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Crispy Air Fryer Parmesan Crusted Chicken

Crispy air fryer Parmesan crusted chicken with a shatteringly crisp panko-Parmesan coating and juicy, tender chicken inside—no deep frying. Air-fried at 390°F until deeply golden and cooked through to 165°F.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 33 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts Pounded to even thickness.
  • 1 Salt To taste.
  • 1 pepper To taste.
  • 1 garlic powder To taste.
  • 2 tbsp mayonnaise or Dijon mustard Use mayonnaise or Dijon mustard—either works for browning and adhesion.
Parmesan-Panko Crust
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 0.75 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
For Serving
  • 1 Cooking spray For coating the basket and helping the crust crisp.
  • 1 fresh parsley
  • 1 lemon wedges

Equipment

  • 1 air fryer

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat the air fryer to 390°F so it’s fully hot before cooking. Aim for quick browning once the chicken goes in.
Season and coat
  1. Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Brush both sides with mayonnaise so the crust sticks evenly.
  2. Combine panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Mix until the color looks even throughout.
  3. Press the panko-Parmesan mixture firmly onto all sides of each chicken breast. Keep pressing until the coating looks thick and fully covered.
Air fry
  1. Place the chicken in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Spray generously with cooking spray so the crust turns deeply golden.
  2. Air fry for 16-18 minutes at 390°F, flipping halfway through. Cook until the crust is deeply golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Serve
  1. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges. The crust should look crisp and shatter slightly when cut.

Notes

For the crispiest, shatter-at-the-fork crust, pound the chicken to an even thickness and press the coating firmly so it adheres all over. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat in the air fryer at 350°F for 3-5 minutes to re-crisp. Freezing is not recommended because the crunchy crust can soften after thawing. For a lower-fat option, swap mayonnaise for Dijon mustard to keep browning while reducing fat.