This easy Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan is everything you love about the classic Italian Chicken Parm dish, only it is a healthier version made in the air fryer in less than 30 minutes!
One bite of this crispy and juicy chicken topped with a zesty spaghetti sauce and melted mozzarella cheese, and you’ll instantly add it to your go-to dinner recipe list.
Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
This Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan has become not only one of my favorite air fryer recipes but one of the easiest!
This is ready in under 30 minutes and it’s such a hearty, delicious dinner option. Serve it over pasta, zoodles, with a side salad, or roasted veggies. It is quick to become a family favorite dinner!
Why We Love Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
- Quick and simple air fryer chicken recipe -even for beginner air fryer users!
- Great dinner option for a busy weeknight.
- A great healthier alternative to fried chicken parmesan recipe.
- Makes juicy air fryer breaded chicken breast -moist inside, crunchy outside.
Ingredients
- Chicken cutlets
- Salt & pepper (optional)
- All-purpose flour
- Eggs
- Panko bread crumbs
- Italian seasoning bread crumbs
- Mozzarella cheese (I always prefer fresh mozzarella cheese if possible)
- Tomato sauce or your favorite spaghetti sauce
Substitutions and Additions
- CHICKEN CUTLETS: You can substitute chicken breasts, just be sure each piece of chicken is pounded and flatten to a uniform thickness.
- PARMESAN CHEESE: If you don’t have shredded parmesan you can use grated parmesan instead.
- MOZZARELLA CHEESE: You can use slices of mozzarella cheese or shredded. You can also substitute additional parmesan cheese if you’d like.
- OPTIONAL GARNISHES: You could top your completed dish with freshly chopped parsley, chopped basil, grated parmesan, or red pepper flakes.
Recommended Tools
- Meat mallet
- 3 large, shallow bowls
- Air fryer
SEE FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD BELOW
How to Make Chicken Parmesan in the Air Fryer
- PREP THE CHICKEN: Make sure the chicken is thin and the same thickness throughout.
- DIP THE CHICKEN: First coat the chicken in the flour, then dip it in the eggs, then coat it in the bread crumbs (coat generously).
- SPRAY THE CHICKEN: Spray with either olive oil cooking spray, canola oil cooking spray or use a Misto oil sprayer.
- AIR FRY: Air fry the chicken at 380 degrees for 7-8 minutes, flip and spray again and cook for an additional 7-8 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
- ADD TOPPINGS: Cover the chicken with pasta sauce and top with cheese. Bake for another 2- minutes until the cheese in melted.
Pro-Tips:
- I always pound my chicken before cooking. This will make sure it cooks evenly.
- All air fryers cook very differently. You may need to adjust your temperature and cook time. You will want the chicken to reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
- If you have a smaller air fryer basket, you can cook in baskets (be sure not to overcrowd the basket). When the first batch is done, just put the chicken in a baking dish or on a baking sheet in the oven at 250 to keep it warm.
Storage Tips
- To Store: Cool and refrigerate in an airtight container within 2 hours of preparation (1 hour if the temperature in the room is 90 degrees Fahrenheit or above). If it already has sauce on it, it can last for about 3 days. If it is stored without the sauce, it will last for about 2 days longer.
- To Freeze: You can also wrap the Chicken Parmesan in plastic wrap and put it in a freezer bag, squeezing out the air, and freeze it for 2-6 months. It can be thawed in the refrigerator or reheated directly from the freezer. Be sure to heat the chicken to 165 degrees Fahrenheit before consuming.
- To Reheat: To reheat, you can simply pop leftovers back in the air fryer or place them in the microwave. I find that reheating in the air fryer keeps the chicken crispier!
Frequently Asked Questions
An air fryer is a countertop convection oven that stimulates deep frying, but without using any oil! This makes for healthier meals, easier recipes and a lot less mess.
If you are new to the Air Fryer world, I’ve got you covered. I answer all the questions, like how to use an Air Fryer, what you can cook in an Air Fryer, and even the best Air Fryers on the market. Make sure to check out my post How to Use An Air Fryer for all the details.
It always depends on the recipe, but almost every time, cooking in the air fryer is always healthier than deep frying.
I strongly recommend pre-heating your air fryer before using. You only need to preheat it for about 3 minutes and many models actually preheat it for you! I find much more consistency in my recipes when I preheat the air fryer.
Be sure you are not crowding the air fryer basket. You want room for the air to circulate around the food. You may want to consider cooking in batches
Chicken parmesan is traditionally served with pasta and more marinara sauce but there is really no reason to stop with that!
Use a little extra marinara sauce to serve with your chicken parmesan and serve it over rice, alongside mashed potatoes, or with a side of roasted potatoes.
If you are looking to go low carb, try serving over our Zucchini Noodles!
Yes, you can cook raw chicken in the air fryer. Just make sure the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Other Easy Air Fryer Recipes
- Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks
- Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks
- The Best French Fries in Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Hamburgers
- Air Fryer Fried Chicken {Crispy & Healthy!)
- Air Fryer Garlic Knots
- Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers
- Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings
Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
Ingredients
- 24 ounce chicken cutlets or well-pounded chicken breasts
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs whisked
- ⅓ cup Panko bread crumbs
- ⅓ cup Italian bread crumbs
- 1½ cups mozzarella cheese shredded and divided
- ¾ cup tomato sauce or spaghetti sauce
- Optional garnishes: Chopped parsley, chopped basil, grated parmesan, red pepper flakes
- Olive oil or canola oil cooking spray
- pasta optional
Instructions
- Remove any fat and pound the chicken to an even thickness if needed.TIP: You will want to use thin cutlets for this recipe. They cook the best and most evenly. If you are using regular chicken breast, be sure to pound them thin and even. (this may affect your cooking time)
- Pat the chicken dry and lay on a plate. Salt and pepper the chicken pieces (Optional).
- Prepare the flour and egg by placing them separately in large, shallow bowls: put the flour in one and the egg in another.
- In another bowl mix together the panko bread crumbs and the bread crumbs.
- Preheat the air fryer at 380 degrees F. for 5 minutes.
- Coat each piece of chicken in flour, then dip in the egg mixture.
- Let the excess egg drip off each piece, then press each piece gently into the panko mixture, until fully coated.TIP: I like to flip it a few times and press the chicken into the mixture to make sure it Is heavily coated in the panko and bread crumb mixture.
- Place the chicken pieces in a single layer in the air fryer basket. (Don’t crowd the pieces; fry in batches if necessary). Spray with a thin coat of olive oil or canola oil spray.
- Cook for about 7-8 minutes and flip and spray with cooking oil again. Cook for about another 7-8 minutes or until the chicken is cooked to 165 degrees. TIP: All air fryers cook very differently. You are looking for the chicken to be fully cooed with an Internal temp of 165 degrees and the panko to be browned and crispy.
- Top each piece of chicken to the edges with spaghetti sauce.
- Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese on top of each piece of chicken.
- Put back in the air fryer and cook until the cheese is melted, 2 or 3 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh basil, parsley, grated parmesan, and additional red pepper flakes, optional. Best when served warm. Serve over pasta (optional)
Jenn’s Notes
- To Store: Cool and refrigerate your Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan in an airtight container within 2 hours of preparation (1 hour if the temperature in the room is 90 degrees Fahrenheit or above). If it already has sauce on it, it can last for about 3 days. If it is stored without the sauce, it will last for about 2 days longer.
- To Freeze: You can also wrap the Chicken Parmesan in plastic wrap and put it in a freezer bag, squeezing out the air, and freeze it for 2-6 months. It can be thawed in the refrigerator or reheated directly from the freezer. Be sure to heat the chicken to 165 degrees Fahrenheit before consuming.
- To Reheat: To reheat, you can simply pop leftovers back in the air fryer or place them in the microwave. I find that reheating in the air fryer keeps the chicken crispier!
