Air fryer chicken parmesan gives you crispy breaded chicken, a spoonful of marinara, and melty mozzarella cheese, all ready in about 25 minutes without heating your whole kitchen or dirtying a dozen pans.
My family would happily eat chicken parm every single week if I let them. The problem? Traditional fried chicken parmesan means oil splatters, a greasy stovetop, and that lingering fried food smell in my hair. Not exactly my idea of a relaxing weeknight!
The air fryer has changed everything. This recipe has the same golden, crunchy coating and gooey cheese pull, with way less cleanup. You get the coating without dealing with a pan full of hot oil. The cheese melts beautifully without burning, and the whole thing comes together fast.
Reader Review
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By far the best air-fryer chicken parm recipe I’ve made. Followed all the directions and it cooked evenly and was at 165 at the 10 minute mark. Placed in my Keeper recipe file. Thanks for sharing your delish recipe, Anne!
— Jack
And chicken parm is much healthier in the air fryer. You can now enjoy this classic Italian dish without all the fat and grease of frying. Serve it over spaghetti for the pasta lovers in your house, or skip the noodles and pair it with a simple salad or roasted veggies if you’re going low-carb.
I’ll walk you through my foolproof method for getting restaurant-quality chicken parmesan right in your air fryer. And I’ll cover the secret to keeping the breading from falling off!
Looking for more easy air fryer recipes? Try air fryer salmon skewers, air fryer chicken teriyaki, or Doritos chicken tenders.
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Ingredient Notes
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
- Chicken breasts: I always buy whole breasts and cut them myself because they’re cheaper that way.
- Plain breadcrumbs
- Parmesan cheese
- Italian seasoning
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Pepper
- Eggs
- Spaghetti sauce
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
- If you’re starting with whole chicken breasts, cut them in half lengthwise to create cutlets. Try to make them as even in thickness as possible so they cook at the same rate.
- In a medium bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. In another medium bowl, crack the eggs and whisk until the yolks and whites are fully combined.
- Get out a baking rack or a large plate to hold your breaded cutlets. Dip each piece of chicken into the egg mixture, making sure both sides are coated. Let any excess egg drip off, then press it into the breadcrumb mixture, turning to coat both sides. Press down a little so the crumbs really stick.
- Put the breaded cutlets on your baking rack and let them sit for 10 minutes. It seems like a waste of time, but this rest period enables the coating to set up and stick to the chicken much better. You’ll get way less breading falling off in the air fryer.
- Set your air fryer to 360 degrees F and let it preheat for 3 minutes.
- Spray or brush a light coating of oil onto each cutlet. Place the cutlets in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Don’t overlap them or crowd them together, even if it means cooking in batches.
- Cook at 360°F for 6 minutes. Carefully flip each piece over with tongs, then air-fry for another 4 minutes.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to check that the thickest part of the chicken has reached 165°F. If it’s not quite there yet, air fry for another 2-3 minutes and check again.
- Keep the chicken right in the air fryer basket and carefully spoon about 2 tablespoons of spaghetti sauce onto each cutlet. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of shredded mozzarella cheese over the sauce on each piece.
- Air fry at 360°F for another 2 minutes. This heats the sauce and melts the cheese.
Serving Ideas
Air fryer chicken Parmesan is one of those recipes that plays well with others. Pasta is the obvious choice, and for good reason. Toss your noodles with marinara sauce, garlic, and a splash of olive oil, then top with a cutlet or two.
Beyond pasta, I’ve found that air fryer chicken Parmesan works beautifully alongside roasted vegetables. Throw some broccoli, zucchini, or bell peppers in the air fryer while your chicken cooks, and you’ve got a complete meal without much fuss.
For a fun twist, slice your cooled chicken Parmesan and layer it into a crusty roll with extra marinara sauce and mozzarella for a chicken Parm sandwich. It’s basically a handheld version of comfort food.
How to Store
Once cooled, transfer your chicken parmesan to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to eat it again, put it back in the air fryer at 350 degrees F for 3-4 minutes to restore some of that crispiness.
If you’ve already topped your chicken with sauce and cheese before storing, eat it within 1-2 days. The longer it sits, the more the coating softens. I usually store the sauce separately and add it fresh when I reheat, which keeps everything crispy and delicious.
Tips & Tricks
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- Letting those breaded cutlets rest for 10 minutes before cooking is the secret to breading that actually stays put. The resting time allows the egg to become tacky, creating a stronger bond between the chicken and the breadcrumbs.
- Preheating for 3 minutes at 360°F makes a real difference in how crispy that coating gets.
- Overcrowding the basket is the fastest way to end up with soggy, unevenly cooked chicken.
- Every air fryer runs a little differently, which is why checking the internal temperature is more reliable than relying on the timer. You’re looking for 165°F in the thickest part of the chicken. I always pull mine at 160°F since it continues cooking while you add the sauce and cheese, and those final 2 minutes in the air fryer bring it right to 165°F.
- You can use seasoned breadcrumbs if that’s what you have on hand. Just skip the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper since the breadcrumbs already have those flavors built in. I’ve done it both ways depending on what’s in my pantry, and both versions turn out great.
- You can also make this with boneless, skinless chicken thighs if you prefer.
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Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
Ingredients
- 2 whole skinless chicken breast or 4 cutlets
- 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup spaghetti sauce or marinara sauce
- 4 tablespoons mozzarella cheese shredded
Instructions
- If you are using whole breasts cut them in half lengthwise, to make cutlets. Try to make the halves an even thickness.2 whole skinless chicken breast or 4 cutlets
- In a medium bowl combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper.1 cup plain breadcrumbs, ½ cup Parmesan cheese, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- In another medium bowl break the eggs and mix to combine the yolk and whites.2 eggs
- Get out a baking rack to put the slices on after coating.
- Dip each piece in the egg mixture followed by the breadcrumb mixture.
- Put the pieces on the baking rack and let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Set the air fryer to 360 °F and let it preheat for 3 minutes.
- Spray or brush a little oil on the chicken to help it brown. Use a spray bottle of oil, not a commercial cooking spray. Then put the cutlets in a single layer in the basket. Don’t overcrowd the pieces in the basket and cook it in batches if necessary.
- Air fry at 360 degrees F for 6 minutes. Then flip each piece over and air fry for another 4 minutes.
- Check that the meat has reached 160 °F internal temperature. If not, air fry it for another 2-3 minutes and check again. The coating will be golden brown when it is done.
- When it has reached 165 °F keep it in the air fryer basket and carefully top each cutlet with 2 tablespoons of spaghetti sauce. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese on top of the sauce.½ cup spaghetti sauce, 4 tablespoons mozzarella cheese
- Air fry it at 360 °F for another 2 minutes to heat the sauce and melt the cheese.
Notes
- Letting those breaded cutlets rest for 10 minutes before cooking is the secret to breading that actually stays put.
- Preheating for 3 minutes at 360°F makes a real difference in how crispy that coating gets.
- Overcrowding the basket is the fastest way to end up with soggy, unevenly cooked chicken.
- Every air fryer runs a little differently, which is why checking the internal temperature is more reliable than relying on the timer. You’re looking for 165°F in the thickest part of the chicken.
- You can use seasoned breadcrumbs if that’s what you have on hand. Just skip the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper since the breadcrumbs already have those flavors built in.
- You can also make this with boneless, skinless chicken thighs if you prefer.
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
By far the best air-fryer chicken parm recipe I’ve made. Followed all the directions and it cooked evenly and was at 165 at the 10 minute mark. Placed in my Keeper recipe file. Thanks for sharing your delish recipe, Anne!
I followed your receipe and it was perfect. I would like to know if there is a way to make it more crispy, like restaurants!