An easy Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan recipe: juicy chicken breasts are breaded to golden, crunchy perfection in the air fryer, then topped with savory marinara and melty mozzarella! A quick ‘n healthy weeknight dinner recipe that’s Italian-inspired and is ready in 20 minutes.
Crispy & Juicy, Topped with Mozzarella Goodness!
- Crispy, golden perfection: You’ll love how the crunchy breading goes so well with the juicy chicken and yummy marinara.
- 20 minute dinner: 7 minutes of prep and the rest in the air fryer, this recipe includes many time-saving shortcuts!
- Healthier version of an indulgent Italian classic: skip all the oil and enjoy this without the guilt!
An Easy Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan Recipe!
Lately, we’ve been really getting into homemade Italian recipes, like chicken fettuccine Alfredo and Italian pasta salad. But the one recipe I’ve been avoiding due to all the work? Chicken Parmesan. Guess what? I made it and included a bunch of shortcuts! We’re gonna skip all of the deep frying and oven-baking and head straight to the air fryer. In 20 minutes, you’ll have crispy, crunchy, beautifully golden Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan that’s juicy and topped with yummy marinara and delicious mozzarella!
Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken breasts: use already-prepared boneless, skinless for a speedy shortcut
- Eggs: 2 large eggs give us plenty of “glue” to hold the crispy coating onto the chicken
- Panko bread crumbs: by far my favorite ingredient for an extra crispy crust, the secret in recipes like air fryer onion rings and popcorn shrimp
- Parmesan: plenty of grated Parm helps to create a crispy exterior when making this chicken parmesan recipe in an air fryer
- Italian seasoning: <— this homemade recipe is so much better than store-bought, with loads of tasty spices!
- Mozzarella: Topped with 1 cup, we’ll have plenty of cheese for our easy chicken dinner!
- Marinara sauce: buy this ready-made for another time-saving hack
- Salt & pepper
How to Make Chicken Parmesan in Air Fryer
- Butterfly chicken breasts (slicing horizontally in half). Pound into 1/2-inch thickness and season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Set out two bowls. In the first, whisk together eggs. In the second, whisk together Panko bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, and Parmesan.
- One at a time, dredge chicken breast into the egg wash, then in the seasoned Panko, pressing the crumbs onto the chicken breasts.
- Coat air fryer basket in cooking spray, then lay breaded chicken evenly and uncrowded in the basket. Cook for 5 minutes, then flip.
- Spoon marinara sauce, then sprinkle mozzarella onto each breast. Cook until internal temperature is 165°F.
- Serve this air fryer chicken Parmesan recipe with chopped parsley and garlic salt. Enjoy!
Tips
- How to butterfly the chicken breasts: Lay the chicken breast flat and slice through the center horizontally, creating two thinner breasts.
- For breading: Do use the Panko breadcrumbs, which are crunchier, with larger pieces than Italian breadcrumbs.
- When coating the chicken, press and squeeze the breadcrumbs onto the breasts, so it’s secure and doesn’t fall off during cooking.
- Don’t overcrowd the chicken: Make sure to leave some room in between each breast; check out my photos on the spacing.
What to Serve with Chicken Parmesan
What Air Fryer Should I Use?
I have two go-to air fryers for making cooking so much quicker and easier.
- My 6-Qt Air Fryer is more of a traditional air fryer, with a square basket which I love for maximizing space.
- This French Door Air Fryer is more like a toaster oven, with a larger capacity and tons of cool bells and whistles. I love this and use it everyday.
For more delicious recipe ideas like this air fryer chicken parmesan recipe, follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. If you’ve tried this recipe, take a pic and tag us on using #beamingbaker. We can’t wait to see it! Sending you all my love and maybe even a dove, xo Demeter ❤️
More Italian & Chicken Recipes
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Slice chicken breasts in half, lengthwise. Pound chicken breasts into ½-inch thickness. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
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In a large, shallow dish, whisk together eggs. In another similar dish, whisk together Panko, Italian seasoning, and Parmesan.
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One at a time, coat chicken in eggs on both sides, tapping off excess. Tip: I like using a fork to pick up the edge of the chicken for easier dipping. Coat in seasoned Panko crumb mixture, pressing in breadcrumbs to create a nice, even coating. Repeat for remaining chicken.
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Preheat air fryer to 375°F. Coat the basket in cooking spray. Working in batches if needed, cook chicken in a single, spaced-out layer for 5 minutes, then flip.
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Evenly top each piece with marinara sauce and sprinkle with mozzarella. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until cheese is melted and internal temperature is 165°F.
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Serve topped with parsley and a sprinkle of garlic salt because it’s delicious!
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Calories: 277kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 25g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 146mg, Sodium: 1267mg, Potassium: 430mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 565IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 254mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
