Air Fryer Parmesan Chicken (Printable)
Golden crispy chicken with parmesan crust, air-fried for juicy perfection with less oil.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 6 oz each)
→ Breading
02 - 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
03 - 2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
04 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
05 - 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
06 - 1/2 teaspoon paprika
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
→ Coating
09 - 2 large eggs
10 - 2 tablespoons milk
→ For Spraying
11 - Olive oil spray
# How-To:
01 - Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 3 minutes.
02 - Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. If thick, pound to even thickness (about 3/4 inch).
03 - In a shallow bowl, whisk together eggs and milk.
04 - In another shallow bowl, combine panko, parmesan, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt, and pepper.
05 - Dip each chicken breast into the egg mixture, coating completely, then press into the parmesan breadcrumb mixture, ensuring an even, thick crust.
06 - Lightly spray both sides of the coated chicken breasts with olive oil spray.
07 - Arrange chicken breasts in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook in batches if necessary.
08 - Air fry for 9 minutes, flip, spray again lightly, and air fry for another 7-9 minutes until the crust is golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
09 - Let rest for 3 minutes before slicing and serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The crust gets impossibly crispy while the chicken stays juicy inside, which feels like magic every single time
- My family actually cheers when they see me preparing the ingredients, and that never happened with regular baked chicken
02 -
- Overcrowding the air fryer basket creates steam instead of crispiness, so always cook in batches if needed
- Spraying the chicken again after flipping is the step most people skip, but it makes such a huge difference in the final color and crunch
03 -
- Pound your chicken to even thickness rather than relying on the natural shape, which ensures everything finishes cooking at the exact same time
- Use one hand for the egg mixture and one hand for the crumbs to avoid the dreaded breading-clumps-on-fingers situation