Air Fryer Parmesan Crusted Chicken is one of our all time favorite air fryer dinners. Just a few ingredients are needed to make this crispy coated chicken. Dinner will be done in less than 20 minutes, and everyone will be asking for seconds!
The chicken turns out so crispy and the parmesan cheese gives it just the right flavor. Of course, the Italian Seasoned Panko bread crumbs, make the coating my favorite part of the meal.
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WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE
You are going to love this air fryer parmesan chicken recipe because you only need four main ingredients of chicken, sour cream, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, and then the seasonings.
Going out to eat is one of our favorite things to do on date night. We love trying new restaurants, and especially love Italian food. Lately, we have been trying to eat at home, so when we first tried this recipe in the air fryer, it was a hit!
This recipe uses sour cream or yogurt to secure the seasonings to the chicken breast while it cooks in the air fryer. And it is so easy to make!
Looking for more? Check out this article where we share our favorite top 50 air fryer chicken recipes.
I love making dinners like this at home now. Not only does it save us money, the air fryer makes it so easy, I can do other things while dinner is cooking.
Every time I make this dinner for the family, I get so many complements! They all think it took me ages to make, so it's my little secret that it cooks in under 20 minutes.
INGREDIENTS
- Boneless skinless chicken breast- you can also use another type of chicken cut like tenders, thighs, filets.
- sour cream- this creamy ingredient helps the breadcrumbs stick to the chicken during air frying. You can also use Greek yogurt or mayonnaise.
- Italian Style Panko Crumbs
- grated parmesan cheese-this cheese crisps when it melts and then firms up again. That's what makes the chicken crispy and delicious!
- paprika
- kosher salt
- ground black pepper
- olive oil or olive oil spray-this is to help prevent the chicken from sticking to the basket while it's air frying.
DIRECTIONS
STEP 1
Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees Fahrenheit.
STEP 2
While the air fryer is preheating, cover each piece of chicken with a spoonful of sour cream or Greek yogurt, Don't worry about covering the bottom of the chicken.
STEP 3
In a medium shallow bowl, combine the panko, parmesan cheese, and seasonings, then pat the cheese mixture into the sour cream.
STEP 4
Lightly spray olive oil spray or brush olive oil coating the air fryer basket. Place the chicken into the basket and cook at 380 degrees F for 12 minutes. Turn the chicken over and return to fryer to cook for an additional 4-6 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken.
Use a meat thermometer to confirm doneness. The chicken will be done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
EXPERT TIPS
If your chicken breasts have different thickness, you can pound them until they are even. This helps them cook evenly.
If you are making more than two pieces of chicken, be sure you don't overcrowd the basket or have pieces overlapping. When they are overlapped, the meat underneath can't cook properly.
The parmesan crust is crispiest when it is fresh out of the air fryer. Try to serve immediately.
Here are a few of our FAVORITE recommendations.
Cosori Dual Blaze Air Fryer - Digital Meat Thermometer - Air Fryer All Day
VARIATIONS
You can use breadcrumbs instead of panko style crumbs. We just like the texture and crispness of the panko.
Swap out the seasonings for your favorite flavors. For spicier chicken, add a ½ teaspoon of chili powder or even cayenne pepper, depending on how hot your taste is.
For a gluten free version, use gluten-free breadcrumbs or almond flour with Italian seasoning.
You can substitute mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, or a whisked egg to use underneath the breadcrumbs and seasonings.
Add extra shredded parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, or cheddar cheese to the panko breadcrumbs for extra cheesy chicken.
Use chicken cutlets, boneless chicken thighs, or chicken strips to make this air fryer parmesan crusted chicken recipe.
Top with marinara sauce for a delicious chicken parmesan dish or cut into strips to top use for a salad topping.
STORAGE AND REHEATING
If you have leftover chicken, let it cool first to room temperature. Once it's cooled, store it in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap, and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
To reheat, you can place leftovers in the air fryer and air fry at 350 degrees F for 3-5 minutes, until the chicken is completely heated.
You can microwave to reheat as well, for 1-2 minutes. However, we don't recommend this method because the chicken may not be crispy.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
I would recommend that you flip the chicken with just a few minutes left of cooking so both sides can air fry properly. The cheese should be nice and crispy by the time you flip it.
I use pre-shredded cheese when I'm in a hurry or for convenience. If you can freshly grate the cheese, sometimes it has a better texture and crispiness.
This tender chicken goes so well with vegetable sides like air fryer cauliflower, or air fryer green beans. You can also slice and serve it in a salad or on top of a pasta for a complete meal.
MORE AIR FRYER CHICKEN RECIPES
You will love how easy and delicious this air fryer parmesan crusted chicken is to make for dinner! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
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📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Parmesan Crusted Chicken
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 2 Boneless skinless chicken breast 6-8 ounces each
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- ¼ cup Italian Style Panko Crumbs
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees Fahrenheit .
- Coat each piece of chicken with one tablespoon of sour cream or Greek yogurt, only covering the tops of the chicken.
- In a medium bowl, combine the panko, parmesan cheese, and seasonings.
- Pat the cheese mixture into the sour cream.
- Lightly spray or brush the olive oil onto the basket.
- Place the chicken into the basket and air fry at 380 degrees F for 12 minutes.
- Turn the chicken over and return to fryer to cook for an additional 4-6 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken. Chicken will be crispy and have an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Notes
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is a calculated guesstimate. Please note that this can change with different brands and modifications you may make to the recipe. For the most accurate information, use a nutritional calculator with the exact brands and measurements you're using with each recipe.
©AirFryingFoodie 2024
Tracey
Sooo pretend I don’t know anything about cooking with an air fryer(spoiler alert- I don’t) which setting are we using with that 380 degree temperature. Frying? Baking? Grilling? Etc?
Hi Tracey! Great question! Unless the recipe specifically says to use "bake" or "grill" feature, use the air fry feature. Hope that helps.
Tracey
Wow! They guys loved it! I can’t believe I actually made this- super easy recipe and turned out good. Although the breading was a little wet and when I turned it- it stuck to the bottom of the basket even though I coated it with canola oil.
Thanks! easy quick recipe.