Crunchy Parmesan Crusted Chicken

Parmesan crusted chicken is incredibly crunchy and flavorful and easy-to-make with simple ingredients. It's perfect for a weeknight family dinner!

 

We are back from a long weekend at the beach with my family to celebrate my dad’s well deserved retirement.

It felt glorious to be together, to get some sunshine and to share a lot of laughs. My kids and my brother’s kids get along really well and we always have so much fun watching them pal around together.

But let’s move on to today’s recipe for this crunchy Parmesan crusted chicken.

This is a super simple dinner that looks and tastes like it was very involved. But really, it comes together with minimal effort. A fast and easy dredging station and voila, a fancy dinner!

It’s also unbelievably crunchy. Panko breadcrumbs are magic like that. I love when my ingredients do the hard work for me.

(They're also one of the tricks I use for my super crunchy baked chicken tenders and Air Fryer chicken tenders. A couple of family favorites!)

This Parmesan crusted chicken is also a go-to dinner around here because it doesn’t involve any crazy ingredients. They are all things you probably already have in your fridge and pantry.

(That’s extra helpful right now as we’re staying home and not getting to the grocery store as often.)

But really, it’s useful anytime.

Does this sound familiar: You get home from work or dinner time rolls around. You stand in front of an open refrigerator, taking a mental tally of what you have on hand. There’s some chicken breasts to be used, but you’ve got no idea what to do with them.

Yup, been there.

This easy chicken recipe to the rescue! And it’s really versatile so you can serve it lots of different ways, depending on what you have and your preferences. (More on that below.)

Oh, if cheddar is more you thing, check out these baked cheesy chicken breasts. So yummy! And you might also love this easy chicken Parm recipe that's ready in just 15 minutes! Or the Air Fryer chicken Parm version that's ready just as fast.

Let’s dive in!

Now, I’ve got some notes and substitutions coming up on how to make Parmesan crusted chicken. Just tryin’ to be helpful.

If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.

First off, what exactly do you need?

Ingredients:

1. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2. Grated Parmesan cheese
3. Panko breadcrumbs
4. Buttermilk (or substitute milk plus lemon juice)
5. Salt and pepper
6. Paprika

See, you probably have all of those ingredients on hand already!

So let’s get cooking.

Recipe Notes:

• Parmesan: For the best flavor, it’s important to use real fresh grated Parmesan cheese, not the stuff in a can.
• Breadcrumbs: Panko breadcrumbs are also a must - they have WAY more texture than regular breadcrumbs and will give you the amazing crunch on this chicken.
• Buttermilk: I almost never have buttermilk, so I usually do the substitute of mixing milk with some lemon juice and letting it sit for a few minutes. Such a great swap! The details are included in the recipe card below.
• Tip: Spraying the chicken breasts with cooking spray before they bake helps them get that beautiful browned top.

Oh, and I really love lining my baking sheet with foil for easy clean-up. Makes this meal such a breeze that you’ll be making it more often!

The exact cook time of this chicken will depend on how large and thick your chicken breasts are. Mine are usually done around 25-30 minutes. Huge chicken breasts might take 35 minutes.

As always, I use and recommend using a digital thermometer to ensure your chicken is properly cooked through.

Now you’re ready to eat, so let’s round out the meal.

Serving Ideas:

- Serve this chicken over a long thin noodle, like a thin spaghetti or angel hair pasta. Sprinkle the dish with some extra Parmesan cheese and a little splash of the pasta cooking water over it all. Add some fresh chopped parsley or basil if desired.

- Or serve this chicken with steamed rice, creamy polenta or easy Instant Pot mashed potatoes. Or serve alongside some baked or roasted potatoes.

- Add a simple side salad or some steamed broccoli, asparagus or green beans for an easy vegetable side.

You can also slice this chicken and serve it over a big salad or in a wrap or grain bowl for a lighter meal. Drizzle everything with your favorite sauce or dressing and yum! I often do this with leftovers.

Speaking of…

How to store leftovers:

- This chicken is best eaten as soon as it’s ready, due to the crunchy breadcrumb exterior.

- However, you can keep leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

- I recommend you slice the chicken before reheating — so it doesn’t dry out as it warms through.

- It also helps to reheat this chicken on a pan in the oven on low broil. It’ll help some of the crunch come back. In my oven it takes about 8-10 minutes to warm back through.

So the next time you need an easy weeknight dinner with some on-hand ingredients, I hope you give this crunchy Parmesan chicken a try.

Enjoy!

XO,

Kathryn

P.S. If you need an easy recipe for chicken thighs, check out my baked chicken thighs recipe - just a few basic seasonings but BIG flavor!

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4.50 from 4 votes

Crunchy Parmesan Crusted Chicken

Parmesan crusted chicken is incredibly crunchy and flavorful and easy-to-make with simple ingredients. It's perfect for a weeknight family dinner!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Total Time35 minutes mins

Yield: 4 servings

1x2x3x

Cook Mode

Ingredients

• 4 (6-7 oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
• 1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup regular milk plus 2 teaspoons lemon juice; see notes)
• paprika, to sprinkle

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray (for easy clean-up).
• Season chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper.
• Combine the Parmesan cheese and Panko breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl. Place buttermilk (or milk and lemon juice) in a separate shallow bowl.
• Dip each chicken breast in the milk mixture, then move to the breadcrumbs bowl and press down, helping the cheese and breadcrumbs adhere to all sides of the chicken. Place chicken on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining chicken.
• Sprinkle a little extra of any remaining cheese and breadcrumbs on top of the chicken. Sprinkle each chicken breast with paprika. Spray the tops of the chicken breasts lightly with cooking spray. (This helps it to brown in the oven.)
• Bake at 400 for 25-30 minutes, or until cooked through. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Buttermilk: I almost never have buttermilk, so I usually do the substitute of mixing milk with some lemon juice and letting it sit for a few minutes. Such an easy swap!

Parmesan: For the best flavor, it’s important to use real fresh grated Parmesan cheese, not the stuff in a can.

Breadcrumbs: Panko breadcrumbs are also a must - they have WAY more texture than regular breadcrumbs and will give you the amazing crunch on this chicken.

I use and recommend using a digital thermometer to ensure your chicken is properly cooked through. 

Serving ideas:

• Serve this chicken over a long thin noodle, like a thin spaghetti or angel hair pasta. Sprinkle the dish with some extra Parmesan cheese and a little splash of the pasta cooking water over it all. Add some fresh chopped parsley or basil if desired.
• Or serve this chicken with steamed rice, creamy polenta or mashed potatoes. Or serve alongside some baked or roasted potatoes.
• Add a simple side salad or some steamed broccoli, asparagus or green beans for an easy vegetable side.
• You can also slice this chicken and serve it over a big salad or in a wrap or grain bowl for a lighter meal. Drizzle everything with your favorite sauce or dressing and yum! I often do this with leftovers.

How to store leftovers:

• This chicken is best eaten as soon as it’s ready, due to the crunchy breadcrumb exterior.
• However, you can keep leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• I recommend you slice the chicken before reheating — so it doesn’t dry out as it warms through. It also helps to reheat this on a pan in the oven on low broil. It’ll help some of the crunch come back. In my oven it takes about 8-10 minutes to warm back through.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 182kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 728mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g

Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below or follow me on Instagram @familyfoodonthetable and tag me in your photo!

Note: This post has been updated with new photos and expanded text. The recipe, originally posted in February 2015, remains the same.