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Juicy chicken breasts with a golden, crunchy mayo-Parmesan-panko crust cooked quickly in the air fryer, delivering a tender and flavorful dinner.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (6–8 oz each), pounded to an even thickness of ½–¾ inch
  • ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • Cooking spray (olive oil or avocado oil recommended)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 3–5 minutes.
  2. Place each chicken breast in a zip-top bag or between plastic wrap.
  3. Pound chicken to an even ½–¾ inch thickness.
  4. Pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels.
  5. Mix Parmesan, panko, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl.
  6. Spread a thin, even layer of mayonnaise over both sides of each chicken breast.
  7. Press each mayo-coated chicken firmly into the Parmesan-panko mixture to coat evenly.
  8. Lightly spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray.
  9. Arrange the coated chicken in a single layer in the basket, working in batches if needed.
  10. Lightly spray both sides of the coated chicken with cooking spray.
  11. Cook at 400°F for 10 minutes.
  12. Flip the chicken, spray again, and cook at 400°F an additional 5–7 minutes until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
  13. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Pounding the chicken ensures even cooking and prevents dry edges or undercooked centers., Mayonnaise locks in moisture and helps the crust adhere and crisp; skipping it may result in a dry chicken and crust falling off., Avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket to ensure crisping rather than steaming., Preheating the air fryer is important for a crispy crust., Thick chicken breasts can dry out before the crust crisps; ensure even thickness.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookerygood.com/quick-crispy-air-fryer-parmesan-crusted-chicken-bensrecipes/