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Make delicious chicken parmesan in the air fryer quickly and easily. Ready to serve in less than 30 minutes, it comes out wonderfully crispy and full of flavor. It’s so quick and effortless to prep and it makes for one tasty family meal.
Ingredients & substitutions
- Chicken: For the best results use breasts for this recipe. Pound them to a thinner thickness to ensure even cooking before dredging them.
- Flour: Coat each breast in flour to help them get nice and crispy when fried. You can use an all purpose flour or a 1:1 gluten-free flour.
- Egg: Each breast is dredged in beaten egg so that the breadcrumbs stick.
- Breadcrumbs: Use seasoned breadcrumbs for added flavor to coat the chicken. If you use plain, you may want to add a teaspoon of dried herbs and garlic powder to them for extra flavor. This recipe will also work using panko or gluten free breadcrumbs.
- Marinara sauce: You can use your favorite store bought sauce, or make your own marinara.
- Mozzarella: Use a fresh mozzarella ball that you cut into slices and place on top of the chicken. Buffalo mozzarella has a great creamy flavor, but any type will work well.
How to make chicken parmesan in air fryer
- Coat the pounded chicken breasts in flour all over.
- Dredge each breast in the egg.
- Coat all over with the breadcrumbs, making sure to press down.
- Place the breaded chicken in the air fryer.
- Cook until golden brown.
- Flip the chicken and top with marinara sauce and slices of mozzarella.
- Cook until the cheese has melted and the chicken is cooked through.
Tips for making the recipe
- Lightly pound the chicken breasts before dredging them. This not only flattens them so that they cook evenly, but it also helps to tenderize them.
- Set up your dredging station first. This will help to keep you nice and organized. When dredging the chicken, try and keep one hand wet and one dry so that the flour and breadcrumbs don’t clump.
- Place the chicken breasts in an even layer in the air fryer basket. If they are overlapping, they won’t get crispy all over. Cook in a couple of batches if needed.
- Ensure that your chicken is cooked all the way through. Thicker breasts may take a minute or two longer. Use an instant read thermometer, which should register at 165F. The chicken should be an even and opaque white color throughout when you slice it open.
Frequently asked questions
This air fryer chicken parmesan is best enjoyed as soon as it’s cooked. You can bread it a few hours ahead of time and keep it covered in the fridge until you are ready to cook. Any leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days and can be reheated in the air fryer at 375°F for 4 minutes to get it nice and crispy again.
If you don’t have an air fryer, you can make this recipe in the oven as well. Place the breaded chicken on a lined baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes til the chicken is fully cooked through. Add the marinara and mozzarella and broil for a few minutes to melt the cheese.
The most popular option is to serve up crispy chicken parm with a sprinkle of fresh basil and on a bed of spaghetti. Serve alongside your favorite veggie side dishes like green beans or mashed sweet potatoes.
Chicken parmesan is so quick and easy to make in the air fryer, and it’s a great way to get out of your dinner rut. Kids and grown-ups both love it and you don’t need a long list of ingredients. Winning!
More chicken recipes:
- Pickle Brined Chicken Tenders
- Breaded Air Fryer Chicken
- Broccoli and Cheese Stuffed Chicken
- One Pan Chicken and Potatoes
- Chicken Lemon Rice Soup
If you try this healthy-ish feel good Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. We would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!
Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pound chicken breasts 3-4 pieces equal size
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1 ¼ cups seasoned breadcrumbs
- ½ cup marinara sauce
- 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese sliced
- Torn basil for serving
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts in a plastic bag or wrap them in plastic wrap and pound them until the breast is a uniform ¼-½” thick.
- Add the flour to a shallow bowl, the beaten egg to another shallow bowl, and the breadcrumbs to a third bowl.
- Dip the chicken breasts one at a time into the flour, followed by the eggs, and breadcrumbs.
- Spray the air fryer basket with olive oil spray and add the breaded chicken, making sure not to overcrowd the basket.
- Cook the chicken breasts at 375°F for 10 minutes.
- Flip the chicken and top with marinara (about 2 tablespoons each), followed by one ounce of mozzarella each.
- Cook for an additional 4 minutes at 375°F, or until the cheese has melted. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh basil, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
I do not have an air fryer. Can I make this another way?
If you don’t have an air fryer, you can make this recipe in the oven as well. Place the breaded chicken on a lined baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes til the chicken is fully cooked through. Add the marinara and mozzarella and broil for a few minutes to melt the cheese.
Made this and it was so delicious! First timer making chicken Parmesan ever and it was a hit with my family and super easy just how I like it!
Thank you! That’s amazing!
I loved it,, so tasty, fast and eas
So quick and sooo good! Thank you.
Yay!! You’re so welcome!
This is a super good recipe for the air fryer, the chicken came out moist and the coating came out crispy. I did mix some parmesan cheese with the mozzarella cheese which I would definitely recommend doing. This is definitely some top-tier healthier chicken parmesan
Thank you so much! That’s exactly what I was going for!!
So good
Yay!!