You’ll love this Crispy Parmesan Crusted Chicken, friends! Juicy and flavor-filled chicken breasts coated in a panko, parmesan-loaded breading. An easy chicken dinner to make and gives restaurant-worthy vibes that folks will swoon over, yum!

crispy parmesan crusted chicken with salad and mashed potatoes on white plate with gold fork and knife

My friends, say hey to this crispy parmesan crusted chicken, it’s your newest obsession that you didn’t even know about, ha! Real talk, I’m so excited to share this new one with you. This dish is one of my absolute favorites when it comes to chicken recipes. We make it at least a few times a month, it’s one of those meals that you can’t quit. I mean, what’s not to love about crispy, cheesy chicken?!

Crispy Parmesan Crusted Chicken 😍

Let’s get into this stunner, y’all. What is this dish all about? Panko-breaded, parmesan dusted chicken breasts pan-fried until extra crispy and golden. Let the church say…amen. Apart from vegans, this is one that everyone will love lol and a dish that screams chef’s kiss. Add this one into your rotation.

It has that restaurant-worthy feel and whips up in under 30 minutes! Additionally, this crispy chicken is such an adaptable recipe: you can serve it up in a variety of ways. This parmesan crusted chicken is also a recipe that is so straightforward and dang near foolproof, you seriously cannot mess this up.

⇢ Dinners we love: sausage kale pasta, this chicken adobo, for sure these jerk meatballs, one-pan fave lemon herb ravioli, my baked ziti, and Caribbean favorites like brown stew chicken & this rasta pasta– get in my belly!

crispy parmesan crusted chicken with lemon slices and parsley on white platter

Ingredients For Crispy Parmesan Chicken

(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card directly below.)

  • Chicken breasts: Boneless/skinless chicken breasts that you’ll pound into an even thickness (kinda like a cutlet). This allows for even cooking and for the breading to cover the entire chicken surface.
  • Spices: Don’t get it twisted, even though this is a breaded chicken recipe, we still want to season the poultry! I use salt, pepper, garlic powder, dried oregano, and onion powder. Flavorful chicken= the best chicken.
  • Flour: Just a light coating of all-purpose flour for dredging.
  • Eggs: For dredging, eggs ensure that the coating mixtures stick and adhere.
  • Panko breadcrumbs: These plain Japanese-style breadcrumbs are super crispy and give our parmesan crusted chicken that extra crunch factor.
  • Parmesan cheese: The key ingredient here, freshly grated of course! This Italian, hard cheese is combined with the breadcrumbs and serves as the final dredge. After pan-frying, the chicken develops a crunchy coating with that parmesan flavor and cheesy goodness in abundance, yum.
  • Olive oil: For pan-frying the chicken breasts, go for good quality, too!
  • For serving, optional: lemon wedges and freshly chopped parsley.
chicken cutlets on wooden board with meat tenderizer on the side
freshly grated parmesan in black measuring cup
dredging station with flour, eggs, and pan breading in bowls
close up of parmesan crusted chicken on white platter

⇢ INGREDIENT SPOTLIGHT: Parmesan! We all (hopefully) know and love this cheese, yes? It has a strong and nutty flavor that has a characteristic of being salty, and sometimes sweet. You’ll need a *fresh block* of parmesan (I grab an 8-ounce block) that you’ll grate by hand using a grater tool.

Note: Those pre-shredded bags of parmesan cheese will not work here.

Please know that you can also use Parmigiano Reggiano cheese as well! This one is the rich, uppity, and bougie version of parmesan, ha! It’s often aged longer and has a richer, more flavorful taste- either one is good! 👌🏾

How To Make Parmesan Crusted Chicken

(Note: please see the recipe card directly below for the complete written instructions.)

This crispy parmesan chicken recipe is sooo easy, y’all…check it out:

  1. Prep & season the chicken. Start off by pounding the chicken breasts into an even thickness. Then season the chicken with spices. Boom.
  2. Assemble your dredging area. Grab 3 shallow vessels: one for the flour, one for the eggs, and one for the breadcrumb/parmesan mixture.
  3. Dredge the chicken. Give the chicken a coating in the flour, then a dip into the egg mixture, followed by a coating into the crumb/cheese mixture.
  4. Pan-fry the chicken. Heat up the oil in a skillet, then pan-fry the chicken breasts, working in batches. They’ll get all golden and crispy, swoon.
  5. Serve. Plate up this hella sexy, parmesan crusted chicken and enjoy!
close up of parmesan crusted chicken on white plate with striped linen on the side

Wanna Dress Up Your Crispy Chicken?

I often finish my parmesan crusted chicken with some melted garlic herb butter, as pictured. It’s sooo good! However, we’ve also garnished the chicken with a little olive tapenade, basil pesto, or a nice drizzle of balsamic glaze. Top with anything you desire- or let it shine on its own with just a squeeze of lemon!

What To Serve Alongside Your Parmesan Crusted Chicken:

This recipe is one that is incredibly versatile and pairs alongside many things!

  • Pasta: crispy chicken, saucy pasta…a match-made in deliciousness. Think traditional spaghetti, chicken alfredo, and even mac and cheese!
  • Mashed potatoes: such a cozy classic, peep my creamy garlic mashed potatoes. If you’re a cauliflower fan, serve with cauliflower mashed potatoes.
  • Salad: I love serving this crispy parmesan crusted chicken alongside a caesar salad. It’s one of my faves. Any simple side of leafy greens here is nice.
  • Rice or risotto: Serve with rice or creamy risotto (if you’re feeling’ fancy!); my butternut squash risotto is bomb and also this risotto and this risotto.
parmesan crusted chicken on white plate with salad

Tips + Tricks, FAQs, And More For The Best Crispy Parmesan Crusted Chicken

  1. Don’t skip pounding the chicken breasts! Because chicken breasts are thicker, they need to be pounded to an even thickness. This is needed for the chicken surface to be coated all over and for the chicken to cook evenly.
  2. Can I use chicken cutlets? Technically you could, but here’s the thing: cutlets are super thin and light. Using chicken breasts yields a meatier piece of chicken to hold up to all that crispy parmesan crusted goodness.
  3. Season the chicken, not the flour. In most of my fried chicken recipes, I season the flour. With this one, we’re seasoning the chicken to ensure flavor prior to coating in the flour. The cooking process here is different and I find this method to be better so the spices don’t get lost in the flour.
  4. Use good-quality olive oil. Some like to say “high-quality” but I prefer saying good quality because words mean things lol. Nevertheless, a solid olive oil is made from cold-pressed olives (usually organic, too!) with a smooth, robust, and full-bodied flavor. Extra virgin olive oil is perfect!
  5. Want to keep chicken warm? If you plan on serving this parmesan crusted chicken later, here’s what you’ll do: Place the chicken onto a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven at 200°F until ready to serve.
parmesan crusted chicken with Caesar salad and mashed potatoes on white plate

This Crispy Parmesan Crusted Chicken is seriously a chicken dinner winner that you’ll keep coming back to. Be sure to tag @butterbeready in your BBR recipe creations, I sure love to see it when you do. Until next time! 🤟🏾

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parmesan crusted chicken with Caesar salad and mashed potatoes on white plate

Crispy Parmesan Crusted Chicken

★★★★★ 4.7 from 3 reviews
  • Author: Quin Liburd
  • Prep Time: 15m
  • Cook Time: 10m
  • Total Time: 25m
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: Main Entree
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Italian
Print Recipe

Description

You’ll love this Crispy Parmesan Crusted Chicken, friends! Juicy and flavor-filled chicken breasts coated in a panko, parmesan-loaded breading. An easy chicken dinner to make and gives restaurant-worthy vibes that folks will swoon over, yum!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
  • kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 3/4 cups plain panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/3 cup olive oil, good-quality
  • lemon wedges & freshly chopped parsley, for serving- optional

Instructions

  1. Prep & season the chicken: Place each chicken breast inside of a large plastic bag or cover with plastic wrap. Then use the flat end of a meat tenderizer (see notes) to pound the chicken breasts into an even thickness, about 1/4-inch thick. Set the chicken aside onto a clean plate/cutting board and repeat the process with the remaining chicken breasts. Season the chicken on both sides with salt/pepper, to taste- along with the garlic powder, dried oregano, and onion powder.
  2. Assemble each dredge: You’ll need 3 dredging vessels- aim for shallow dishes (such as a pie plate or low bowl). Add the flour into one dish. In another dish, crack open the eggs and lightly whisk together. In the last dish, combine the panko breadcrumbs and grated parmesan cheese, stir to fully combine. 
  3. Dredge the chicken: Take a piece of chicken and coat in the flour (shaking off any excess), then dip into the egg mixture, followed by a firm press into the parmesan/breadcrumb mixture- then shake off any excess. Set the coated chicken aside onto a clean plate/platter. Repeat the process with the remaining chicken pieces.
  4. Pan-fry the chicken: Heat the oil in a large (at least 10 inches) skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the parmesan crusted chicken into the skillet. Work in batches, I like to cook 1-2 chicken breasts at a time to avoid overcrowding the skillet. Cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes per side or until the breaded coating is golden brown and crispy with the chicken cooked through. To be precise, the internal temperature should read at least 165°F. Transfer the cooked chicken to a clean plate/platter or wire rack and repeat the process with the remaining chicken breasts.
  5. Serve the parmesan crusted chicken immediately along with your favorite side items (salad + mashed potatoes, as pictured). Enjoy!

Notes

  1. Please read the blog post in its entirety for more tips + tricks.
  2. To pound the meat, use a meat tenderizer (mallet), rolling pin, or any comparable vessel like a heavy cast-iron pan/saucepan.

Keywords: parmesan crusted chicken, crispy chicken, parmesan chicken, chicken cutlets, crispy chicken cutlets, schnitzel