This air fryer parmesan crusted chicken with mayo is crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. It is big on flavor and will be ready in less than 15 minutes.

Air Fryer Chicken Dinner
This is an absolutely fantastic air fryer dinner. It has all the hallmarks of classic home-style comfort food, and all the convenience of the new cooking appliance craze: the air fryer. With this recipe, in only twenty minutes you’ll be serving crispy, tasty, coated chicken fillets. Curious? Read on!
Parmesan Crusted Chicken Air Fryer
Although when most people think of Italian food, their mind goes to pasta, pizza, and rich, ruby-red sauces, there’s a whole lot more to Italian cuisine than that. A staple of Italian food, particularly in the northern regions, is tender, perfectly cooked meat. Typically, around the dinner table in an Italian household, meat is served during the secondi or main course. Often, Italians know how to get the most out of a great piece of meat, and even more out of a cheaper piece. Chicken, pork, and lamb are staples of this type of food.
One thing that’s really cool about this recipe is that the air fryer makes it so crispy and tender. Of course, you can get similar results in an oven, but not with this level of convenience, and not without using way more oil. In the air fryer, we use less oil and it takes less time.
The trick here is to really perfect the coating. We’re using Italian seasoned panko breadcrumbs to get that crispy, characteristic finish. The crumbs seal moisture inside the chicken, and with the hint of seasoning from mayo bring a whole dimension of flavor to your chicken.
We’ll also be using mayonnaise to secure the seasoning on the chicken during the cooking process. Making dinner like this at home is a great way to have restaurant-quality meals at a lower price, and you don’t even have to leave the house!
You'll Need
You will need two chicken breasts cut horizontally to make 4 fillets, Parmesan cheese, panko breadcrumbs, mayo, garlic and seasoning of your choice.
How To Make Air Fryer Parmesan Crusted Chicken
- First, you’ll want to gently rinse your chicken and pat it dry with a paper towel. This is to help mayonnaise to stick to the chicken.
- Next, mix the mayonnaise with garlic, Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder and salt. Divide the mixture between four fillets and coat on both sides.
- In a shallow dish combine your panko bread crumbs and parmesan cheese.
- Then, pat down your panko crumbs onto the chicken. While you’re doing this you’ll want to preheat your air fryer to about 390 degrees, lightly brush the air fryer basket with olive oil, and cook your chicken for 5-6 minutes before turning over and returning to the fryer for 4-6 minutes.
- Use an instant read meat thermometer to check if your chicken is done. Overcooked chicken will be dry and rubbery, while undercooked chicken is pink in the middle and can make you very, very sick. Using a meat thermometer to ensure your chicken is perfectly cooked all the way through isn’t just convenient, it’s better for you! That’s why they do in the best restaurants, as well.
Air Fryer Chicken FAQs
Strictly speaking, you don’t have to flip it in order for the chicken to cook through. However, unflipped chicken won’t have the crispy sear all over that you get from flipping it. It only takes a couple of seconds to do and it makes your dinner even better, so why wouldn’t you flip the chicken
This will vary based on how many people you’re feeding and the volume of your air fryer. It’s more important that all the pieces are about the same size so they cook evenly and in a similar amount of time. Thinner pieces will cook faster than thick ones, so bear that in mind.
Parmesan cheese is a big deal to a lot of Italian people. The ones from Parma, from which the style of cheese originates, take it even more seriously. Parmesan cheese should be soft and crumbly, with a distinctive odor and taste. It goes really well with a lot of different foods, and is known for how well it pairs with both savory and sweet flavor.
If you don’t have parmesan available, a similar crumbly white cheese will do well. You could use pecorino, which has a similar taste except it’s a little saltier. Softer cheeses are no good for this recipe as they melt at a lower temperature and lack the crumbly grated texture we need for a good chicken coating. Most of the harder milk cheeses from Italy or similar countries will do grea
For seasoning, simple is often better.
If you just have regular breadcrumbs, you can make your own Italian-style seasoning with a few pantry staples. Salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic and onion powder are a great place to start.
More Air Fryer Dinner Ideas
If you make this recipe be sure to leave a comment or give this recipe a rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐! I will be happy to hear from you!
PrintAir Fryer Parmesan Crusted Chicken
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
This air fryer parmesan crusted chicken with mayo is crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. It is big on flavor and will be ready in less than 15 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 large boneless and skinless chicken breasts, sliced horizontally to make 4 fillets
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano or parsley leaves to garnish
The Garlic Mayounnaise
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder, optional
- Salt to taste
The Parmesan Coating
- 1 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 390°F | 199°C.
- Slice each chicken breast in half horizontally to make 4 fillets.
- Place the chicken on the cutting board, cover with plastic and pound into an even piece with a rolling pin or meat tenderizer.
- In a small bowl mix together the mayonnaise, garlic, onion powder, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and salt. Divide the mixture between fillets and spread all over the chicken.
- Mix together the panko bread crumbs and parmesan in a shallow bowl. Dredge each fillet in the parmesan mixture, pressing lightly into the coating with the tongs. Then turn and repeat. Shake off excess coating.
- Place the chicken in the basket and cook for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. After 5-6 minutes of cooking, remove the basket and carefully flip over the chicken, using tongs.
- Garnish with fresh oregano or parsley. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 10 min
- Category: Chicken recipes
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 236kcal
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Protein: 17g
- Cholesterol: 46mg
Keywords: air fryer chicken breast, air fryer parmesan crusted chicken, chicken breast recipes
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Delicious! Definitely a keeper!
★★★★★
Thank you Jenn! Hope you will try other air fryer recipe on the blog!
I agree, great recipe! And so easy.
The one change I made, is that it is no longer recommended that you rinse Chicken. The bacteria is then sprayed all over your sink and elsewhere. The Mayo stuck just fine.
Excellent, MimiAlexa!!! I'm so happy you enjoyed it!
Best recipe for Parmesan crusted chicken! Wonderful crispy and moist, big on flavor! Now a family favorite!!
★★★★★
Hey, Kate! Thank you for your kind words! I am so glad you liked this air fryer chicken recipe!!!
This is a great recipe ! If you are new to air fryer, I highly recommend this recipe! It’s absolutely a perfect dinner dish! Thanks.
★★★★★
Thank you Josh! I am glad you liked this air fryer chicken recipe!!
Soooo Delish, Its a new favorite!!
★★★★★
Hey, Annmarie! Thank you for sharing your experience! I am glad you enjoyed this air fryer chicken recipe!
That looks insanely delicious! Can't wait to give it a try!
★★★★★
Oooh total comfort food! Delish!
★★★★★
Thank You , Cassie!
I am making this! Looks delish!
★★★★★
Tried this last night and I'm loving this Air fryer series! So many delicious recipes to choose from.
★★★★★
Made this for my wife and I tonight. It turned out fantastic!!
★★★★★
Yayyyy! That makes me so happy Audrey.
What a great recipe! It was easy to make and absolutely delicious. Thank you for sharing!
★★★★★
Thank you so much! That is amazing!!
Absolutely delicious! The whole family loved it, even the younger children.
★★★★★
Thanks so much for the great review!❤️ Glad you liked the recipe!
Really tasty and super easy! Absolutely will be making this again!
★★★★★
Thank you Nora!
This recipe is great! It really doesn't take much time to do, it's simple and delicious!
★★★★★
That makes me so happy to hear Faith, thanks so much for the great comments!😀
Simple and easy but incredibly delicious! Just my kind of recipe!
★★★★★
Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!❤️ I am glad you liked the recipe!
I love how easy this is to make in the air fryer! I love all the flavor and it was the perfect side to our dinner!
★★★★★
Thank you, Eleanor! I am glad you liked this recipe)).
Thanks for this recipe! My children couldn’t stop talking about how good it is!
★★★★★
Thank you Carlota!
I made this for my wife and I tonight. Absolutely loved it!!!
★★★★★
Thank you Ian!
Thank you for a quick and easy meal! This is great specially when we need something quick and easy! My son & I both loved it!
★★★★★
We enjoyed this recipe! It came out crispy and tender. This will be in frequent rotation.
★★★★★
Thank you, Kendria!
The chicken was tender and flavorful. My family said it is now on the favorites list!
★★★★★
Thank you Emina!
Loved this recipe! Very easy to make and delicious!
★★★★★
Thank you Yvonne! I am glad you liked the recipe.
This was my husbands favorite. Definitely a dish I will be making again and again!
★★★★★
Hey, Kyla! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!❤️ I am glad you liked this recipe!
I made this for dinner last night and it was a really big hit! Adding it to my dinner repertoire this week!
★★★★★
Hey, Larissa! I am glad you liked the recipe and thank you for sharing your experience!
Made this dish for dinner tonight and it was tasty! Good consistency and great flavor. This recipe will become a regular for us.
★★★★★
Hey, Sharlena! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!❤️ I am glad you liked this recipe!
This turned out perfect. All the youngsters loved it!
★★★★★
Hey, Patrizia! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!❤️ I am glad you liked this recipe!
This recipe is spot on. It will definitely be a family favorite for years to come.
★★★★★
Thank you Cerlino!
My husband absolutely loved it and so did I. Making sure I keep this recipe!
★★★★★
Thank you, Aliyah!
Followed the directions exactly and it turned out fantastic. Dinner was a hit!
★★★★★
Thank you for sharing your experience! I am glad you liked this recipe.
Love this recipe. Very easy to follow and delicious. This was a hit with my husband and son! Definitely going into the rotation.
★★★★★
Thank you, Sopha! -Tatiana 🙂
Absolutely delicious! It's a true family favorite.
★★★★★
Hey Allana! I am glad you liked this air fryer recipe. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, I really appreciate it! Tatiana 🙂
I've made this recipe way too many times to count. Never fails and a family favorite.
★★★★★
Hey Brynley! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, I really appreciate it! Tatiana 🙂
Amazing recipe, super moist and rich! This one will definitely be written down into our recipe card binder!
★★★★★
Hey Arielle! Thank you for your feedback! I am glad you liked this parmesan crusted chicken in air fryer!
WoW!!! I usually make the air fryer chicken by coating it with egg, then the panko, but this is 100% better!!! I didn't even add the cheese. The chicken was tender and juicy. Very delicious.
★★★★★
I'm so happy you liked it, KyLynn! Thanks for trying it!
This is such an easy and delicious meal. Especially for people like me, that are always on the go.
★★★★★
I'm glad to hear that you found this meal to be both easy and delicious!Thanks for taking the time to share your experience, it's always appreciated.
Any other ingrident I could use beside Mayo for coating
Hey Linda! Absolutely! If you're looking for an alternative to mayo for coating chicken, you can try using Greek yogurt or buttermilk. They both provide a creamy texture and help the coating adhere while adding a tangy flavor.