This Parmesan Crusted Chicken is coated with freshly grated Parmesan Cheese and panko breadcrumbs. Then it is pan-fried in a little melted butter creating a chicken breast full of flavor with a crispy exterior and a juicy tender inside. Quick and easy enough for a weeknight dinner yet fancy enough for company.
This dish is one of my busy night go-to recipes, so I like to include easy sides with it. A simple garden salad, broccoli, green beans, pasta with alfredo sauce, or Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes are just a few of my go-to sides.
How to make Parmesan Crusted Chicken
Start by setting up 2 breading and 1 dunking station. The first one with flour, the second one with beaten eggs, and the third one with panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan Cheese, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Now dredge the chicken breasts in the flour, dip them in the eggs, and then coat both sides with the panko parmesan mixture.
Then heat a little vegetable oil and melt a little butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the coated chicken for 2-3 minutes per side or until it is cooked through. For best results, let it rest for a few minutes before serving.
Recipe notes and helpful tips
- Split thick breasts in half lengthwise or cover them with plastic wrap and pound them with a meat mallet till they are about 1/2 inch thick. You want the meat to be cooked through after the coating browns and crisps.
- For optimal taste, use freshly grated parmesan cheese. It makes all the difference in the world.
- You can substitute regular breadcrumbs for the panko if you are in a pinch. Although I really like the added crispiness that I get from panko breadcrumbs.
- Try using fresh herbs like rosemary, basil, and thyme. The Italian seasonings are simply a guideline and a good solution for busy families.
- Sometimes I add a 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder to the panko breadcrumb mixture or I top the cooked chicken with a thin piece of provolone or mozzarella.
- When you place the chicken in the skillet, try not to disturb it much. Let the breading crisp up on the chicken before flipping.
- Chicken is cooked through when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. An Instant read meat thermometer is inexpensive and a real blessing when cooking.
- Pro-Tip – to avoid the dreaded breading fingers use one hand for the egg mixture and the other hand for the flour mixture.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in the oven from frozen at 425 for 15-18 minutes or until heated through.
How to cook this in an air fryer
Start by preheating your air fryer to 400 degrees. Bread the chicken according to the recipe instructions. Spray the chicken with a bit of olive oil or cooking spray and place it in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Air fry for about 7 minutes, then flip and cook for another 4 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
How to bake this Parmesan Crusted Chicken
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bread the chicken according to the recipe instructions. Spray the chicken with a little olive oil or cooking spray and place it on a baking sheet. Bake for 17-20 minutes or until the chicken is golden brown and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Other chicken recipes you will enjoy
Parmesan Crusted Chicken
Ingredients
- ½ cup flour
- 2 eggs
- ⅔ cup panko bread crumbs
- ⅔ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut in half lengthwise or 4 chicken cutlets
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Set up three breading dunking stations in a shallow bowl or a plate with a raised edge. Place flour in one. Beaten eggs in another. Panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan Cheese, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper in the last one.
- Dredge the chicken breasts in the flour, then dunk in the eggs, and then into the panko parmesan mixture, coating both sides.
- Heat the vegetable oil and melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook for 3 minutes, then flip and cook for 3 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Chicken is cooked through when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Let the chicken rest loosely tented for 5 minutes. If desired, garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
Notes
- Split thick breasts in half lengthwise or pound them till they are about 1/2 inch thick. You want the meat to be cooked through after the coating browns and crisps.
- For optimal taste, use freshly grated parmesan cheese. It makes all the difference in the world.
- You can substitute regular breadcrumbs for the panko if you are in a pinch. Although I really like the added crispiness that I get from panko breadcrumbs.
- Try using fresh herbs like rosemary, basil, and thyme. The Italian seasonings are simply a guideline and a good solution for busy families.
- When you place the chicken in the skillet, try not to disturb it much. Let the breading crisp up on the chicken before flipping.
- Pro-Tip – to avoid the dreaded breading fingers use one hand for the egg mixture and the other hand for the flour mixture.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in the oven from frozen at 425 for 15-18 minutes or until heated through.
Nutrition
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Zab Zaria
There’s something new about this recipe for me! I’m glad I found out about it! Thanks!
Marysa
This looks so crispy and flavorful! Great recipe that is so versatile; the chicken can be paired with so many different veggies.
Tammy
This looks so good! I love breaded chicken..always a family favorite in our house!
Rhian westbury
I’m a big fan of crusting anything with parmesan, and chicken is such a good option. My partner doesn’t like cheese (I know how strange!) so I’ll have to give this a try when I’m cooking just for me
MELANIE E
What a great recipe. Crispy on the outside and tender and juicy in the middle. I served it with garlic mashed potatoes and sauteed zucchini! It was a great meal.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Melanie! I am so glad that you liked it!
Lisa
This dish looks so delicious. We don’t put parmesan on chicken in Italy so it’s interesting to see this recipe.
Yeah Lifestyle
This is a really tasty recipe. I love the parmesan flavor on the chicken and the panko breadcrumbs add a lovely bit of texture too.
Beth Pierce
Thanks! So glad that you enjoyed it!
Karen
This looks sooooo delicious!!! I can’t wait to make your recipe, can’t wait. Thank you for the amazing recipe.
Monidipa
Beth, I always try your recipes. and this one is jus wow. This parmesan crusted chicken recipe looks amazing! The step-by-step instructions with pictures are so helpful. I can’t wait to try this for dinner on friday. Thanks for sharing!
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine!
Becky
This looks gorgeous! Paremsean and chicken are the perfect combination!! Yummy!! Thanks for the recipe.
Lisa
This recipe was a huge hit in my house tonight! It was easy to make and I’ll definitely make again!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Lisa! I am happy that you enjoyed it!
Leasa
OMG, so delicious it literally melted in my mouth
pooja Malkani
I love crusted chicken and this was incredibly delicious. This recipe is quite easy and mouth watering.
Jennifer Prince
Totally saving this to put in the queue to make for dinner. My family would love this so much. I’m a big fan of parmesan!
Knycx Journeying
So tasty and easy. I really enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Rose Ann Sales
Wow! This was so good and crispy. The whole family enjoyed it! Now they want me to make it again. 🙂
Melanie E
This is such a lovely recipe. I don’t make it often but it’s so yummy. Thanks for the great recipe.
Maureen
We eat chicken weekly and sometimes our tried and true recipes get old. This looks like a perfect addition to our family menu. Plus, seriously, who can resist such yummy goodness?!
Stephanie
Parmesan chicken is so yummy, and such an easy dinner. My whole family loved this, especially dipped in a little marinara sauce!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Stephanie! so glad that they enjoyed it!
An Indian Traveler
Great recipe! This Parmesan Crusted Chicken was delicious. Mouth-watering pics and Insightful tips!
Clarice
Wow! This was really delicious and easy to make. Thank you for sharing these tips. I agree with you that letting it rest a few minutes before serving makes a difference.
Rosey
You can never have enough ways to make chicken. This looks great. And this is the second time today I’ve seen mashed potatoes and wanted them!
Pooja
my son loves crusted chicken. I am sure he is going to love this one as well. I will try it out this weekend
Bryan
I love chicken parmesan! I’m thinking about how this will taste and what sides would match well with it. I like that it can be prepared in an air fryer, too!
Abida
I had tried PARMESAN CRUSTED CHICKEN For several times. It’s really a great recipe.
Marysa
I love parmesan, and this sounds like a flavorful recipe. This sounds crispy and delicious.
Tweenselmom
Yum! My kids loove chicken parmesan. This’ll be a real treat for them.
Subarna
Very soon I am going to try this. I am sure this recipe will be a hit for my family. We all are great chicken lovers.
Heather
Parmesan crusted chicken is one of my favorite go-to meals. Thanks for the great recipe!
Rose Ann Sales
That looks absolutely delicious and tasty! I would really love to try this recipe!
Richelle Milar
Oh my! This is a really delicious recipe! My family loved this so much! Thanks for sharing.
Manali Oza
How much time does it take to get cooked?
Beth Pierce
About 3-4 minutes each side if the chicken breasts have been cut in half lengthwise and are thin.
Evelyn
I have tried the Parmesan Crusted Chicken several times before. It’s so good!!
Steph S
Yum! Thanks so much for the recipe!
Edgar
Damn! Your chicken looks so good. For a moment there, I thought I was looking at a little fish! I look forward to trying it out.
Fransic
This is tastes so yummy, loves how it’s cooked and would love to cook it on the weekend. Thank you for sharing!
Beth Pierce
My pleasure! Enjoy!!
April
I’ve been looking for a new Parmesan Crusted Chicken recipe to try. This will be great to try out for dinner next week.
Beth Pierce
Thanks April! Enjoy!!
Melanie Edjourian
I love this recipe. It’s so simple to make and very tasty. It also goes well with salad which is great.
Beth Pierce
Thanks Melanie! So glad that you liked it!
The Confused Twenty Something
Chicken is usually my go to dinner, I’ll definitely try this recipe!
Subarna
Ohh this was super yummy. It was the perfect dinner recipe for our family.
Caroline
Yes, splitting the breasts or pounding them to make them thinner will help it get cooked well in the inside, and it looks yummy on the plate in the photo.
Cathy
The crust was so crispy and flavorful!
Juliane
Been making this a lot lately! SO good!
Catalina
A new and delicious way to make chicken for my family. Love it!
Erin
This Parmesan Crusted Chicken looks perfect! I need to add this to our menu soon!
Amanda
This is one of my all time favorite meals. Perfect for through the week and the whole family loves it!