Air Fried Chicken Parmesan
Whether you think it’s a trend or not, there's one kitchen appliance that has been popping up a lot more in recent years and is certainly here to stay, and that is the air fryer.
Air fryers are a fantastic way to deliver the crispy texture that we all love from fried food but with much less of the fat and oil, so you can eat that sort of food without feeling guilty.
The way they work is there’s a fan tucked above the heating unit which, like a convection oven, swirls heat around anything that’s in the basket, so the food cooks quickly and achieves the signature crispy texture you get from deep frying with very little fat or oil.
There's an infinite number of dishes one could make in an air fryer from French fries to desserts to roasted vegetables, a task even easier if you have the Ninja Air Fryer like I do, but one delicious thing to make is the Italian-American classic, chicken Parmesan.
Vegetarians aside, there aren't a lot of people who live in America who doesn’t like it, and there’s no reason they shouldn’t. Crispy, juicy chicken breasts coated in a breadcrumb/Parmesan mixture before fried to golden perfection then topped with tomato sauce and mozzarella, could be served with pasta, salad, or even on its own!
Believe it or not, chicken Parmesan did not originate in Italy, it's an American variation of a classic Italian dish, melanzane alla Parmigiana, or what Americans would know as eggplant Parmesan, which consists of slices of eggplant that are breaded and fried before covered in tomato sauce and cheese.
The dish was introduced to the states and by the 1950s, Northeastern American cooks began to substitute the eggplant for chicken, which was widely growing in popularity at the time, and is now a staple in almost any restaurant or kitchen that knows how to make a tasty red sauce.
Now, while the dish is traditionally deep-fried to achieve its signature texture, those who care a bit more about their health should not worry, as this dish is also as delicious when prepared in the Air Fryer.
With an air fryer, you need to remember a few simple rules:
Remember that food that goes into an air fryer will end up cooking faster than in an oven, so keep an eye on what’s cooking and make sure to toss or flip the food to promote even cooking.
Just like an oven, make sure you pre-heat your air fryer before adding anything.
Most air fryers have a vent in the back that keeps them from overheating. You can store it anywhere you have space, but when you are using the fryer, you must keep it at least 5 feet away from any wall.
I said that air fryers need very little oil to cook, but I didn’t say it didn’t need any oil. Before cooking, you’ll want to toss the food you plan on cooking in some neutral oil or spray it with cooking spray to help achieve a crispy texture.
Making chicken Parmesan in this device is certainly a great weeknight dinner, and could not be easier to do.
To get things started, I will first make a quick tomato sauce. Store-bought sauces are fine, but making the sauce yourself does show extra love and care.
To make this sauce, I begin by heating up some crushed garlic, dried oregano, chili flakes, and salt with olive oil in a medium pot over low heat until the garlic becomes fragrant.
Don’t be afraid to brown your garlic a little bit, as that will add extra roasted flavor to the sauce.
Burnt garlic is highly bitter and can overpower your sauce, but slightly-browned garlic is not the worst thing. You will want to keep a close eye on it.
I then add in a large can of crushed tomatoes. I prefer to used crushed tomatoes as they’re a lot more convenient to use than whole canned tomatoes, but that’s a preference.
I bring the mixture to a boil, then let it simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes, or until the sauce is thick. I’ll season the sauce to taste with salt, pepper, and (If I need it) a touch of sugar, and it’s done!
If you want to add some chopped fresh herbs like basil or parsley, now would be the time to do so.
This sauce is great for pasta, pizza, or whatever you need tomato sauce for.
I usually get my chicken going while the sauce is simmering.
For the chicken, I pre-heat my air fryer to 350 degrees. For my fryer, this takes about 3 minutes, but yours might be different. Just read the manufacturer’s instructions.
I then butterfly my chicken to get it to cook evenly before laying a piece of plastic wrap on top and gently pounding with a kitchen mallet until it’s an even thickness.
I then season my chicken on both sides with salt and pepper and set it aside while I assemble my breading station.
You do want to be careful with the salt as this point, as we will be coating the chicken with parmesan cheese.
A classic breading station involves putting flour, egg, and breadcrumbs into three shallow bowls, however, I prefer to combine the flour and eggs into a loose paste in one bowl, this cuts down on dishes and saves a step of having to put each piece of chicken into the flour and egg.
I also prefer not to season this mixture as there’s plenty of salt on the chicken and in the breading mixture.
In another bowl, I combine panko breadcrumbs, grated parmesan, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and fresh ground pepper.
No salt because…well, you know.
Panko breadcrumbs are a Japanese-style breadcrumb that are drier and can resist moisture better, making them even crispier than Italian breadcrumbs.
You can use Italian breadcrumbs if that’s all you have. Better yet, you can take some stale bread, cut it into cubes, and grind them down in a food processor to make your own breadcrumbs.
Also, I cannot stress this enough, please use freshly grated parmesan. Pre-grated parmesan is dried out, is coated with chemicals to help it last longer in your fridge, and lacks some of the complex flavors that only freshly grated parm can provide.
I then dip the chicken into the flour-egg mixture, making sure to shake off the excess, then toss in the breadcrumb mixture. Once all of the chicken is breaded, and the air-fryer is hot, I spray one side of each chicken with cooking spray and lay them into the fryer basket sprayed side down, spraying the other side once it’s in.
I’ll air-fry my chicken for about 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is mostly cooked and the breadcrumbs are golden and crispy. I will flip the chicken halfway through to promote even browning,
Then, in classic chicken parm fashion, I’ll spoon some of the sauce in a thin layer on the chicken and top with grated mozzarella cheese. I’ll then turn the air-fryer up to 400 degrees and air fry for another 5 minutes or until the mozzarella is bubbly and melted.
Garnish with some chopped basil or parsley, serve some more sauce on top or on the side (if you want to) and it’s done!
Delicious air-fried chicken parmesan that your family will go nuts for.
Air Fried Chicken Parm
Servings: 4
For the sauce:
1 tablespoon of olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 teaspoons of dried oregano
1 teaspoon of chili flakes
Kosher salt
1 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes.
Freshly ground black pepper
1-2 teaspoons of sugar, if needed.
For the chicken:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper
¼ cup flour
2 eggs
¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese*
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Cooking spray
1 cup grated part-skim mozzarella cheese
Sliced fresh basil for garnish
Method:
Make the sauce: Heat the oil, garlic, oregano, chili flakes, and a teaspoon of salt in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.
Once the garlic is sizzling, add the tomatoes and stir to combine. Bring it to a boil, cover it, then drop it to a simmer and let it go for 30 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and sugar (if too acidic), then set aside.
While the sauce is simmering, prepare and cook the chicken.
Butterfly each chicken breast by making horizontal slices through the thickest part of the breast. Of course, you don’t want to shred the chicken at this point, but some small holes aren’t the end of the world.
Sandwich the chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound them to an even thickness using a meat mallet, it should be about ¼-1/2 inch thick.
In a plate or other shallow container, whisk together the flour and eggs to form a loose paste. Combine the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and seasonings in a separate plate breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and seasonings and set aside.
Preheat your air fryer according to manufacturer’s instructions then dip each chicken breast into the flour and egg mixture*, making sure to shake off the excess. Then dip each chicken into the breadcrumb mixture to coat.
Once your air fryer is preheated, spray each breaded chicken with cooking spray, lay them in your fryer’s basket or tray sprayed side down, then spray the top.
Air fry at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until the breading is golden and crispy. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to do this in batches.
Once all the chicken is air fried, lay them on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, cover with a thin layer of tomato sauce and the mozzarella.
Stick the whole tray under the broiler until the cheese is bubbly and melted. (If you’re serving fewer people, you could also do this in the air fryer at 400.)
Top with basil, Serve with pasta or salad and enjoy!
