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!
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!
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
A quick version of this classic dinner that cooks in half the time using the air fryer, Chicken Parmesan is a family favorite.
More Air Fryer Recipes
- Air Fryer Italian Sausage and Peppers
- Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
- Air Fryer Cauliflower
- Air Fryer Chicken Cordon Bleu
- Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Twists
- Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks
- Air Fryer Fried Chicken
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Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
- 4 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts about 3 lbs
- ⅓ cup all purpose flour
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 16 ounces sliced fresh Mozzarella cheese
- 24 ounces marinara sauce
Things You’ll Need
Before You Begin
- Four chicken breasts can easily serve 8 people with ½ a breast each.
- The make this recipe keto friendly, skip the flour, and instead of bread crumbs you can substitute pork rinds or more Parmesan.
Instructions
Pound the chicken
- Between a sheet of wax paper and a sheet of plastic wrap, use a meat tenderizer to pound each chicken breast to about ½-inch in thickness throughout the whole breast. Work from the center with smooth, even motions to flatten the chicken breast.
Dipping Station
- Place 1/3 cup of flour into a shallow dish.
- In a second shallow dish beat the eggs.
- Add one cup of panko bread crumbs plus ¼ cup of grated parmesan cheese to a third shallow dish.
- Give each dish a twist or two of freshly grated black pepper and a pinch or so of sea salt.
Dredge the chicken
- 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.
Bake in the Air Fryer
- 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 and cook for 5 minutes.
- Use tongs or a spatula to 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 are baking, drain your pasta and toss in sauce or heat your pasta sauce in a saucepan on the stove.
To Serve
- 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.
Nutrition
Amanda Davis
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Katherine Watson says
Found this recipe to be quick and easier than the pan frying version. Chicken parm is my sons favorite meal and I made this for his birthday and not only was it quicker but it was sooooo much better! He LOVED it and so did we. LOVE❤️❤️❤️❤️!
Ken Zorn says
Great recipe!! My wife and I love it . I make it frequently ( about once a week). I use the air fryer almost daily. Love
Nick says
This is a GREAT recipe! I do a lot of breakfast things in my Air Fryer (toaster oven type), so I need to work on my entree game. I added 2 minutes for each side of my breasts because It seems to take longer than what basket air fryers call for time wise. My wife and I were very happy with the results, the breasts looked and tasted fantastic. Thanks for all you do for us
Nick says
Made it again using blended pork rinds instead of panko to make a bit lower in carbs and it worked like a charm.