Fried Chicken Parmesan Salad

5 from 34 votes

Chicken Parmesan Salad is a great way to serve breaded chicken breast with something other than pasta; made in air fryer for a crisp texture!

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This Chicken Parmesan Salad is a fun way to switch up your weeknight salads. Thin chicken breasts coated in breadcrumbs mixture are air fried until they’re golden and crisp. Serve the air fried chicken sliced on top of greens tossed with vinaigrette for delicious salad idea! Slice and serve over some greens.

Fried Chicken Parmesan Salad in two bowls with fork grabbing a bite
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ingredients & substitutions

  • Chicken breasts: Use boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. We use an air fryer to ‘fry’ the chicken, so it’s nice and crispy but with a lot less fat compared to deep frying.
  • Seasonings: Salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder.
  • Eggs: The chicken breasts are dipped in beaten egg so that the breadcrumbs and seasonings adhere.
  • Breadcrumbs: We prefer to use panko breadcrumbs to get a super crispy texture. Fine will work well if that’s what you have to hand. You can use gluten-free breadcrumbs if you have an intolerance.
  • Parmesan: For the best taste and texture, use freshly grated rather than pre-grated parm. Top the salad with shaved parmesan for a burst of flavor.
  • Salad dressing: The simple salad dressing is made with extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, dried oregano, salt and pepper.
  • Mixed greens: The air fryer chicken parmesan is served on top of fresh mixed greens for a light and refreshing meal. Any salad greens can be used.
Ingredients to make the recipe

how to make Chicken Parmesan Salad

  • Coat the chicken breasts in beaten egg.
  • Dredge in the breadcrumbs, parmesan and seasonings to coat.
  • Place in the air fryer basket and spray with oil.
  • Cook on each side til golden brown. Serve over the salad.
4 image collage to show how to bread the chicken and then air fry

Tips to make this recipe

  1. Halve the chicken breasts before dredging them. This will mean that they will cook quicker in the air fryer so that you can have dinner on the table in minutes.
  2. Spray the chicken with oil before cooking it. This will help it to brown really nicely and evenly. It will also stop the panko breadcrumbs flying up into the fan of your air fryer.
  3. Mix up your salad and dressing. You can easily serve this fried parmesan chicken on other salads and with different dressings to suit your tastes. Romaine lettuce, baby spinach and arugula all work great.
  4. Save any leftover fried chicken. This is easily reheated in the air fryer and will get nice and crispy again. Cook on 370F for 3 to 4 minutes til warmed through.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you make it ahead of time?

You can bread the chicken up to a day ahead of time and keep it covered in the fridge til ready to cook. The cooked chicken will keep well for up to 4 days in the fridge and can be enjoyed cold or quickly reheated to serve.

Can you use chicken thighs instead of breast?

You can use flattened chicken thighs for this recipe, but they will take slightly longer to cook through than breasts. Use an instant read thermometer to make sure that they are fully cooked through, they should register at 165F.

Can you make this recipe without an air fryer?

If you don’t have an air fryer, don’t fret! You can bake the chicken in the oven at 350F for 25 to 30 minutes til cooked through, and you can also shallow fry them on the stovetop.

Bowl of tossed salad with Fried Chicken Parmesan on top

This healthy fried chicken parmesan salad is a great option for a quick and easy weeknight meal that the whole family will love. Ready to serve in less than 20 minutes, thanks to the air fryer, this is one effortless dish!

For more salads:

If you try this healthy-ish feel good Fried Chicken Parmesan Salad recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, 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!

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Fried Chicken Parmesan Salad

Chicken Parmesan Salad is a great way to serve breaded chicken breast with something other than pasta; made in air fryer for a crisp texture!
5 from 34 votes
Servings 4 servings
Course Salads
Calories 438
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 17 minutes

Ingredients
  

For The Chicken:

For the salad:

Instructions

  • Preheat air fryer to 375°F.
  • Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Place the eggs in one bowl. Stir together the panko breadcrumbs, parmesan, paprika and garlic powder in a second bowl.
  • Dip the chicken in the eggs, rotating to evenly coat the chicken. Next, dredge chicken into the breadcrumb mixture to evenly coat, ensuring none of the chicken is exposed. Place on a wire rack and spray generously with the cooking spray.
  • Transfer the chicken to the air fryer until golden brown and cooked through, 4 minutes per side. Remove from the air fryer and allow to cool enough to handle. Then slice into thin strips.
  • While the chicken is cooking, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, dijon mustard, salt and pepper.
  • Serve the sliced chicken parmesan over greens with the vinaigrette and shaved parmesan cheese.

Notes

Substitutions: Use gluten-free breadcrumbs if you have an intolerance.

Nutrition

Calories: 438kcal, Carbohydrates: 12g, Protein: 34g, Fat: 28g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 16g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 165mg, Sodium: 486mg, Potassium: 517mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 510IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 189mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

Cuisine American
Course: Salads

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Comments

  1. I absolutely love all your recipes and tips. I just got my first air fryer and have not cooked much in it yet so I really appreciate your chicken recipe. It looks delicious and so easy. I plan to make it tonight for dinner. Thank you!

  2. This was so good!! The only thing different I did was that I added some chopped red onion, carrots and cherry tomatoes to the mixed greens. The chicken was wonderful…I think I ate more than my share though. Adding this to my favorites!

  3. Yumna, I had all ingredients except the oregano…..the liked the combo of the mustard & lemon…very nice! I added a few capers this time but definitely want to redo with the oregano.

  4. Very good! I just used my air fryer for the first time and the chicken was soooo crispy! I pounded the chicken breasts so they were the same thickness. I will definitely make this again. Thanks for the recipe!