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Parmesan Crusted Chicken

Name: Parmesan Crusted Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 large chicken breasts (cut in half lengthwise); 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; Salt & pepper (to taste); 1/4 cup flour; 2 eggs (beaten); 2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs; 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese; 1/2 heaping teaspoon Italian seasoning; 3 tablespoons olive oil (divided)

Published: Sep 8, 2020 / Updated: Mar 14, 2021 / 26 Comments

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This parmesan crusted chicken recipe is a comfort food classic with tender chicken breasts nestled inside crispy breading. Easy & delicious!

I got the idea for this recipe when I was doing multiple tests for my Chicken Parmesan. The chicken itself is delicious (without extra marinara sauce or cheese), so I figured I'd add it on here as a standalone recipe. People Google this recipe a lot, so I'm happy to provide it!

If you've never breaded chicken, it's a good skill to add to your cooking repertoire. I am one of those people who likes to jazz up chicken breasts (I find them boring otherwise), and this is the perfect way to do it. The chicken stays nice and juicy, and it's just plain tasty.

How to make parmesan crusted chicken

It's a simple process... first we cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise so there's 4 thinner pieces. They cook faster and more evenly (and stay tender) this way. Then we move onto the dredging process where each piece of chicken is coated in flour, followed by the egg, and finally the breadcrumb mixture. The chicken pieces are then fried quickly until golden and finished off in the oven. (Full ingredients and instructions are in the recipe card below).

Recipe notes & tips:

I like using panko breadcrumbs to get it extra crispy. If you can find Italian seasoned ones, no need to add the extra Italian seasoning. You can make this with regular breadcrumbs if that's all you've got on hand.
Breading tips: breading chicken is easy and reliable as long as you follow a few simple rules:
- Make sure that you dry off the chicken before getting started (I just pat it with paper towel).
- During each step of the dredging process (flour, egg, breadcrumbs), be sure to shake off any excess, and make sure the chicken pieces are fully coated for each step.
- Don't add all the chicken to the skillet at once. I do two pieces at a time and give them plenty of room. Make sure the pan is hot prior to adding the chicken.
- Don't move the chicken around the skillet. Once it's in there, resist the urge to touch it until it's time to flip it over (tongs make this easy).
This recipe uses an oven-proof skillet. It's something that I think every cook should own. They're very versatile and come in a range of price points. For this recipe I used my 10.25" Le Creuset (you can see it was a little small since I happened to buy rather large pieces of chicken, but a little overlap for the last part of the recipe is fine). I also love my Lodge cast iron (a more affordable option).
- If you don't own an oven-proof skillet, transfer the chicken to a baking dish for the last step.
Use an instant read meat thermometer to quickly check if chicken is done.

What to serve with parmesan crusted chicken breasts?

Try fettuccine with Alfredo sauce, mashed potatoes, potato salad, pesto gnocchi, a salad, and/or a side of veggies (I used broccolini in one of the photos).

Other tasty chicken recipes to try:

Questions about this parmesan crusted chicken recipe? Let me know in the comments below!