Easy Crispy Parmesan Crusted Chicken Recipe

Juicy, tender, savory boneless chicken breast with a crunchy Parmesan crust. The perfect main dish for a mid week dinner.

Years ago, about 2013 or so, I remember seeing a parmesan crusted chicken recipe on the back of a breadcrumb packet. I thought it sounded super delicious, so I decided to try it out.

I went to the grocery store and got all the ingredients. What I found the most interesting was the cheesy mayo mixture. I thought to myself, “Mayo? Why use mayo as a binder instead of the typical egg wash?”.

Since I was still a pretty young cook, I also found mixing the binder (mayo) with grated parmesan cheese to be very creative. In that recipe, the chicken was baked, which is an option.

After years of making it, I find that it tastes better when fried. It can sometimes come out dry when baked. But yeah, I had to make a recipe out of this dish and post it because it’s the perfect main dish for a midweek dinner.

What is Parmesan Crusted chicken?

Parmesan crusted chicken is typically made using boneless chicken breast. It’s seasoned, then coated with a binder that consists of grated parmesan cheese mixed with mayo, and finally coated with breadcrumbs, like crunchy panko breadcrumbs.

This results in not just your typical fried boneless chicken but extra crispy fried boneless chicken that’s juicy and packed with an amazing savory flavor, mainly from the cheesy parmesan mayo mixture. It’s what makes this chicken so delicious.

So if you’re looking for a new dish, especially a new delicious way to fry boneless chicken, check this recipe out and give it a try. Below are the ingredients and cookware you need for this recipe.

What you need:

• Meat: Boneless Chicken Breast
• Seasonings: Laury’s seasoning salt, Garlic Powder, Onion powder, Italian Seasoning, and Black pepper
• Binding ingredients: Mayo and Grated Parmesan
• Coating: Panko and Plain breadcrumbs
• Oil: Vegetable oil

How to make Parmesan crusted chicken

1. Clean the chicken:

• First, cut off and remove any yellow fat on the breast, along with any clear slime.
• Soak the chicken in a cleaning solution such as salt + Water, vinegar + water, or lemon/lime + water. Cover the chicken with water and use one tablespoon of salt, vinegar, or lemon/lime per pound of meat. Let the chicken soak for 20 minutes.
• Scrub or massage the chicken with your hands, then rinse well.
• Make sure after cleaning the chicken, you pat it dry with a paper towel.

2. Slice the chicken:

Boneless chicken is thick, so you want to slice it in half lengthwise first. Be mindful that even if your chicken pieces look on the thinner side, they’ll swell up as they fry. You want them about 1/16th inch thick.

You do not want your boneless breasts to be too long, either, unless you prefer to make only a few and like big pieces. I like my breasts to be about 5-6 inches in length.

3. Season the chicken:

You’re going to season the chicken and give it a nice massage. Now, usually, when I make a recipe like fried chicken, pork chops, etc… I advise you to season the final coating.

However, that’s unnecessary here because we’re using breadcrumbs as the last coating, and you don’t need to season the breadcrumbs like you’d do flour.

4. Coat and dredge the chicken:

• Combine the mayo and grated parmesan in a large mixing bowl and stir until it’s well blended.
• In another large mixing bowl, combine the plain breadcrumbs and the panko breadcrumbs.
• Place the seasoned chicken in the cheesy mayo mixture and coat each side with a semi-thick layer of it.
• Lay it in the breadcrumbs and press, then turn it over and press the other side into the breadcrumbs, and set them aside on a cooling rack.
• Let the chicken rest on the cooling rack for 15 to 20 minutes.

5. Fry the chicken

• Preheat the oil by adding it to the skillet and placing it over medium-high heat or 375 F for 5 minutes. Medium-high heat is the key to perfect, crispy boneless chicken. You want to cook it on high so it crisps up fast.
• Add 4-5 pieces of chicken to the skillet and fry for 4-5 minutes per side.
• Once done, remove the chicken with a tong and set them on a cooling rack.
• Add another batch and fry them the same way until done. Make sure the oil doesn’t drop below 350 degrees.

Tips for best results:

• I know I already mentioned how much time to wait before adding the chicken to the oil, but I just want to emphasize that you make sure the skillet is hot; adding food to hot oil is very important when frying.
• Cooking 4 to 5 pieces at a time is also important because a crowded skillet causes the temperature to drop and creates moisture, which won’t allow the chicken to crisp up.
• Fry the chicken at 375 degrees and keep the oil above 350.

Serving suggestions:

• Egg noodles: Egg noodles seasoned well and topped with some butter goes great with this dish.
• Mashed potatoes: Mashed potatoes are a great option as a side dish. The smooth potatoes and crunchy chicken contrast works well here.
• Macaroni and cheese: Stovetop or baked macaroni and cheese go great with parmesan crusted chicken, just like it does with regular fried chicken.
• Potato Salad: I love potato salad with anything FRIED. Whatever works with fried chicken will go well with this recipe; it is still fried chicken, after all, just more savory.
• Green beans: You can’t go wrong with green beans as a vegetable side dish. Any green vegetable will work, honestly, but green beans are my favorite.

Storage and reheating

• How do you store the chicken? You can place it in a bowl or Tupperware dish and cover it with a lid, aluminum foil, or plastic wrap.
• Can you freeze it? Yes, this freezes perfectly. Just place them in a Ziploc bag and make sure it’s tightly sealed to prevent freezer burn.
• Freezing before cooking: You can store the chicken in the freezer after coating it with breadcrumbs to cook at a later time. Just place them in a Ziploc bag and seal it tightly.
• How do you reheat it in an oven? You can reheat the chicken in the microwave and if the chicken became soggy sitting in the refrigerator, which can happen at times, you can get it crispy again with a few minutes in the air fryer.

Other chicken recipes you might like:

• The Best Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast Recipe
• The Best Chicken Enchilada Recipe
• Simple Juicy Oven Roasted Whole Chicken Recipe
• Curry Peanut Butter Chicken And Cabbage

Equipment:

• Large skillet: You’ll need a large skillet because we’re frying a lot of boneless chicken here and want to fry it in as few batches as possible.
• Cooling Rack: Use a cooling rack to rest the chicken after coating it and to set the chicken on once it’s done. This prevents the oil from seeping to the bottom end of the chicken and making it soggy.
• Large Mixing bowls: Make sure you have some mixing bowls. You need it hold the cheesy mayo which is the binder and another for the breadcrumbs.
• Knife: You need a sharp knife to slice the boneless chicken breast in halves and to remove the slime and fat from the chicken.
• Tongs: You will need tongs to flip the chicken after it has browned on one side, so make sure you have one on hand.
• Measuring cups: For accuracy, measure the mayo and oil using measuring cups.
• Measuring spoons: Use measuring spoons to accurately measure the seasonings.

Thanks for clicking and checking us out and I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do. It’s simple, easy, and delicious so why won’t you? The recipe is available below for printing.

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Enjoy, later!

PBJ~

Easy Crispy Parmesan Crusted Chicken Recipe

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• Author: PhillyboyJay
• Prep Time: 40 Mins
• Cook Time: 20 Mins
• Total Time: 1 Hr
• Yield: 6
• Category: Poultry
• Method: American
• Cuisine: American

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Description

Juicy, tender, savory boneless chicken breast with a crunchy Parmesan crust. The perfect main dish for a mid week dinner.

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Ingredients

• 2 Lbs Boneless Chicken Breast
• 1 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 2 Cups Mayo
• 1 Cup Vegetable Oil
• 2 Cups Panko Breadcrumbs
• 1–1/2 Cups Plain Breadcrumbs
• 1 Tbs Seasoning Salt
• 1 Tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 Tsp Onion Powder
• 1 Tsp Italian Seasoning
• 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper

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Instructions

1.  Slice chicken into shapes 1/16th inch thick and 5-6 inches in length, OR however you choose. 
2. Season them with all the seasonings.
3.  Place breadcrumbs in a bowl and mix well.
4. Place mayo and parmesan cheese in another bowl and mix well.
5. Coat all the chicken on both sides with a semi-thick layer of the parmesan mayo mixture.
6. Coat well with the breadcrumbs, make sure to press the breadcrumbs into the chicken so they stick.
7. Sit the chicken on the cooling rack and store it in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.
8. Preheat oil: Place a large skillet over medium-high heat.
9. Add in the oil and allow it to get hot.
10. Place 4-5 pieces of chicken into the skillet and let it fry for about 4 minutes, then flip and fry it for another 3-4 minutes.
11. Place on a cooling rack once done.

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