Mikey Conquers the Kitchen

Easy Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan

Thin-cut chicken breast + mayo + seasoned panko + Parmesan, air fried until crispy, then topped with mozzarella and finished until melty. Serve with warm marinara under the chicken so it stays crisp.

Easy Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan

Crispy, juicy chicken parm in the air fryer using mayo instead of egg wash. Minimal mess, maximum crunch—plus the sauce-under trick.

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Prep Time 8 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Servings: 2

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Ingredients Equipment Method Video Notes

Ingredients

  

• Chicken
• 1 large boneless skinless chicken breast about 10–12 oz / 280–340 g
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp mayonnaise thin layer on both sides
• Breading
• 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs about 35–45 g
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan about 25–30 g
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp salt skip or reduce if panko is seasoned
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• Finish + Serving
• 1/2 –1 cup marinara sauce warmed
• 1/2 –1 cup shredded mozzarella or 2–4 slices
• Oil spray avocado/olive/canola
• Optional: pasta + parsley + extra parm

Equipment

• 👉GEAR IN MY VIDEO 👇
• 🔥 Chefman Air Fryer https://amzn.to/4tQkc9F
• 🧴 Oil Sprayer https://amzn.to/4qWcUOR
• 🌡️ Meat Thermometer https://amzn.to/40qSB1i
• 🍝 Fasta Pasta (Microwave Pasta Cooker) https://amzn.to/4cKXqK9
• Affiliate note: Some links on this page may be affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting Mikey Conquers the Kitchen!

Method

 

1. Prep the chicken
2. Slice the chicken breast in half horizontally to make two thin cutlets.
3. Lightly pound the thicker parts so both pieces are an even thickness.
4. Pat very dry on both sides (this is huge for crispiness).
5. Season both sides with salt & pepper.
6. Mayo + breading (the foolproof hack)
7. Spread a thin layer of mayo on both sides of each cutlet.
8. In a bowl, mix panko + Parmesan + spices.
9. If your panko is already seasoned, you can just do panko + Parmesan (and a little pepper).
10. Bread the chicken
11. Press chicken into the crumb mixture, flip, and press again.
12. (Your move) Press once more for extra coverage.
13. Let it sit 2–3 minutes while the air fryer heats (helps crumbs stick).
14. Air fry
15. Preheat air fryer to 400°F (200°C).
16. Spray the top of the chicken with oil.
17. Place in the basket (don’t overlap). Spray the exposed side lightly if needed.
18. Cook 12–15 minutes, flip at 7 minutes.
19. Start checking internal temp after the flip — pull when it hits 165°F (74°C).
20. Melt the cheese
21. Add mozzarella on top of each cutlet.
22. Air fry 1–2 minutes until melted (or close basket and let residual heat finish it).
23. Plate the “crispy” way
24. Sauce goes UNDER the chicken, not on top, so the crust stays crunchy:
25. Spoon marinara on the plate
26. Put chicken on top
27. Add pasta on the side + extra parm if you want

Video

Notes

Go thin on the mayo. Too much = softer crust.

Spray the top. A light oil spray helps panko brown.

Preheat if your air fryer allows it. Better browning.

Sauce-under plating is the move. Keeps crunch for leftovers too.

Use a thermometer. Chicken is done at 165°F / 74°C in the thickest part.

My favorite recipes are the ones that look and taste like I worked way harder than I did — and this air fryer chicken Parmesan is exactly that.

If you liked this, check out my Mediterranean Air Fryer Chicken next.

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