Parmesan Crusted Chicken – thebigmansworld.com

Parmesan crusted chicken is a crave-worthy dinner! This easy recipe features fried chicken breasts coated in Italian-seasoned parmesan breading. Every bite is cheesy, salty, and crunchy!

You can’t go wrong when fried chicken, cheese, and Italian herbs come together, and that’s exactly what you get in this parmesan crusted chicken recipe. It’s foolproof, easy to love, and always hit during family dinners.

It’s been a family favorite in our household for years, and I’m stoked to share this simple and delicious meal with you!

Why this recipe works

• Parmesan makes everything better. Like chicken Milanese, mixing freshly grated parmesan into the breading gives the fried chicken mouthwatering cheesy and salty flavors. Every bite is better than the last!
• Crunchy outside; juicy inside. The Italian bread crumb-coated chicken breasts are pan-fried in oil to ensure the outside becomes super crunchy while the inside stays nice and juicy.
• Freezer-friendly. After they’re fried and cooled, you can freeze the parmesan crusted chicken breasts. Simply reheat them when you need a quick and easy dinner, then enjoy!
• Ready in 15 minutes. With just a few minutes of prep time and 8 minutes of cooking time, this is such a speedy recipe!

Ingredients needed

This recipe uses Italian-inspired ingredients to offer every bite incredible, restaurant-quality flavors. Here’s what you need:

• Chicken breasts. Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. This recipe should work just as well with boneless chicken thighs or tenders as well.
• Parmesan cheese. Buy a block of parmesan cheese and grate it yourself! 
• Bread crumbs. Panko, regular, or gluten-free bread crumbs surround the chicken breasts to give them crunch!
• All purpose flour. To help form an extra crispy coating around each chicken breast.
• Dried herbs and seasonings. The flour coating is seasoned with dried basil, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
• Eggs. To help the flour and breading stick to the chicken.
• Olive oil. For pan frying. You can use any kind of neutral vegetable oil as a substitute.

How to make parmesan crusted chicken

1. Prepare the dredge. Stir the parmesan cheese and bread crumbs in a shallow bowl. In a second bowl, whisk the flour, dried basil, dried oregano, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper together. Lastly, in a third bowl, add the beaten eggs.

2. Coat the chicken. Dip each chicken breast first into the flour mix, then the beaten eggs, and lastly, the parmesan-bread crumb mixture. 

3. Fry. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, lay the breaded chicken breasts in the pan and fry on both sides until golden brown.

4. Drain, then serve. Let the fried chicken rest on a wire rack to help them stay crispy. Once all of the chicken breasts are cooked, serve them with your favorite sides and enjoy!

What to serve with parmesan crusted chicken

One of the tastiest ways to serve parmesan crusted chicken is to slice each chicken breast into strips and top them on a plate of fettuccini alfredo, a creamy pasta, and Caesar salad. You can also stuff the chicken in a French roll, then dress it with tomato sauce or garlic sauce and melted mozzarella to make parmesan chicken sandwiches.

Recipe tips and tricks

• Always shred the cheese by hand! Parmesan cheese from the block melts and tastes much better than store-bought shredded cheese.
• Season with lemon. Add some brightness to the fried chicken with a spritz of fresh lemon juice or by serving them with lemon wedges on the side.
• You’ll know the chicken breasts are cooked through when their internal temperature reaches 165ºF. You can check this by inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken breasts.

Storage instructions

To store: Once cooled, wrap the cooked chicken breasts in plastic wrap or store them in an airtight container. They’ll stay fresh for up to 3 or 4 days in the fridge.

To freeze: Parmesan crusted chicken breasts also freeze well for up to 6 months. Let the leftovers thaw in the fridge before reheating.

To reheat: Reheat the chicken breasts on a sheet pan in a 350ºF oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until they’re warmed through and slightly crisp.

• Mixing bowls. You need 3 mixing bowls to make the dredge for the chicken.
• Large skillet. For frying the parmesan-coated chicken.
• Meat thermometer. To ensure the chicken cooks to a safe internal temperature of 165ºF.

More crispy chicken recipes

Frequently asked questions