Air-Fryer Chicken Parmesan: Quick, Crispy, And Delicious!

Chicken Parmesan is a classic Italian-American dish that consists of cheesy, saucy, breaded chicken breasts. Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan is a healthier alternative to the original recipe as it requires little to no oil. It is also quicker and easier to make, with a cooking time of around 10-20 minutes.

Preparing the chicken breasts

Firstly, start with boneless, skinless chicken breasts. You can either purchase chicken cutlets or create your own by carefully butterflying or slicing the chicken breasts in half horizontally to create thin pieces. This step is important as thin pieces of chicken will ensure your chicken parmesan is extra crispy. It will also help the chicken cook evenly and quickly in the air fryer.

Once you have the desired number of chicken pieces, season them with salt and pepper on both sides. This will enhance the overall flavour of your chicken parmesan.

Now, it's time to set up your dredging or breading station. You will need three shallow bowls or plates for this step. In the first bowl, place some all-purpose flour and season it with salt and pepper. You can also add garlic powder to the flour for extra flavour. In the second bowl, beat one or two eggs, depending on the number of chicken pieces you have. Add a pinch of salt to the eggs. The final bowl will contain the breading mixture. Combine panko breadcrumbs and grated or shredded parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning. You can also add garlic powder, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes to this mixture for extra flavour.

Take each chicken piece and coat it with flour, shaking off any excess. Then, dip it into the egg mixture, ensuring that every surface of the chicken is coated. Finally, dredge the chicken in the breading mixture, gently pressing to ensure the breading adheres to both sides of the chicken. Repeat this process for all the chicken pieces.

Once all your chicken pieces are breaded, spray them with non-stick cooking spray on all sides or spritz them with oil. This step will help ensure a crispy coating.

Your chicken breasts are now prepared and ready to be cooked in the air fryer! Place them in a single layer in the air fryer basket, leaving a little space between each piece. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook the chicken in batches.

Follow the cooking instructions provided by your chosen air fryer recipe, and you'll have delicious, crispy chicken parmesan in no time!

Making the coating

To make the coating for your chicken parmesan in the air fryer, you'll need to prepare a dredging station with a few bowls. In the first bowl, place some flour and season it with salt and pepper. In a second bowl, beat a couple of eggs. In a third bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and seasonings such as dried oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. You can also add in some extra panko breadcrumbs to ensure an extra crispy coating.

Now, you're ready to coat your chicken! Take each piece of chicken and first, coat it in the flour, shaking off any excess. Then, dip it into the egg mixture, ensuring that every surface is covered. Finally, dip the chicken into the panko and parmesan mixture, gently pressing to ensure the coating adheres and that both sides of the chicken are well-coated. Repeat this process until all your chicken pieces are breaded.

Bread the chicken

To make chicken parmesan in an air fryer, you'll need to butterfly or slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise, creating thin, even slices. This will help the chicken cook through evenly and quickly in the air fryer.

Next, set up a dredging station with three shallow bowls. In the first bowl, place flour and season with salt and pepper. In the second bowl, beat eggs. In the third bowl, combine breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and seasonings. The specific seasonings used can vary, but some common options include Italian seasoning, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and oregano.

Now you're ready to bread the chicken. Working with one piece at a time, coat the chicken in flour, shaking off any excess. Then, dip it into the egg mixture, letting the excess drip off. Finally, dip the chicken into the breadcrumb mixture, gently pressing to ensure the breadcrumbs adhere to both sides of the chicken. Repeat this process until all the chicken pieces are breaded.

Once all the chicken pieces are breaded, you may need to spray them with nonstick cooking spray or spritz them with oil to help the breading brown and crisp up in the air fryer.

Cooking the chicken

To cook the chicken, start by slicing the chicken breasts in half lengthwise. Then, use a meat tenderiser to pound the chicken into thin slices that are of an even thickness. This will ensure that the chicken cooks evenly.

Next, create a dredging station with three bowls. In the first bowl, place flour and season with salt and pepper. In the second bowl, beat eggs. In the third bowl, combine breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and seasonings such as Italian seasoning, garlic powder, oregano, and red pepper flakes.

Now, take each piece of chicken and coat it with flour, shaking off any excess. Then, dip the chicken into the egg mixture, letting the excess drip off. Finally, dredge the chicken in the breadcrumb mixture, ensuring it is evenly coated. Repeat this process for all the chicken pieces.

Place the breaded chicken in a single layer in the air fryer basket, making sure not to overcrowd the basket. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook the chicken in batches. Set the air fryer temperature between 350°F and 400°F and cook the chicken for about 5-6 minutes on each side, or until it is golden brown.

Once the chicken is cooked through, top each piece with marinara sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese. Return the chicken to the air fryer and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and golden.

Your chicken is now ready to be served!

Melting the cheese

To melt the cheese, simply cook the chicken for another three to four minutes at 400°F. You'll know that the cheese is melted when it becomes golden brown and bubbly. If you want to be precise about it, use a meat thermometer to ensure that the internal temperature of the chicken has reached 165°F.

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