Air Fryer Parmesan Crusted Chicken

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This Air Fryer Parmesan Crusted Chicken is made healthier in the air fryer, but is super flavorful, crispy on the outside, and juicy on the inside. It's an easy weeknight main dish that comes together in less than 30 minutes. It's sure to make it into your weekly dinner rotation!

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Ingredients
Step-By-Step Instructions
Serving Suggestions
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
Related Recipes
Air Fryer Parmesan Crusted Chicken
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Ingredients

These are some ingredient notes for this easy chicken recipe.

Chicken: A couple chicken breasts, sliced in half lengthwise to create 4 pieces.
Bread Crumbs: A mixture of whole wheat seasoned bread crumbs and panko bread crumbs. The addition of the panko gives it a little extra crispiness. I like these whole wheat bread crumbs from 4C. If you don't have whole wheat bread crumbs, you can definitely use regular seasoned bread crumbs.
Parmesan Cheese: Grated parmesan cheese. Freshly grated or from the plastic shaker both work well in this recipe.
Egg: An egg whisked together with a tablespoon of water to help the breadcrumbs stick to the chicken.
Seasoning: Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Even though the bread crumbs are already seasoned, some extra seasoning will boost the flavor.
Olive Oil Spray: To spray the air fryer basket to prevent the chicken from sticking and tops of the chicken to make them crispy.
Lemon: One lemon, sliced, for serving.

*The full ingredient list with amounts is in the recipe card below.

Step-By-Step Instructions

In less than 30 minutes, you can put together this simple but delicious Parmesan Crusted Chicken.

Prep the ingredients. Preheat the air fryer to 360° for 5 minutes. Using the flat side of a meat tenderizer, beat the chicken breast halves to ¼" thick. Season with salt and pepper.
Bread the chicken. In a shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs, panko bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, italian seasoning, and garlic powder. In another shallow bowl, whisk together the egg and water until combined. Dip a piece of chicken in the egg mixture and gently shake off any excess. Then dip it in the bread crumb mixture and toss to coat. Place on a plate then repeat with remaining chicken pieces.
Bake. Spray the bottom of the air fryer basket with olive oil. Place chicken pieces in a single layer in the basket so they are not touching. Lightly spray the tops of the chicken with olive oil. Bake for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden brown and cooked through. You may need to cook these in 2 batches depending on the size of your air fryer basket.
Serve and enjoy! Plate this chicken with a few lemon wedges, as it is best enjoyed with a squeeze of lemon.

Expert Tip: To reheat the first batch of chicken so everything comes out warm at the same time, place them back in the air fryer basket with the second batch after everything is done cooking. Cook for 1 more minute before serving so everything will be warm.

Serving Suggestions

This Air Fryer Parmesan Crusted Chicken is the perfect main dish for an easy weeknight dinner. Serve it with a squeeze of lemon for a nice bright flavor!

My favorite thing to serve with this chicken is a simple side salad. If you need an easy salad recipe, check out this Kale Crunch Salad or Apple Arugula Salad with Maple Vinaigrette.

For a delicious variation, you could turn this into chicken parmesan. Just top each piece with a tablespoon of sauce and sprinkle of shredded mozzarella. Put in the air fryer for an additional 1-2 minutes until cheese is melted.

Air Fryer Parmesan Crusted Chicken on a Plate with Lemon Slices

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

I don't have an air fryer. Can I make this in the oven?

Yes! Preheat the oven to 400°. Spray olive oil on a large baking sheet. Place the chicken on the sheet and lightly spray the tops with olive oil. Bake for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway, until cooked through and crispy.

Can I make this parmesan crusted chicken gluten-free?

Yes! Just use gluten-free bread crumbs.

Do I need to preheat my air fryer?

Not necessarily. Most air fryers do not need to be preheated. If you have a preheat option on your air fryer, then you should preheat it. I do not have a preheat button on mine, but I like to preheat it to ensure quick and even cooking.

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