicken for later, store it in an airtight container and refrigerate it for 2-3 days. To reheat, put the chicken in the air fryer and cook at 350°F for 5-7 minutes until it’s warmed through.
⭐Tips for Making the Best Air Fryer Stuffed Chicken
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- Cooking the chicken a bit before stuffing makes it less messy.
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer. Cook in batches if necessary.
- Make sure you don’t cut all the way through the chicken breast when cutting the pocket.
- Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. Air fryer models cook differently, and chicken varies in thickness, so don’t just go by time.
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Air Fryer Stuffed Chicken Breast Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon parsley
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil or a spray bottle of oil
- 1 apple thinly sliced
- 4-5 slices cheese Munster, Cheddar or Gouda
Instructions
- Mix together the onion powder, garlic powder, parsley, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Season the chicken breasts with half of the mixture.1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon parsley, 3 skinless chicken breasts
- Place the chicken pieces in a single layer in the air fryer basket and brush with oil. Cook at 400° F for 8 minutes. Don’t overcrowd the air fryer.2 Tablespoons olive oil
- While the chicken cooks, slice the apple and cheese.1 apple, 4-5 slices cheese
- Take the chicken out of the air fryer and let it cool for a few minutes. Use a sharp knife to cut a pocket into the chicken breast.
- Stuff the chicken with a mixture of cheese and apple slices.
- Return stuffed chicken to the air fryer basket, brush the chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle with the rest of the seasoning mixture. Air Fry at 380 degrees F for 12 more minutes.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to verify the chicken has reached 165 F internally. If not, cook it a few minutes longer.
Notes
- Use a spray bottle with oil or brush the oil on with a pastry brush. Using a commercial cooking spray can damage the finish on the air fryer basket.
- Cooking the chicken a bit before stuffing makes it less messy.
- Make sure you don’t cut all the way through the chicken breast when cutting the pocket.
- Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. Air fryer models cook differently, and chicken varies in thickness, so don’t just go by time. Ensure the chicken reaches 165 F internally.
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
