Need more comforting Italian-inspired meals in your life? You have to try my Vegetarian Lasagna and my Pesto Risotto!
Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
I absolutely love chicken parmesan. Sometimes the effort that goes into frying chicken is a bit much and all of the extra calories from butter and oil really add up. If your looking for a healthier alternative to chicken parmesan that is JUST as crispy then you need to try this Air Fryer Chicken Parm! The trick to CRISPY chicken parmesan is adding the cheese FIRST then topping it with the tomato sauce. Adding the tomato sauce first causes the chicken breast to get soggy and the cheese just slides off when melted. Follow my recipe below for the perfect crispy, tender chicken parm!
Chicken Parmesan Ingredients
Chicken Breast: I like using boneless, skinless chicken breast for chicken parmesan. Generally chicken breast is the best option as opposed to chicken thighs. They are easier to cut in half to get a super thin chicken cutlet. Flour: First you’ll dredge the chicken in flour which gives the egg something to stick to. Egg: Then, dip in egg and then the breading! Breading: Panko Breadcrumbs, Parmesan Cheese, Italian Seasoning, Garlic Powder and Onion Powder are combined to make a savory, crunchy breading! The parmesan cheese makes the breading! We use almost as much parmesan cheese as we do breadcrumbs. Tomato Sauce: You can use your favorite brand of tomato sauce or try my slow cooker tomato sauce recipe! I like to keep it warmed up on the stove for topping the chicken once it’s done cooking. I also like to serve extra on the side for dipping! Mozzarella Cheese: I like fresh low moisture mozzarella cheese here as opposed to shredded mozzarella cheese. It melts perfecting in the air fryer! Fresh Basil: For serving, if desired.
How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
Air fryer chicken parmesan is so easy to make with just the air fryer! Here are the simple steps:
Prep the Chicken: Cut each chicken breast in half so you have four thin chicken breasts. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
Prep the Breading: Add flour to a shallow bowl. Add egg to a shallow bowl and whisk. In a third bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and onion powder. Set aside.
Dip the Chicken: Starting with the flour and ending with the breadcrumbs, dip the chicken into the flour, egg and then the parmesan breadcrumbs.
Preheat & Cook: Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees. Grease the metal rack insert with nonstick cooking spray. Add in the chicken breasts in two batches if necessary and cook for 5 minutes. Flip and spray the chicken breasts with nonstick cooking spray. Cook for an additional 4-5 minutes. Top with mozzarella cheese slices and cook for 2-3 more minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the chicken reaches and internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Top & Serve: Top with warmed tomato sauce and serve with fresh basil or parsley for garnish! Enjoy!
Tips for Success
Don’t have fresh mozzarella? Sliced cheese like provolone would also be great on this chicken parm! Don’t use too much sauce! Too much tomato sauce can cause the chicken to be soggy instead of crispy. Serve extra sauce on the side for dipping instead of dousing it in too much sauce! Serve this air fryer chicken parmesan with your favorite pasta or some zucchini noodles! Along with some garlic bread, you can have the perfect meal.
More Easy Chicken Recipes to Try
Chicken Cacciatore Chicken Puttanesca Chicken Katsu Chicken Lo Mein Korean Grilled Chicken
title: “Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan” ShowToc: true date: “2024-09-22” author: “Roxanna Dressler”
Serve the chicken parmesan with hot buttered noodles and spaghetti sauce, freshly toasted bread, and a light green salad for an Italian-inspired feast you won’t soon forget. If you’d like more delicious chicken dinner recipes, check out my honey garlic chicken, roasted chicken, chicken milanese, and chicken cacciatore.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts – bone-in chicken breasts do not work for this recipe, as the chicken will need to be cut in half to make cutlets for easy and quick air frying. Chicken thighs do not work either, as they do not provide the right texture. Panko Breadcrumbs – a lighter and flakier bread crumb than traditional, panko breadcrumbs provide a simply irresistible crunch to the air fryer chicken breading! Parmesan Cheese – freshly grated or shredded cheese will provide the best flavor, but pre-shredded cheese also works just fine. Italian Seasoning – made with basil, oregano, rosemary, marjoram, and thyme, Italian seasoning is a big factor in adding that quintessential Italian flavor to this chicken. For the best results, use dried Italian seasoning that has a good expiration date. Marinara Sauce – marinara sauce is front and center in this recipe, so use a good quality brand, if possible.
How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
- Preheat the air fryer to 370°F for 3 minutes. Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise, creating 4 chicken cutlets.
- Pound each piece of chicken between two sheets of plastic wrap to an even thickness, if needed. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Beat the eggs in a shallow dish.
- Combine the panko bread crumbs, a ½ cup of the Parmesan cheese, and the Italian seasoning in another shallow bowl.
- Dip each piece of chicken in the egg mixture and fully coat.
- Then, coat the chicken pieces in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing to adhere. Spray the breaded pieces with cooking spray. Working with 2 pieces of chicken at a time, place the breaded chicken in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Air fry on one side until golden brown, about 7 minutes.
- Flip the chicken and air fry for 2 minutes.
- With the chicken still in the air fryer, top each piece with 3 tablespoons of marinara sauce, 2 tablespoons of mozzarella cheese, and 1 tablespoon of parmesan cheese. Air fryer for 3 minutes longer, or until the cheese is melted and lightly browned. Repeat steps 3 and 4 with the remaining 2 pieces of chicken.
Pro-Tips For Making This Recipe
Pound the chicken breasts if necessary. That is, if some of the chicken pieces are thicker than others. This will help the chicken to cook more evenly and quickly. Season the chicken well with salt and pepper. These seasoning ingredients, though they may seem simple, enhance the flavor of the chicken and breading ingredients, making them essential to recipe success! You can even throw some garlic powder in the mix for an extra bump of flavor. Air fry the chicken in a single layer. The chicken need hot air to circulate in order for the chicken to cook evenly and for the breading to get nice and crisp. If your air fryer is large enough to accommodate all four cutlets in a single layer at once, cook the chicken all at once. Otherwise, cook the chicken in batches. Keep prepared chicken warm while the second batch cooks. Keep the freshly air-fried chicken parmesan in an oven preheated to 225°F until serving with the second batch.
If you’ve tried this Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
