Air-Fryer Chicken Parmesan
For years, I resisted getting an air-fryer, not wanting an additional large appliance I needed to store. I finally caved and can’t believe how much I use it! This Chicken Parmesan recipe (adapted from ATK) is a great example of the air-fryer’s less oil/less mess brilliance. Serves 2 and can be easily adjusted to serve more.
INGREDIENTS
¾ cup panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper
2 (8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
2 ounces whole-milk mozzarella cheese, shredded or thinly sliced
¼ cup 20-min tomato sauce, or your favorite jarred
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
INSTRUCTIONS
Toss panko with oil in bowl until evenly coated. Microwave, stirring frequently, until light golden brown, 1 to 3 minutes. (Doing this step mimics the browning you get in pan-frying without the greasy mess.) Transfer to shallow dish and let cool slightly.
Whisk egg, flour, oregano, ⅛ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper together in second shallow dish.
Pound chicken to uniform thickness as needed. Pat dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Working with 1 breast at a time, dredge in egg mixture, letting excess drip off, then coat with panko mixture, pressing gently to adhere.
Line base of air-fryer basket with foil and lightly spray with vegetable oil spray. Arrange breasts in prepared basket, spaced evenly apart, alternating ends. Place basket in air fryer and set temperature to 400 degrees. Cook until chicken is crisp and registers 160 degrees, 12 to 16 minutes, flipping and rotating breasts halfway through cooking.
Sprinkle chicken with Parmesan and mozzarella. Return basket to air fryer and cook until cheeses are melted, about 1 minute. Transfer chicken to individual serving plates. Top each breast with 2 tablespoons warm marinara sauce and sprinkle with basil and serve.