This Air Fryer chicken parmesan recipe is the quickest and easiest way to make this classic Italian dish. Get crispy breaded chicken topped with marinara and cheese in just minutes!
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Easy Chicken Parmesan
Cooking chicken parmesan in the Air Fryer is going to make weeknight dinners so much easier!
Crispy breaded chicken covered in homemade marinara sauce and melted Parmesan and mozzarella is one of life’s greatest pleasures, but the usual way of making it can be tedious. This Air Fryer chicken parmesan has all the same elements you crave, without the hassle.
This recipe is crispy, cheesy, saucy, and delicious, and it’s such an easy Air Fryer meal!
Why You’ll Love this Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan Recipe:
- Time saver: In less than 15 minutes, you will have a fantastic lunch or dinner on the table!
- Juicy: The Air Fryer delivers a crispy shell around the juiciest, most flavorful chicken.
- Healthier: Air fryer chicken is always the healthier option over frying in oil.
Looking for more chicken parmesan recipes to satisfy your craving? Try these chicken parmesan meatballs, chicken parm sliders, and chicken parmesan soup!
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How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
You can jump to the recipe card for full ingredients & instructions!
- Dip the chicken breasts sequentially in the flour, egg, and breadcrumb mixtures.
- Place prepared and seasoned chicken in the air fryer and drizzle with olive oil.
- Cook the chicken, flipping once halfway through.
- Top each breast with sauce and mozzarella before cooking for a few more minutes.
- Serve over pasta and enjoy!
While I recommend using boneless, skinless chicken breasts of equal size for the most even results, you can also make this recipe with boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Thighs may take a bit longer to cook, though, so monitor with an instant-read thermometer.
Unfortunately, this recipe is not naturally gluten-free. To make air fryer chicken parmesan gluten-free, use a gluten-free 1:1 baking flour and gluten-free breadcrumbs.
I always pat my chicken dry before breading. Properly dredging the chicken in flour, then eggs, then breadcrumbs will help the breading to stick to the chicken pieces no matter how you cook them. I like to drizzle or brush my chicken with olive oil to help the breading stick even better. This also helps it to brown nicely in the air fryer.
While it is not necessary, I always recommend preheating your air fryer for 5-10 minutes to ensure the most even cook.
The easiest way to tell when your chicken is cooked through is to use an instant-read thermometer to check the temperature in the thickest part. Properly cooked chicken should be 165°F internally.
You sure can! To make baked chicken parmesan: Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Dredge the chicken as directed, brush with olive oil, and bake for about 15 minutes, or until cooked through. Top with sauce and cheese and broil for 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
Serving Suggestions
Serve your Air Fryer chicken parmesan the traditional way, on a plate of spaghetti (or another pasta). A side of garlic bread and a glass of wine will make you feel like you’re at your favorite Italian restaurant! If you want to make some sides with your Air Fryer, try it with Air Fryer asparagus or Air Fryer broccoli.
Make Ahead Instructions
You can stir together the ingredients for the seasoned breadcrumbs up to 1 day in advance and store them in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Storage Instructions
Store leftover air fryer chicken parmesan in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or in a 350°F oven for 8-10 minutes, until warmed through.
Freezing Instructions
Freeze chicken parmesan in a single layer on a lined baking sheet until solid, about 1-2 hours. Transfer to an airtight container or Ziplock bag to store for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Substitutions
- For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free 1:1 baking flour and gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- You can also use regular or Italian breadcrumbs instead of Panko.
- Feel free to omit the Parmesan cheese or use a different hard cheese, such as Pecorino Romano, Grana Padano, or Asiago.
- If you don’t have Italian seasoning on hand, you can make your own!
- Feel free to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of breasts.
- You can use any neutral oil in place of olive oil, such as avocado oil or vegetable oil.
- Use store-bought or homemade marinara sauce.
- If you don’t have mozzarella cheese, try provolone, Swiss, or cheddar instead!
Tips for the Best Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
- Choose equal-sized portions of chicken. If your breasts are thick, pound them to an even thinness before breading.
- Pat the chicken dry before dredging. This will help the breading to adhere better.
- Preheat your air fryer for 5-10 minutes for the most even cooking.
- Do not crowd the air fryer. Cook in batches if necessary. Otherwise, you will end up with soggy, undercooked chicken.
- Chicken is fully cooked when it registers 165°F in the thickest part on an instant-read thermometer.
- If planning to have leftovers, store the chicken, sauce, and cheese separately and assemble before reheating. This will prevent soggy breading.
More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes We Love
- Air Fryer Chicken Breast
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings
- Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
- Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
Trust me, after you make this Air Fryer chicken parmesan recipe once, you’ll never return to making it any other way!
More Italian Dinner Recipes to Try:
- Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
- Italian Wedding Soup
- Baked Italian Chicken
- Mozzarella Stuffed Meatloaf (Italian Meatloaf)
- Mozzarella Stuffed Italian Meatballs
- Crockpot Italian Chicken
If you make this recipe be sure to upload a photo in the comment section below or leave a rating. Enjoy! You can also jump to recipe.
Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan Recipe
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Ingredients
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1⅛ teaspoons kosher salt divided
- 1½ cups Panko breadcrumbs
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning store-bought or homemade
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 large eggs
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts about 1½ pounds
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 cup marinara sauce store-bought or homemade, plus more for serving
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese ½ bag
Recommended Equipment
- Instant Read Meat Thermometer (optional)
Instructions
- Set up a breading station by gathering 3 shallow dishes.
- In the first dish, combine the flour and a ⅛ teaspoon salt.½ cup all-purpose flour, 1⅛ teaspoons kosher salt
- In the second dish, whisk the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and remaining salt together.1½ cups Panko breadcrumbs, ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Crack the eggs in the third dish, and beat with a fork.2 large eggs
- Ensure the chicken breasts are thin. If needed, slice the chicken breasts in half to create thinner pieces, or place the breasts between parchment paper or plastic wrap, and pound them to even thinness. Season the chicken with a sprinkle of salt.4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Dredge the chicken breasts in the flour, then coat in the eggs, and then dip in the breadcrumbs, fully coating each breast.
- Place each chicken breast in a single layer in the basket of the air fryer. You may need to do this in 2 batches.
- Drizzle olive oil over each breast.¼ cup olive oil
- Cook at 370°F for 7 minutes. Flip the chicken breasts over and cook for another 7-8 minutes.
- Top each chicken breast with an equal amount of marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.1 cup marinara sauce, 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Cook for another 3-4 minutes in the air fryer until the sauce is heated and cheese has melted.
- Serve atop your favorite pasta with additional marinara sauce and cheese if desired.
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free 1:1 baking flour and gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- You can also use regular or Italian breadcrumbs instead of Panko.
- Feel free to omit the Parmesan cheese or use a different hard cheese, such as Pecorino Romano, Grana Padano, or Asiago.
- If you don’t have Italian seasoning on hand, you can make your own!
- Feel free to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of breasts.
- You can use any neutral oil in place of olive oil, such as avocado oil or vegetable oil.
- Use store-bought or homemade marinara sauce.
- If you don’t have mozzarella cheese, try provolone, Swiss, or cheddar instead!
- Choose equal-sized portions of chicken. If your breasts are thick, pound them to an even thinness before breading.
- Pat the chicken dry before dredging. This will help the breading to adhere better.
- Preheat your air fryer for 5-10 minutes for the most even cooking.
- Do not crowd the air fryer. Cook in batches if necessary. Otherwise, you will end up with soggy, undercooked chicken.
- Chicken is fully cooked when it registers 165°F in the thickest part on an instant-read thermometer.
- If planning to have leftovers, store the chicken, sauce, and cheese separately and assemble before reheating. This will prevent soggy breading.
Nutrition Information
is the nutrition info for 1 serving or for all 4 servings?
Nutritional information is for 1 serving!
Delicious and easy weeknight dinner.
Can you give instructions how to make this in the oven?
Click here for our oven baked chicken parmesan recipe!
My husband made this last night, and we both thought it turned out quite well! One thing he found confusing was that the ingredients say “1⅛ teaspoons kosher salt divided” and then the directions say “In the first dish, combine the flour and a ⅛ teaspoon salt. ½ cup all-purpose flour, 1⅛ teaspoons kosher salt,” so he didn’t know which it was — ⅛ or 1⅛. Anyway, this is one he’ll be making again!
Hi, Helen! The light gray text below each step is a feature of the recipe card where it lists each ingredient that is used in the step. Unfortunately, it does not list the divided amounts when ingredients are divided, so always follow the amounts listed in black text at each step! Hope this helps!