Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan

Making air fryer chicken parmesan is easy to do and cooks in just ten minutes. The results are tender, juicy, and delicious chicken the whole family will love!

air fryer chicken parm on a plate with salad

Why this recipe works

We love using our air fryer, it cuts down so much time in the kitchen. We make air fryer chicken breasts on a very regular basis, and they are so much better than any other method. Honestly, air fryers make the best chicken!

removing chicken parmesan from the air fryer

This recipe can be enjoyed on its own, with a fresh side salad, or on top of a serving of hot pasta. No matter how you serve it, it’s sure to be a hit!

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

ingredients for air fryer chicken parmesan

CHICKEN – Boneless and skinless is the way to go when making air fryer chicken parmesan. We pound the chicken to an even thickness, which expands their width and only allows 2 breasts to cook at a time. You can skip the pounding step and will be able to fit all 4 breasts, however your cook time will likely need to be increased.

MARINARA – You can make your own marinara sauce or open up your favorite jar. We are partial to Rao’s Marinara and think the flavor is incredible! Using a jar sauce makes this recipe much faster, especially since there’s some prep work involved.

CHEESE – We really do recommend fresh sliced mozzarella and freshly grated parmesan for this chicken parm recipe. In a pinch, you can certainly use bagged cheese, we just think the fresh has better flavor.

How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

Pound each chicken breast to about ½-inch in thickness.
In three shallow dishes, place flour in one, beaten eggs in another, and panko breadcrumbs (plus ¼ cup of grated parmesan cheese) in the third. Season with salt and pepper.
Use tongs to coat each chicken breast lightly in flour.
Next, dip in the chicken in egg then finally in the breadcrumb mixture.
Place the breaded cutlets on a wire rack and let them sit for about five minutes to dry.
If serving pasta on the side, prepare that now.

EXPERT TIP: If making more than 2 breasts, preheat the conventional oven to 225 F so you have a place to keep the chicken warm as you cook a second batch. Adding the finished chicken to a warm oven instead of directly to the serving platter with sauce will keep the chicken crispy longer.
Preheat the air fryer to 400F.

EXPERT TIP: If you like the chicken a bit darker, you can spray the breaded chicken with olive oil spray before baking, then again after flipping prior to adding the cheese.
Add two chicken breasts to the air fryer basket and cook for 5 minutes.
Flip the chicken breasts over. Top with 3-4 slices of fresh mozzarella and a tablespoon of Parmesan cheese. Continue baking for another 5 minutes, for a total of 10 minutes.
Remove chicken from the air fryer and set on a wire rack lined baking sheet in the warm oven.
Repeat the process with the remaining two chicken breasts.
While they are baking, drain your pasta and toss in sauce or heat your pasta sauce in a saucepan on the stove.

To Serve this Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan

Spoon a couple ladles of pasta sauce onto a serving platter and nestle the chicken on top.
Sprinkle with chopped fresh basil and more parmesan cheese.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this chicken parmesan ahead of time?

To make air fryer chicken parmesan ahead of time, it’s best to follow the instructions for air frying the breaded chicken, but not adding the cheese or sauce until you are ready to serve. Cook the chicken for the full ten minutes as directed, just don’t add the cheese.

What is a safe temperature for cooked chicken?

The internal temperature should be taken from the thickest part of the breast and should measure 165 F. The meat should be white and the juices should run clear.

Can I make air fryer chicken parmesan keto or with no breading?

Yes you can make a keto version of this air fryer chicken parmesan with a couple of substitutions! Instead of panko bread crumbs, you can use either ground pork rinds, grated parmesan cheese, or a combination of the two. You can also skip the flour step completely and just dip the breasts in egg and then whatever crumb coating you decide to use.

How do I make this air fryer chicken parmesan low fat?

In order for this air fryer chicken parmesan to be considered low fat, the fat content per serving would need to be reduced by 7 grams. This can be achieved by using a reduced fat mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese. You can also reduce the amount of the cheese overall that is called for in this recipe.

air fryer chicken parmesan on a plate with pasta

A quick version of this classic dinner that cooks in half the time using the air fryer, Chicken Parmesan is a family favorite.

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Amanda Davis

President at Amanda's Creative Studio, Inc.

Amanda Davis is the entrepreneurial mom of four grown children and four step children. She and her husband, Chef Antoine, love to cook together creating recipes for this blog. Amanda also make kid's crafts and creates decorative items for her home. She is a crafting expert and guru in the kitchen and has appeared online and in print publications many times over the years. She is also a craft book author five times over and product developer as well as the owner of FunFamilyCrafts.com. You can find her on social media by using the buttons to the left!