After repeated testing (thanks, Mom!) and over 75,000 visits, this air fryer stuffed chicken breast recipe has proven itself. Even if you’re new to air fryers, this one is a dream with simple prep, reliable timing, and deliciously cheesy results.
Everything you need to know for making stuffed chicken breasts in the air fryer. What to fill it with so that it’s juicy and cheesy inside, if you need to seal it closed (and how), and the timing and temperature so that it turns out exactly right.
Scroll down to read more about how it all comes together or click here to jump straight down to the recipe.
Video: Keep The Stuffing In The Chicken
How To Make Stuffed Chicken Breasts
This homemade Stuffed Chicken Breast is easy to assemble, and making it in your air fryer cuts down on time. There’s no marinating time or no standing by the frying pan. Just put your chicken in the air fryer and walk away. In fact, we have a whole collection of air fryer chicken recipes where your air fryer gets dinner on the table a little faster.
First, use a good sharp knife to butterfly your chicken breast to make a pocket for Cheddar cheese, tomato slices, and ham. This is where you cut the chicken breast in half horizontally but don’t quite slice through to the other side, keeping in one piece. The cheese, tomato, and ham add flavor and moisture.
Note: You can use a strip or two of cooked bacon instead of the ham, if you’d like. I did that in a previous version of this recipe, but I like it with ham better. I opted for ham because you don’t have to pre-cook it before putting it into the chicken.
Next, you’ll close up the chicken over the filling and spray the chicken with olive oil. You can skip this if you want to, but the top will be crispier if you lightly coat it with a cooking oil. Then, place your stuffed chicken breast in the air fryer over the crisper and cook for 20 minutes at 350°F. Leave it to the air fryer to do the rest of cooking.
Time And Temperature
You want to cook the stuffed chicken breast at 350°F for 20 minutes.
To make sure the chicken is cooked through, check the thickest part of the chicken with an instant read thermometer. The temperature should be 165°F. Be careful to make sure your thermometer isn’t reading the temperature of the stuffing. You want an accurate read on the center of the meat itself. If it’s not at 165°F, put it in for another 3-5 minutes and then test the temperature again.
You can cook two stuffed chicken breasts side-by-side in the air fryer using the method in the recipe below. If you have more than two, you will have to increase the cooking time to 25-30 minutes, simply because the extra chicken pieces cool the air fryer down quite a bit.
If cooking more than one stuffed chicken breast in your air fryer, make sure that they are in the air fryer in a single non-overlapping layer, and that they are not touching each other.
More Stuffed Chicken Recipes
If you love these stuffed chicken breasts, browse my full collection of chicken recipes or try some of these other great options.
Podcast Episode: Making Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Listen to our editor, Christine Pittman, explain briefly about how to make this recipe, with some great tips along the way, by clicking the play button below:
Listen to more Recipe of the Day episodes here.
Print
Air Fryer Stuffed Chicken Breast Recipe
Stuffed Chicken Breast is made with simple ingredients you already have in your fridge and can be made quicker than ever in the air fryer.
If you’re cooking 2 chicken breasts, increase cook time from 20 minutes to 25-30 minutes and make sure they aren’t overlapping.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 1 serving 1x
- Category: Entrée
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 boneless chicken breast
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1 slice Cheddar cheese
- 1 slice ham
- 2 slices tomato
- 2 toothpicks or metal skewer
- Cooking spray (or use an oil sprayer like this)
Instructions
- Cut chicken breast horizontally with a sharp knife to make a pocket, making sure not to cut through the whole way.
- In a small bowl combine salt, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Season chicken all over, inside and out, evenly.
- Stuff the chicken breast with Cheddar cheese, ham, and tomato slices.
- Use toothpicks or skewer to close the pocket.
- Spray the chicken breast on both sides with cooking spray.
- Place the chicken breast in the air fryer basket (on top of the crisper plate if your air fryer has one).
- Set air fryer temperature for 350°F and timer for 20 minutes.
- When finished, check if the meat is cooked thoroughly with an instant read thermometer. It should read 165°F . Cook for another 3 – 5 minutes more if necessary.
Love this recipe? I’d appreciate it if you could scroll down and add a *5 star rating* to help others know they’ll love it as well!
This post originally appeared in September 2019 and was revised and republished in May 2025.
About to make recipe, sounds good.
Hope you loved it, Pat!
Tried this for the first time and it was delicious!
That’s wonderful, Shirley! Thank you.
Absurlutely amazing recipes. Thankyou so much. x
You’re welcome, Claire! I’m glad you’re enjoying our recipes and look forward to more comments from you!
I made this recipe when it had bacon in it and didn’t like it as much as the new version with ham. It turned out perfect!
That’s wonderful, Cheryl! Thanks for taking the time to let me know.
It i wanted to cook two stuffed breasts, what do you recommend the cooking time would be ?
You would use the same cook time, Elizabeth, just make sure the two chicken breasts aren’t touching so that the air can circulate around them both. Enjoy!
Is the bacon raw or cooked before putting in the chicken? Can I cook it at 400 for 20 minutes?
The bacon is still raw when you put it in the chicken, Andrea. I would stick with the time and temperature we have in the recipe to ensure it cooks through correctly.
I’m trying these tonight but there’s no way to put the air fryer basket in the crisper and at the same time so not quite sure about that step
Some air fryers come with a special crisper plate that sits in the basket, but if yours doesn’t, Andrea, you can just place the chicken in the basket. Enjoy!