Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
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Looking for a healthier way to make Chicken Parmesan? We have it! This Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan recipe is everything you love about the original but healthier. The chicken is nice and juicy and the Parmesan coating is crispy. This is an easy dinner in your Air Fryer and the whole family is going to love it. We like to pair it with steamed vegetables, zoodles or pasta!
My family loves Chicken Parmesan but until I got our air fryer, I never made it because frying the breaded chicken in oil is such a hassle and not the healthiest of dinners.
I’ve made Crock Pot Chicken Parmesan, Chicken Parmesan Burgers and Parmesan Crusted Chicken, but sometimes we want a classic chicken Parmesan with a super crispy crust like you get in a restaurant. You know, the totally delicious but really unhealthy kind? We love it, but it’s a pain to make and is fried in a lot of oil so until now it hasn’t been a go-to dinner at our house.
That’s all changed now that we have an air fryer! Now we can make juicy chicken with a crispy parmesan crust that tastes just like traditional Chicken Parmesan but without all the oil and mess. I hate splattering oil on the stovetop!
You only need a few simple ingredients and 15 minutes to get this chicken dinner on the table. My family loves it!
My kids love Chicken Parmesan but frying the chicken in a pan is just not the healthiest thing to do for everyday dinners. I love that you can make a healthier Chicken Parmesan in the air fryer and my family can’t tell the difference!
The chicken is coated in a crispy Parmesan coating just like you fried it, but without all of the oil. Topped with marinara sauce and melted mozzarella cheese, it looks just like regular Chicken Parmesan but it’s so much healthier.
Why You’ll Love This Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
- It will quickly become one of your favorite air fryer recipes because it’s so easy to make making it a great recipe for an easy dinner!
- Golden brown breading on the outside with crispy juicy chicken on the inside.
- Without all of the oil, this delicious Chicken Parmesan made in the air fryer is so much healthier, but you’d never guess because it tastes just like the original.
What is an Air Fryer?
Do you know what an air fryer is? It’s an appliance that works like a convection oven. The air fryer has a fan which circulates hot air around the food giving it a crispy exterior.
It’s a great alternative to frying because you don’t need all the oil and you can make your favorite fried dishes, like this Chicken Parmesan, without all the guilt.
Plus, it cooks food faster than the oven and, I don’t know about you, but less time cooking is always a good thing in my book!
Is Air Fryer Food Healthy?
Deep-fried foods are generally higher in fat than foods that are prepared with other cooking methods. The benefit of Air Fryers is they require a significantly less amount of oil than deep frying.
This is why the Air Fryer is touted as being a “healthier” alternative to deep frying. Using an Air Fryer over deep-frying food can significantly cut down on the overall fat content of your food due to the reduction in oil used.
What can you cook in an Air Fryer?
You can cook almost anything in an Air Fryer!
- Steaks
- Donuts
- French Fries
- Mozzarella Sticks
- Chicken Breasts
- Pork Tenderloin
- Sweet Potatoes
The options are endless!
Ingredients Needed to Make Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
Not only is this air fryer chicken parmesan a healthier take on the original, but it’s also so easy to make. You only need six ingredients!
- Chicken Breasts – You could also use chicken cutlets and skip cutting the boneless skinless chicken breasts in half.
- Parmesan cheese – Use shredded Parmesan cheese instead of grated because the shredded cheese turns crispy as it cooks and will give your crust a better texture.
- Breadcrumbs – Use Italian-style breadcrumbs, which are already seasoned, instead of plain breadcrumbs. You could also use Italian Panko Breadcrumbs. If you just have regular bread crumbs add 1-2 teaspoons Italian seasoning to the breadcrumbs.
- Eggs – The binder to hold your breadcrumb mixture on your chicken breasts.
- Marinara Sauce – Use your favorite store-bought sauce.
- Mozzarella cheese – Grab a block and shred it yourself for best results.
How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
This recipe is so easy you only need five minutes to prep the chicken and 10 minutes to cook it!
- Set the air fryer to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. It will need about three minutes to preheat.
- Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise.
- Pound the chicken into thin slices that are of the same thickness. This will ensure they cook evenly.
- Combine the breadcrumbs and shredded Parmesan cheese together in a medium sized bowl. In second bowl, whisk the eggs.
- Dip the chicken in the eggs that are in a shallow dish and then dredge it in the breadcrumb mixture so that it’s evenly coated. Repeat with the rest of the chicken.
- Place the breaded chicken in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Depending on the size of your air fryer you may need to cook the chicken in batches.
- Cook the chicken for six minutes and then flip the pieces over and top them with 2 Tablespoons of marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.
- Cook the chicken for another three to four minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of the chicken breast.
- If you’re cooking the chicken in batches, repeat the process with the rest of the chicken.
How to Store Leftover Chicken Parmesan
Place any leftovers in an air-tight container and store in the refrigerator for up two 2 days.
How to Reheat Leftovers
The easiest way is to reheat any leftovers in the air fryer basket at 350 degrees until heated through to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
You can also use the microwave to warm leftovers but the breading will not be as crispy. A better option is to use the oven and reheat leftovers at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until heated through to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Serving Suggestions
This Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan is so quick and easy you have plenty of time to make a side dish to go with it! We love it with simple steamed vegetables, a green salad, pasta, or zoodles or serve it with some of our other favorite side dishes:
More Easy Air Fryer Chicken Recipes!
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!
Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts 8 ounces each
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan not grated Parmesan
- 1 cup Italian style bread crumbs
- 2 eggs whisked
- ½ cup marinara sauce
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Set temperature on Air Fryer to 360 degrees Fahrenheit. Preheat 3 minutes.
- Cut chicken breasts in half, lengthwise and trim.
- Pound the chicken breasts into thinner pieces that are the same thickness.
- In a medium bowl mix together the breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese.
- In another bowl whisk the eggs together.
- Dip each piece of chicken in egg and then dredge in the breadcrumb mixture. Repeat with remaining pieces of chicken.
- Place chicken breasts in single layer inside of air fryer basket. If you are using a smaller air fryer you will need to cook in batches.
- Add chicken breasts to preheated Air Fryer and cook for 6 minutes. Flip the chicken breasts over and top with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese. Air fry for an addition 3-4 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degree Fahrenheit.
- Set aside and keep warm, repeat with remaining 2 pieces
AB says
Amazing recipe! I had to cook it 2-3 min longer to ensure it was cooked through but this is so simple, quick, and wonderful.
Julie says
Perfect! I’m so glad you loved it!
Carol Hendrix says
This was delicious! After cooking this a few times, I made some adjustments – as follows: first of all, if you are going to follow the time lines given, you must pound the chicken breasts VERY thin, or your cheese will burn and the chicken will still need more time. I finally decided to just cook the chicken, flipping every 5″, until almost done (160 degrees.) Then I removed them to a broiler tray, topped with the marinara and mozzerella for a quick broil – followed by a sprinkle of freshly chopped basil. Served over thin spaghetti covered with a bit of marinara. (This method also allows you to have all chicken pieces hot at the same time.) It was also easier to remove the chicken from the fryer without the sauce and cheese sliding around on top! And finally, I also added a bit of Italian dressing to the egg mixture, just to give the chicken more flavor. This was a huge hit in my household – quick, fast and family approved!
Julie says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Rhiannon says
I made this in my air fryer last night and it was great! I used thighs so I increased the temp to 360 and added a few more minutes, seemed to work perfectly. It was crispy and would definitely make it again!
Julie says
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing, I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Jennifer M says
Can I use chicken thighs? We are out of breasts.
Tyffani says
I used Thighs, I didn’t beat them or slice them which meant I had to leave them in longer.
Julie says
Thanks, Tyffani!
Julie says
Yes, that should be fine. You’ll probably have to increase the time to around 15 minutes. Just make sure to check the internal temp before eating (at least 165 degrees F).
Jessica says
I would recommend making sure the chicken is at least 140 degrees before putting on the marinara and cheese. Otherwise, the cheese will be burnt and your chicken will get undercooked – obviously just depends on the thickness of your chicken!
Julie says
Thanks for the tip, Jessica!
Carol says
Delicious!
Julie says
Glad you loved it!
Sharon Arnowitz says
So yummy, way better than Shake n Bake Chicken. Loved it!
Julie says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Albert says
Thank you for this, it came out perfect! The chicken was cooked perfectly, the crust was crispy, and the cheese was cooked too. I cooked mine for 2 min extra because of the thickness of the chicken. It was delicious and healthier than frying it.
Julie says
Excellent! I’m so glad you loved it!
jane says
delish- loved it- my only complaint is that it was not as crispy as your pic…what can i do to make it more crispy?
Julie says
Hmmmm, it should crisp up pretty well in the air fryer. Did you use any substitutes in the crumb mixture?
jane says
i used Panko would that make the difference?
Julie says
That shouldn’t have made a difference, panko crumbs typically crisp up pretty well. I’m not sure what happened!
Aparna says
The chicken was dry and was not very flavourful. Any idea why?
Julie says
Air fryers can cook differently depending on the brand, it also depends on the size of your chicken breast. If they were pretty thin, maybe they overcooked a bit. You can add more to the seasoning mixture if you want to jazz up the breading a bit. I’m sorry it didn’t turn out well for you!
Melissa says
DELICIOUS!! Didn’t miss the oil one bit! Was a huge hit with the whole neighborhood! Yes, I had to share 🥰
Julie says
Awesome! I’m glad everyone loved it!
Andy b says
This was great! I’ve made it twice and even my wife likes it! ( she’s Italian ) not as good as hers of course 😀. But she had two servings…. It was very easy and tastes even better the next day. I’m not really a cook but in this stay at home time …. we gotta learn right?
Julie says
This is the perfect time to learn to cook! I’m so glad you both loved it!
Chet says
I cooked the Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan for lunch today. Thought I would go the extra mile for the wife. This was my first time with this recipe and it turned out great! In our little town, we could only find Kroger Style 5 Cheese Blend grated. I subbed this instead of the Parmesan shredded. (I know you said don’t use the grated, but I gave this a shot and it worked great!) The meal was perfect and my wife was so surprised that I could cook. (I Know…I Know). I will try to find the Parmesan Shredded next time and give it another go, but I can’t image this dish tasting any better. Thanks…this was a great recipe.
Julie says
Well Chet, I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe and you were able to whip it up for your wife! It is definitely one of our favorites too, thanks for the review!
Wendy says
Good recipe but cooking time was definitely off. It took me about 20 minutes. I cooked for 6 minutes and put sauce and cheese on, then after 10 minutes was not done.
Julie says
The cook time is definitely dependent on the thickness of your chicken breast. The best way to prepare this is to pound the chicken so it is the same thickness throughout the whole breast. If you were using a thicker chicken breast, you will have to add some cook time.
Angel Clark says
I had the same issue. I ended up adding over 15 more minutes to the cook time because my chicken wasn’t even close to being done.
Julie says
Were your chicken breasts equally thick throughout? Pounding them out or cutting them into cutlets is the best way to ensure they’ll cook in the instructed time.
Yolanda Hovis Farmer says
Delicious!! Came out perfect with great flavor and a delightful crispiness. Thanks so much for sharing!
Julie says
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!