This crispy Parmesan and Panko Crusted Chicken is an easy weeknight dinner recipe. Quick and easy to make, healthy, and oh so delicious! Made with a combination of parmesan, panko bread crumbs, and dried herbs and spices.
(Air Fryer Cooking Option Available)
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Baked Panko Breaded Chicken Recipe
I love making this recipe for dinner on a busy weeknight. It's so simple to prepare with only a 10-minute prep time and a bake time of 20 minutes. This easy panko chicken tenders recipe is the best family dinner recipe.
You can make these breaded chicken breasts in the oven or in an air fryer. Either way, they always turn out juicy and tender with a crispy parmesan and panko breadcrumb crust.
The crunchy crumb coating has lots of delicious spices and herbs added to it to make it incredibly flavorful and tasty. It is also a versatile dish that can be served in many different ways and with many different flavors.
What To Serve With Crusted Chicken Cutlets
Panko crumbed chicken is a delicious main meal for any time of the year. With a juicy inside and crispy outside, this 30-minute meal is my go-to weeknight dinner for busy days. Made with paprika and dried herbs this main meal pairs well with most side dishes.
Make this recipe ahead and serve it with pasta or rice dishes or cut into smaller pieces and serve it in a salad and sandwiches.
Side Dish Serving Suggestions
- Cheesy Brussel Sprouts - This one-pan cheesy brussel sprout recipe pairs perfectly with this parmesan-crusted chicken. Both are quick and easy to make with minimal dishes.
- 20 Vegetable Sides Dishes - Find some healthy inspiration with this list of veggie side dishes- everything from fresh salads to roasted vegetables. This chicken cutlet recipe goes with just about anything.
- Broccoli Avocado Pesto Pasta - Bake panko breaded chicken and cut each cutlet into smaller pieces and serve it with this creamy avocado pesto pasta.
- One Pot Lemon Ricotta Pasta - This is one of my favorite recipes to pair with baked panko chicken. The combination of parmesan and ricotta works beautifully together.
Ingredients You'll Need & Notes
- Panko crumbs - Unseasoned panko bread crumbs are the best to use for this recipe.
- Parmesan Cheese - Finely grated is best.
- Chicken Breasts - Ensure the chicken breasts are fairly thin to ensure they cook evenly.
- Butter - Melted butter gives the chicken its juicy taste and keeps the coating crispy.
- Spices and seasoning - Garlic powder, onion powder, ground paprika, salt, and crushed black pepper.
- Dried herbs - Parsley and Origanum. You can also substitute these herbs with dried basil or mixed Italian herbs.
- Eggs - This helps the crumb mixture stick to the chicken. For an alternative, try using mayonnaise instead.
How To Make Panko-Crusted Chicken with Parmesan
Step One:
Combine the panko bread crumbs, parmesan, herbs and seasoning in a small bowl. Whisk it all together to make sure everything is fully combined.
Step Two:
In a separate bowl whisk the eggs and dip each chicken cutlet in the egg mixture before dipping or coating the chicken with the panko bread mixture.
Step Three:
Place the coated chicken cutlets on a prepared baking sheet and spray or brush each cutlet with olive oil.
Step Four:
Bake the chicken for 20 minutes or until cooked through and golden brown. (Make sure that the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165ºF before removing the chicken from the oven.)
See the recipe card below for the full written instructions, including ingredient amounts, cooking times, and helpful tips, etc.
Air Fryer Panko Crusted Chicken
Parmesan panko chicken is a great air fryer meal. It is quick and easy to make and perfect for midweek dinners.
To make this recipe in an air fryer, follow the same instructions to coat the chicken. Then place two chicken breasts in the air fryer at a time and bake fry for 10 minutes at 375 then flip them over and air fry for another 5-10 minutes.
Recipe Variations
Lemon Panko Chicken
Add a little lemon zest to the crumb coating for a lemon chicken variation. You can also serve any variation of this panko chicken recipe with lemon wedges and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Spicy Panko Chicken
For a spicy chicken recipe, add 1 tsp of chilli powder or cayenne pepper to the panko bread crumb mixture. This will give the panko recipe a little kick.
Frequently Asked Questions
Panko bread crumbs are Japanese-style bread crumbs. They are extra crunchy and add a lot of crispiness to any recipe. They are made from lightly baked coarse breadcrumbs.
Panko bread crumbs are lower in calories, fat, and sodium than regular breadcrumbs. This makes panko breadcrumbs a healthier alternative to using regular breadcrumbs to coat chicken.
To make panko stick to chicken without using eggs, spread mayo on each side of the chicken breasts and top with panko mixture.
Yes - Panko can be cooked in the oven! Panko breadcrumbs are a great option for making crispy baked dishes. They’re light and crispy crumbs and an easy ingredient to work with.
Storage And Reheating
Allow the baked chicken to cool completely and then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can then enjoy the chicken cold from the fridge or reheat it in the oven or air fryer until warmed through.
Parmesan & Panko Crusted Chicken
Crispy panko crusted chicken with dried herbs and served with fresh parsley and lemon wedges.
Ingredients
- 4 Chicken breasts
- 2 Eggs, whisked
- 1 Cup panko crumbs
- ½ Cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp dried origanum
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF and spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except for the chicken and eggs.
- Dip each chicken breast in the whisked eggs and then dip into the panko mixture.
- Place the crumbed chicken breasts on the baking sheet and top with the leftover panko mixture.
- Use an olive oil spray to lightly spray the chicken breasts.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until cooked through and golden brown.
See Notes below for Airfryer cooking instructions.
Notes
Make sure that the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165ºF before removing the chicken from the oven.
Air Fryer Panko Crusted Chicken
To make this recipe in an air fryer, follow the same instructions to coat the chicken. Then place two chicken breasts in the air fryer at a time and bake fry for 10 minutes at 375 then flip them over and air fry for another 5-10 minutes.
I hope you love this Parmesan and Panko Crusted Chicken recipe! And follow me on Instagram or Facebook for even more delicious recipes!
