Air-Fried Chicken Parmigiana: Quick, Easy, And Delicious!

Chicken Parmesan is a classic Italian-American dish consisting of cheesy, saucy, breaded chicken breasts. It is easy to make at home, and even easier if you have an air fryer! This guide will take you through the simple steps to make this delicious meal in no time.

Preparing the chicken

To start, you will need to carefully butterfly your chicken breasts. Place a boneless, skinless chicken breast on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to cut it horizontally, creating two thin pieces of chicken. This technique will ensure that your chicken cooks evenly and gives you a larger surface area for a crispy coating. Repeat this process with all your chicken breasts, aiming for a thickness of around 0.5 inches for each piece.

Once you have butterflied your chicken, it's time to season. Sprinkle both sides of each piece with salt and black pepper. You can also add other dried herbs and spices to the seasoning mix, such as oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, or garlic powder.

Next, set up your dredging station. You will need three shallow bowls. In the first bowl, place some all-purpose flour and season it with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. In the second bowl, beat a couple of eggs. In the third bowl, combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and any additional seasonings you wish to add. For the breadcrumbs, you can use Italian-style, Panko, or regular breadcrumbs. If using regular breadcrumbs, add some Italian seasoning or garlic powder to enhance the flavor. As for the Parmesan cheese, finely grated or shredded Parmesan works best as it sticks better to the chicken.

Now it's time to coat your chicken. Take one piece of chicken and dip it first in the flour, making sure to coat all sides. Then, dip it into the beaten egg, letting any excess drip off. Finally, coat the chicken with the breadcrumb mixture, gently pressing the breadcrumbs onto the chicken to ensure an even and thorough coating. Repeat this process with all your chicken pieces.

Once all your chicken pieces are coated, give them a light spray with cooking spray or olive oil. This step will help the coating become extra crispy in the air fryer.

Your chicken is now ready to be cooked in your air fryer! Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook the chicken in batches to avoid overcrowding the basket, which can affect the crispiness of the coating. Place the chicken in a single layer in the air fryer basket and follow the cooking instructions provided by your chosen recipe.

Remember, the key to a delicious Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan is a crispy coating and juicy, evenly cooked chicken. So, take your time in preparing the chicken, and you'll be well on your way to a mouthwatering dish!

Making the coating

To make the coating for your chicken parmigiana, you will need breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, eggs, and flour. You can use Italian-style breadcrumbs or plain breadcrumbs with added Italian seasoning. For the parmesan, it is best to grate it yourself at home. Finely shredded parmesan cheese will give you a crispier texture. You will also need to lightly beat or whisk the eggs in a separate bowl.

Some recipes suggest adding extra ingredients to your coating. For example, you could add garlic powder, oregano, and red pepper flakes to the parmesan and breadcrumb mixture. Alternatively, you could add salt and pepper to the flour.

Once you have prepared your bowls of flour, eggs, and the breadcrumb and parmesan mixture, you can start the dredging process. First, dip the chicken into the flour, shaking off any excess. Then, dip it into the eggs, letting any excess drip off. Finally, coat the chicken in the breadcrumb mixture, ensuring all sides are covered. Repeat this process for each piece of chicken.

Cooking the chicken

Start by preparing your chicken breasts. You can either buy chicken cutlets or slice two chicken breasts in half horizontally to make four thinner cutlets. If you're using regular chicken breasts, you may want to pound the chicken to ensure they are of an even thickness. This will help the chicken cook evenly and thoroughly.

Next, set up three shallow bowls or dishes. In the first bowl, place some all-purpose flour. You can season this with salt and pepper if you like. In the second bowl, whisk two eggs. In the third bowl, combine your breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese. You can use Italian-style breadcrumbs, or plain breadcrumbs with added Italian seasoning. You can also add some garlic powder for extra flavour.

Now you're ready to start breading the chicken. First, season the chicken with salt and pepper, if you haven't already. Then, working with one piece at a time, coat the chicken in flour, shaking off any excess. Next, dip the chicken into the egg mixture, letting any excess drip off. Finally, dip the chicken into the breadcrumb mixture, ensuring both sides are well coated. You can gently press the breadcrumbs into the chicken to help them stick. Repeat this process with the remaining pieces of chicken.

Once your chicken is breaded, you can start cooking. Place two cutlets in your air fryer basket, in a single layer. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook the chicken in batches. Spray the chicken with cooking spray or olive oil. Set your air fryer to between 350°F and 400°F and cook for around 6 minutes.

After 6 minutes, open your air fryer and spread a couple of tablespoons of marinara sauce on each cutlet. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese on top. Return the air fryer basket and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and golden.

If you are cooking your chicken in batches, simply repeat the above steps with the remaining pieces of chicken.

Melting the cheese

To melt the cheese, place the chicken in the air fryer basket and cook until the cheese is melted and golden brown. This should take around 3-4 minutes in the air fryer at 375°F-400°F. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165°F.

Once the cheese is melted, you can serve the chicken parmigiana with pasta, a fresh salad, or garlic bread.

Serving suggestions

Chicken Parmigiana cooked in an air fryer is a quick and easy meal to make, and it goes well with many side dishes.

A classic Italian dish, chicken parmigiana is best served with pasta, as the marinara sauce goes well with spaghetti, angel hair, or fettuccine. You can also serve it with a simple salad, such as a Caesar salad or a classic Italian salad, and warm, fresh bread.

For a truly indulgent meal, garlic bread is a perfect pairing, or you could try garlic mashed potatoes to soak up the sauce. If you want to add some greens, try serving with Brussels sprouts, or a green salad.

For a lighter option, chicken parmigiana can be served with steamed vegetables or zoodles, and for a real restaurant-style experience, finish your meal with homemade tiramisu.

Frequently asked questions