I love chicken parmesan. Crispy Chicken, melty mozzarella, and rich red sauce. Only thing that could improve this meal would be a basket of unlimited breadsticks… We were able to make this meal in under 45 minutes with the use of our Air fryer. If you don’t have one, don’t worry, this meal is easily accomplished in the oven.
I served mine with pesto smashed potatoes and quick green beans. We skipped the pasta this week!If you are busy like we are, you might enjoy meal prepping. Make sure you check out my post about meal prep for those who don’t really care for leftovers!
This recipe would be a great one to add to the rotation.
Also, Check out my chicken parmesan casserole.
Chicken Parmesan
Prep
Cook
Total
Yield 8
Easy air fry (or oven baked) crispy chicken parmesan topped with hearty marinara sauce and a healthy amount of melty mozzarella cheese.
Ingredients
- 1 pound of chicken breast cutlets (very thin chicken breast, 1/2 inch thick)
- salt+ pepper
- 1 C Whole Wheat Flour
- 1 C panko
- 2 C breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp parsley
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 C parmaesan Cheese + 1/4 Parmaesan cheese; divided
- 2 eggs + 2 tbsp milk
- 1 jar of your favorite marinara
- 6- 8 thick slices of mozzarella cheese (from the deli counter is best)
- handful of fresh basil, sliced
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 375 degrees (or oven to 425 degrees.)
- In a plastic bag add whole wheat flour.
- In a bowl, add the 2 eggs and milk; whisk till combined.
- In a separate bowl, combine panko, bread crumbs, 1/2 C Parmesan cheese, and seasonings.
- Lightly season the chicken cutlets with the salt and pepper.
- Dredge through the flour, then the eggs and milk, followed by the breadcrumbs mixture.
- Repeat till all chicken is coated.
- Spray with olive oil and place in the air fryer. Make sure not to crowd the basket. Cook for 4 minutes each side or until golden brown. Cook all the chicken and place on a cookie sheet with a wire rack. (if preparing on oven, cook for about 6-8 min each side or until cooked throughout.)
- Top with marinara sauce, a sprinkle of reserved parmesan, and a slice of thick mozzarella cheese. Cook for 7 minutes or until cheese begins to melt.
- Broil for 4 minutes so the cheese is browning and bubbly.
- Enjoy!
Pesto Smashed Potatoes
This recipe was inspired by minimalistbaker.com
Pesto Smashed Potatoes
Prep
Cook
Total
Yield 4 servings
Crispy yet creamy smashed potatoes topped with a delicious basil pesto. Your new favorite side dish!
Ingredients
- 1 lb small Yukon gold potatoes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp pepper + 1 1/2 tsp salt
- Basil Pesto
- 2 C fresh basil
- 4 cloves of garlic
- juice of 1 lemon
- 3 tbsp pine nuts or pistachios
- 2 tbsp parmesan cheese
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp water (possibly more)
- pinch of salt and black pepper
Instructions
- To prepare smashed potatoes: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare baking sheet with parchment paper or spray liberally with cooking spray.
- Boil the potatoes till fork tender. Remove potatoes from water with a slotted spoon and gently smash with the bottom of a plate or drinking glass. We don't want then to fall apart just flatten a little.
- Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- To prepare pesto: Add the basil, garlic, lemon juice, pine nuts, and parmesan cheese to the food processor. Pulse 2- 3 times.
- Slowly drizzle in olive oil and water (as needed) until the mixture becomes smooth and reaches desired consistency.
- Spoon onto prepared potatoes. Enjoy!
Courses side dish
TIPS
if you are looking to lighten up the meal— forgo to breadcrumbs and grill the chicken. You still can satisfy the craving of chicken parm without the calories.
Ditch the pasta for spaghetti squash. Or serve it with a green vegetable and cauliflower mash!
PIN ME!
Marissa is a wife to Texans Offensive Lineman #79, mother to a baby girl named Joy, a baby boy named Jeff, and a lover of food . She loves to feed people on game day and try new recipes during the week. 
