This Parmesan crusted chicken recipe is our family favorite weeknight dinner! It’s easy, crispy, and guaranteed to satisfy everyone, made in under 30 minutes.
The first time Alex made this Parmesan crusted chicken for me, it was one of those “whoa” moments when I look at him with adoring eyes. The exterior is so golden and crispy, and the interior so juicy and seasoned, I visibly melted.
Since that first time, this chicken recipe has become one of those back-pocket concepts we keep on hand for guests or for an easy dinner on a weeknight. It’s great on its own, or you can slice to top a Caesar salad or rice bowl. Long live Parmesan crusted chicken!
Key ingredients for Parmesan crusted chicken
Dinners built on just a few ingredients are where it’s at for us, and this chicken recipe fits the bill with pantry staples (aside from the chicken, of course!). Here’s what you’ll need for this recipe:
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts: You’ll need to butterfly the chicken breast for this recipe. You can buy it precut, in which case it’s often marked as cutlets. Buy organic chicken if possible!
- Egg: This helps the Parmesan breading to adhere to the chicken.
- All purpose flour: Flour makes for the perfect golden exterior. You can substitute almond flour for gluten-free.
- Grated Parmesan cheese: This is the key ingredient! Make sure it is grated with a powdery texture, not shredded.
- Italian seasoning and garlic powder: These spices add an intensely savory flavor. Olive oil, salt and pepper round out the ingredients.
💡Why buy organic chicken? We recommend buying organic since it’s the high-quality meat that is raised sustainably without chemicals. Organic standards require that the chickens have access to the outdoors and cannot be given antibiotics or growth hormones (happy chickens!).
How to make Parmesan crusted chicken: step by step
Step 1: Butterfly the chicken breasts (slice in half lengthwise). Then place between plastic wrap and use a mallet or heavy skillet to pound them to an even 1/4″ thickness. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Step 2: Whisk an egg in a bowl. Stir together the flour, Parmesan and seasonings in a baking dish. Dip each chicken breast in the egg, then flour mixture.
Step 3: Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 to 5 minutes per side, until browned on both sides, until the internal temperature is 165°F, or the center is no longer pink. Rest 5 minutes, then serve warm.
Ways to serve it
When we make Parmesan crusted chicken, it’s one our family keeps returning to the kitchen for seconds. We often serve it with rice or over a salad to make a main dish salad. Here are a few of our top ideas:
Storing leftovers
This Parmesan crusted chicken recipe tastes best when it’s freshly made and crisp from the skillet! Store any leftovers refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 3 days. You can reheat them in a skillet to regain some of the crispy texture.
A few more easy chicken recipes
We eat loosely according to the Mediterranean diet, with loads of veggies, a bit of seafood, and occasional chicken. Here are some of the chicken recipes we love most:
Dietary notes
This Parmesan crusted chicken recipe is gluten-free with almond flour.
You can substitute Parmesan with other hard cheeses like Asiago, Romano, or Pecorino Romano. Keep in mind, Pecorino is much saltier than Parmesan.
The key is a good breading process. Dredge the chicken in the egg, then the flour and Parmesan mixture, ensuring each step coats the chicken completely. Press gently to adhere the coating.
Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or smoked paprika to the breading mixture for a kick. Try adding fresh herbs like parsley, thyme, or oregano in the breading. Or, add a bit of lemon zest to the breading for a bright flavor.
Resting allows the juices to redistribute throughout the chicken, resulting in a more tender, flavorful, and moist piece of meat. It also makes it easier to cut!
Insert a digital instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken. The safe internal temperature for cooked chicken is 165°F (74°C).
Description
This Parmesan crusted chicken recipe is our family favorite weeknight dinner! It’s easy, crispy, and guaranteed to satisfy everyone, made in under 30 minutes.
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts or 4 cutlets (about 1 ½ pounds, organic if possible)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (plus more to taste)
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 egg
- ½ cup all-purpose flour (or almond flour)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Parsley, for garnish
- Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. If using breasts, slice them in half horizontally (if you bought cutlets, skip this step). If desired, place chicken cutlets between two pieces of plastic wrap and place them on a cutting board. Using a mallet or heavy skillet, pound them to an even 1/4” thickness.
- Place the chicken on a cutting board and sprinkle on all sides with the kosher salt and black pepper.
- Whisk the egg in a medium bowl. In a shallow baking dish, stir together the flour, Parmesan, Italian seasoning and garlic powder, then shake into an even layer.
- Dip each chicken breast in the eggs, shake off excess, then dredge the chicken breasts in flour. Place back onto the cutting board. Discard the leftover flour mixture (you’ll use about half of it on the chicken, but the extra makes it easier to dredge.)
- Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 to 5 minutes per side, until browned on both sides (cooking in batches as necessary), until the internal temperature is 165°F, or the center is no longer pink. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm, sliced if desired. Leftovers store up to 3 days, refrigerated.
- Category: Main dish
- Method: Pan Fried
- Cuisine: Chicken
Keywords: Parmesan crusted chicken
