This Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan surprised us at how easy and perfectly this turned out. There’s an unconventional method in breading the chicken, but the end result yields crispy and perfectly seasoned chicken. Melted whole milk mozzarella and marinara sauce rounds out this classic Italian dish. Delizioso!
My Air Fryer has become a kitchen tool that I use more often than I had imagined I would! The Air Fryer doesn’t require any preheating. I find, many times, it cooks things much faster than my gas oven. It’s easy to clean, too.
During those hot summer months, when you don’t want to heat up your kitchen, an Air Fryer can save the day! In my last post for Italian Pasta Pomodoro, I shared a simple and flavorful recipe for an Italian Tomato Spaghetti Sauce.
There was just over a cup of the Pomodoro Sauce left over, from last night’s meal. I got an idea. I had a thawed chicken breast that was fairly large and thick– large enough for the two of us.
I butterflied the chicken breast, covered it with plastic wrap and pounded it until thin. Classic Chicken Parmesan is prepared by coating the chicken in flour, dipping it in egg and then coating it with bread crumbs. America’s Test Kitchen developed a very clever way to adapt a method for the Air Fryer. Without oil in a hot skillet, how could they get the coating to turn brown and crispy? Let me show you!
Coat panko crumbs with olive oil, then brown in the microwave (watch it closely, as mine browned very fast). Add grated Parmesan and give it a good stir. Set aside to cool.
The next step is a bit unconventional but it works! Beat egg and the flour together, along with seasonings. Dip the chicken breast into the egg mixture, then gently press the browned panko crumb/cheese mixture to evenly coat the chicken.
This is our Ninja Air Fryer, that has two drawers. It’s perfect for us, because I can Air Fry two different recipes with different times -OR- I can use both baskets for the same recipe with the same cooking time.
The chicken is ready to be Air Fried! Moisten the basket (in my case, the removable racks) with olive oil spray. Set the temperature to 400F and a timer for about 15 minutes. Go! Flip the chicken halfway through. The chicken should register 160F.
I was so pleased with the golden and crispy coating on the chicken. Sprinkled grated fresh whole milk Mozzarella and return to the air fryer for about one minute or until melted.
To serve, spoon over heated marinara or Pomodoro Sauce recipe and garnish with fresh basil.
TASTING NOTES: I’ve made Chicken Parmesan multiple times, but this Air Fryer method is a game changer! For one, a lot less oil is needed to achieve that coveted crispy coating. My husband loved this recipe, and says he hopes that I’ll make this one again. Dinner was on the table in less than 45 minutes, so that’s also a “win”!
The crispiness of the panko crumb coating was pure enjoyment, along with more pasta with that delicious Pomodoro Sauce.
Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¾ cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and pepper
- 2 8 ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts trimmed and pounded thin
- 2 ounces whole-milk mozzarella cheese shredded (½ cup) NOTE: pre-shredded Mozzarella doesn't melt as well.
- ¼ cup jarred marinara sauce warmed
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil garnish
Instructions
For the crumb coating:
- Toss panko with oil in bowl until evenly coated. Microwave, stirring frequently, until light golden brown, 1 to 3 minutes. Watch closely after the one minute mark, so it doesn't burn.Transfer to a shallow dish, let cool slightly, then stir in Parmesan.
For the egg mixture:
- Whisk egg, flour, garlic powder, oregano, ⅛ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper together in second shallow dish.
For the chicken:
- Pound chicken to uniform thickness as needed.
- Pat dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
- Working with 1 breast at a time, dredge in egg mixture, letting excess drip off, then coat with panko mixture, pressing gently to adhere.
Air Fryer instructions:
- Lightly spray base of air-fryer basket with vegetable oil spray.
- Arrange breasts in prepared basket, spaced evenly apart, alternating ends.
- Place basket in air fryer and set temperature to 400 degrees. (There is no need to preheat.)
- Cook until chicken is crisp and registers 160 degrees, 12 to 16 minutes, flipping and rotating breasts halfway through cooking.
- Sprinkle chicken with mozzarella. Return basket to air fryer and cook until cheese is melted, about 1 minute.
- Transfer chicken to individual serving plates. Top each breast with 2 tablespoons warm marinara sauce and sprinkle with basil. Serve with a side of pasta and a green salad for a rounded meal.
Notes
Nutrition
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