Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan

Once you've made spicy air fryer chicken parmesan, you'll never want to make it any other way! Juicy breaded chicken breast fries to perfection in less than an hour.

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings Chicken Cutlets

Calories 339 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Spicy Marinara Sauce:

2 tablespoons olive oil
½ white onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon tomato paste
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper, coarse ground
1 tablespoon jerk seasoning
1 can San Marzano tomatoes, 28-ounce, crushed by hand

For the Chicken:

4 chicken breasts, halved horizontally to make 8 cutlets
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper, coarse ground
2 eggs, beaten
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon thyme, dried
1¼ cup panko
½ cup parmesan, shredded
1 teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cups mozzarella, shredded or ovaline

Instructions

For the Spicy Marinara Sauce:

Warm olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Then, add onions and cook until they soften and become translucent for about 10 minutes.
While waiting for the onions to cook, combine the ingredients for Jamaican jerk seasoning.
Stir the garlic, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and jerk seasoning into the onions. Saute for 30 seconds.
Crush the tomatoes with your hand over the pan. Simmer for 10 minutes until the ingredients are fully incorporated.
Optional - Use an immersion blender to create a smooth, creamy sauce. You can also add the tomato mixture to a food processor or blender.

For the Parmesan Chicken:

Slice the chicken breasts horizontally to make chicken cutlets and set them aside.
Combine the flour, salt, and pepper on one plate. Then, whisk the eggs and dried thyme in a shallow bowl or on a plate with a lip. Mix the panko, parmesan, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes on a third plate to create a dredging station.
Dredge the chicken breasts in the flour, egg mixture, and the panko. Add them to the air fryer basket.
Set the air fryer to 350°F (176°C). Work in batches and cook for 6 minutes. Flip the chicken, and cook for another 6 minutes until the chicken has an internal temperature of 165°F (73°C). Top with mozzarella cheese and cook for 1 minute.
Top with mozzarella cheese and cook for 1 minute.
Garnish with fresh basil and spoon the spicy marinara over the top or serve it on the side.

Notes

Expert Tips:

Cut chicken breasts in half horizontally to make chicken cutlets to help the chicken cook faster and more evenly.
Dip each piece of chicken into the flour, first on one side and then on the other. Then, coat the chicken with the egg wash. Finally, press the chicken into the panko mixture.

Nutrition Disclosure:

The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.

Nutrition

Did you make this recipe? Let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and follow @thejamilghar or tag #thejamilghar on Instagram!