Description
Air fryer chicken parmesan gives breaded chicken a crisp finish before topping it with marinara and melted mozzarella. It brings the flavor of a classic comfort dish in a lighter, weeknight-friendly form.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 2 8-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 large eggs, beaten
Breading and Seasoning:
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Sauce and Cheese:
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Slice your 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (8 oz. each) horizontally to create 4 thin cutlets, then sprinkle both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Pour 1/3 cup all-purpose flour into one shallow bowl, 2 beaten large eggs into another, and mix 1 cup panko bread crumbs with 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, and 1/2 tsp garlic powder in a third bowl.
- Coat each chicken piece in the flour, tap away the excess, then dip it into the eggs and finally press it into your panko mixture until covered.
- Arrange your 4 coated cutlets in a single layer inside your air fryer basket without overlapping them.
- Set your air fryer to 400°F and cook for 5 minutes, then flip each piece and cook for another 5 minutes until the coating turns golden and your chicken reaches full doneness.
- Spread 1/4 cup marinara sauce over each of your 4 pieces and top with 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese per cutlet.
- Return your chicken to the air fryer at 400°F for 3 minutes so the cheese melts into a bubbly layer.
- Transfer your finished chicken to a serving plate while it’s still hot.
Notes
- Butterfly your chicken breasts by slicing them horizontally so they’re thin and cook evenly throughout without drying out.
- Pat the chicken completely dry before breading since moisture prevents the coating from crisping up properly in the air fryer.
- Don’t skip shaking off excess flour and egg between each breading step, as thick clumps of coating won’t get as crispy and golden.
- Add the sauce and cheese during the last few minutes so the mozzarella melts beautifully without the marinara drying out or burning.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 13 minutes
- Category: Air Fryer Chicken
- Method: Air Frying
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2
- Calories: 650 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 60 g
- Cholesterol: 190 mg