Name: Air-Fryer Crispy Breaded Chicken Breasts with Creamy Apple-Fennel Salad
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 cup panko bread crumbs; 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 1 large egg; 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard , divided; 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour; ¼ teaspoon table salt; 2 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts , trimmed; 1 tablespoon plain yogurt; 1 teaspoon lemon juice; 1 teaspoon capers , rinsed, plus 1 teaspoon brine; 1 fennel bulb , 1 tablespoon fronds minced, stalks discarded, bulb halved, cored, and sliced thin; 1 apple , cored and cut into 2-inch-long matchsticks

Why This Recipe Works

The convection heat of the air fryer quickly produced delectable golden-brown, breaded chicken breasts that crisped up with very little oil, tasting rich but staying low in calories. We also made an aromatic salad to accompany the dish, dressed with yogurt instead of mayonnaise. For the chicken, we found that panko worked better than ordinary bread crumbs for a crisp coating. The challenge was that the panko browned unevenly in the air fryer. Pretoasting the panko bread crumbs in the microwave with a little olive oil helped, guaranteeing evenly golden crusts. We also pounded the chicken breasts to facilitate even cooking and browning. To streamline the breading process, we whisked flour into an egg, added a generous dollop of Dijon mustard for brightness and tang, and quickly dipped the chicken into this mixture before dredging it with the toasted panko. For our salad, we whisked together a creamy rémoulade-style dressing of yogurt, Dijon mustard, caper brine, and lemon juice, tossing it with a thinly sliced fennel bulb, chopped apple, and capers. If your fennel does not have fronds, substitute 1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill or parsley.

Before You Begin

This recipe can be easily doubled.

Instructions

Toss panko with oil in shallow dish until evenly coated. Microwave, stirring frequently, until light golden brown, 1 to 3 minutes; let cool slightly. Whisk egg, 1 tablespoon mustard, flour, and salt together in second shallow dish.

Pound chicken between 2 sheets of plastic wrap to uniform thickness. Pat dry with paper towels. Working with 1 breast at a time, dredge in egg mixture, letting excess drip off, then coat with panko, pressing gently to adhere.

Lightly spray bottom of air-fryer basket with canola oil spray. Arrange breasts in prepared basket, spaced evenly apart, alternating ends. Place basket into air fryer and set temperature to 400 degrees. Cook until chicken is crisp and registers 160 degrees, 12 to 18 minutes, flipping and rotating breasts halfway through cooking.

Whisk yogurt, lemon juice, caper brine, fennel fronds, and remaining 1 teaspoon mustard together in large bowl. Add apple, fennel bulb, and capers and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve chicken with salad.