Making Chicken Parmesan on a weeknight is usually a hassle. You have to fry the chicken in oil, then transfer it to the oven to melt the cheese, dirtying half the kitchen in the process.
Welcome back to The Crispy Basket. Today, we are streamlining the Italian classic.
The air fryer is the perfect tool for this because it acts as both a fryer and a broiler. We can get a shatteringly crisp Panko crust and perfectly melted, browned cheese in one basket, in under 15 minutes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The Crunch: The convection heat ensures the breading is golden brown on all sides, not just the bottom.
- Speed: No preheating a giant oven. It’s ready faster than boiling pasta.
- Less Mess: No shallow frying in oil means no greasy stovetop splatter.
“The Crispy Basket” Secret: The “Toast First” Technique
The number one mistake people make with air fryer parm is putting the sauce and cheese on raw breaded chicken. This results in a soggy mess.
The Secret: You must air fry the breaded chicken “naked” first. We cook the cutlets until they are golden and crispy before we add the toppings. Then, we add the sauce and cheese and put it back in just long enough to melt. This ensures the crust under the sauce stays crunchy.
Ingredients Needed
- 2 Large Chicken Breasts: Sliced in half lengthwise to make 4 thin cutlets.
- Cooking Spray.
- The Dredge Station:
- 1/2 cup Flour.
- 2 Eggs (Beaten).
- 1 cup Panko Breadcrumbs mixed with 1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese and 1 tsp Italian Seasoning.
- The Toppings:
- 1/2 cup favorite Marinara Sauce.
- 1 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: The Pound & Prep Place chicken cutlets between plastic wrap and pound them gently with a meat mallet or rolling pin until they are an even 1/2-inch thickness. Pat them dry.
Step 2: The Bread Set up three bowls: Flour, Eggs, Panko mixture. Dip each cutlet in flour (shake off excess), then egg, then press firmly into the Panko/Parmesan mixture to coat.
Step 3: The “Toast” Fry (Stage 1)
- Preheat air fryer to 375°F (190°C).
- Spray the basket with oil. Place cutlets in a single layer (cook in batches if needed).
- Spray Generously: Spray the top of the breading with oil.
- Air fry for 8–10 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden brown and crispy.
Step 4: The Top & Melt (Stage 2)
- Open the basket. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of sauce onto the center of each crispy cutlet.
- Top generously with mozzarella cheese.
- Air fry for another 2–3 minutes just until the cheese is bubbling and spotted brown.
Step 5: Serve Serve immediately over pasta, zucchini noodles, or in a sub roll.
“The Crispy Basket” Pro-Tips
- Quality Cheese: Use block mozzarella that you shred yourself. Pre-shredded bags have potato starch that prevents smooth melting.
- Don’t Over-Sauce: If you drown the chicken in sauce, it will eventually make the crust soggy. A few tablespoons concentrated in the center is perfect.
FAQ
Why isn’t my breading brown? You didn’t use enough cooking spray. Panko needs fat to brown. Don’t be shy with the oil spray in Stage 1.
Can I use regular breadcrumbs? You can, but Panko (Japanese style) is much flakier and will result in a significantly crispier chicken parm, which is what The Crispy Basket is all about.
