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Parmesan Crusted Chicken is crispy and flavorful on the outside and so juicy on the inside! You’ll love how simple this weeknight dinner recipe is – ready in just 20 minutes.

The secret ingredient is cheese. Always.
Crispy, Cheesy Chicken Perfection!
This recipe brought to you by a moment of desperation as my daughter insisted on frozen nuggs for the third time in a week.
Yes, those frozen nuggets are great on a busy day when I’m not in the mood to cook dinner, but honestly – I can’t eat them more than once in a while. I’m a whole grown up. I’ve done my chicken nugget time and moved on, you know?
This parmesan crusted chicken has everything my kid loves about nuggies – crispy breading + juice chicken + the option to dip it in our honey mustard recipe.
The best part? It cooks in one skillet in about 20 minutes, so you can have dinner on the table fast without compromising on taste.
3 Reasons You’ll Love This Parmesan Crusted Chicken
Kid-approved, adult-loved. Finally, a chicken recipe that makes everyone at the table happy without having to make two different dinners.
Super quick and easy. From start to finish, this takes about 20 minutes and uses ingredients you probably already have.
Works with any chicken. Use breasts, thighs, or even tenders – the coating works perfectly on whatever you’ve got.
Step by Step Instructions:
Beat the eggs with a tablespoon of water in a shallow dish. Dip each chicken breast into the egg mixture.
Combine the bread crumbs, seasoning, and Parmesan, and dredge each piece of chicken in the breading.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken for about 5 minutes per side or until golden brown and cooked through to a safe temp.
Slice up the chicken and serve with your favorite sides. We love this one with pasta.
My Favorite Thermometer!
I love using this meat thermometer for making sure the meat is fully cooked! Easy for beginners & absolutely worth the low cost.
Serving Suggestions
This is so darn good with a side of steamed broccoli and a big drizzle of Alfredo sauce over everything. A lower carb pasta sort of situation!
Italian Pasta Salad is a great side dish that you can make ahead and eat all week with just about anything.
We often serve this over a pile of our creamy garlic pasta.
Jiffy corn casserole is always a hit on my table.
Roasted sweet potatoes are a simple, nutritious side.
Swaps & Tips
- No breadcrumbs? Crush up some crackers or even cornflakes for the coating.
- Cheese options: The fancy powdery Parmesan from the cheese counter is what I love most, but the kind in the green can is going to do the job too.
- Give it a kick: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the coating mixture.
- Thin is key: Pound the chicken to about ½ inch thick so it cooks evenly and stays juicy.
- Don’t skip the egg: It helps the coating stick and get crispy.
Storage
Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
Reheat in a 350°F air fryer for 3-4 minutes to keep the coating crispy.
Great for meal prep – slice and add to salads throughout the week!
Recipe FAQs:
We always test our chicken with a meat thermometer to be sure it’s at a safe temp. The chicken needs to reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees before it is safe to eat.
Shredded Parmesan will work here, but it won’t coat the chicken quite as nicely as the powdery grated kind.
Yep! Swap the breadcrumbs for almond flour. Things won’t get quite as crispy, but it’s still a tasty option for a low carb breaded chicken recipe.
More Favorite Chicken Recipes:
- Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings
- Buffalo Chicken Pizza
- Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
- Crockpot Chicken and Stuffing
- Dorito Chicken Casserole
- Crockpot Honey Mustard Chicken
If you enjoy this recipe, be sure to follow me on Pinterest as well! I’m always pinning new family-friendly, quick, and easy meals like this!
Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breasts
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breasts thin sliced
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- 3/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Beat the eggs with 1 tablespoon of water and place in a shallow dish, such as a pie plate.
- Add the Parmesan, bread crumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper to a second shallow dish and stir to combine.
- Dredge each chicken breast into the eggs and then the Parmesan mixture to coat.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Cook the chicken over medium heat for about 5 minutes per side or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Serve immediately.
sally says
I just love parmesan crusted chicken!!! It is the BEST ๐ Can this be cooked in an air fryer? If so, at what temp and for how long?
Karly Campbell says
Yep, should work great as long as you spray it well with oil. We do 400 degrees for around 10 minutes for chicken.
shamyra says
How do you make bread pudding?
Lisa says
Can this be made ahead? Is it freezable?
Thank you
2pots2cook says
Inviting combination ! Thank you. Pinning, of course ๐
sabrina says
love chicken parmesan, you just made me hungry with this photograph! Great way to make skinless chicken breast more flavorful, thank you
Fida | Sweet and Savoury Pursuits says
Love how quick and easy this sounds and I agree much better than chicken nuggets. I’ll have to give your recipe a try soon!
Elizabeth Waterson says
Sounds so easy and yummy!! Can’t wait to try it!!
Shirley Burdett says
This sounds so yummy that I am fixing it tongiht and will let you know how it was.
Natasha @ Salt & Lavender says
I sometimes make parm-crusted chicken. It is soooo good. It’s only 9 am here and you’re making me hungry!