family favorite - parmesan crusted chicken

I know that I am probably not alone when I say the first question I get asked when the kiddos get home from school is, “what’s for dinner?” I have 11-year old triplet boys and they eat.
And eat.
And eat.

Some days I cringe because I know I’ll hear groans when they hear our dinner plans (thankfully, not too often). However I’m always excited to say “parmesan-crusted chicken”! Without a doubt, it’s a family fave around here.

This chicken is excellent on its own or I use this recipe as the base for chicken parmesan (so I guess it’s like “parmesan crusted chicken parmesan”).

what is parmesan crusted chicken?

This parmesan crusted chicken is a thinly sliced chicken breast, dredged in a type of flour, egg and then the most wonderfully seasoned parmesan coating. It’s pan fried so it gets crispy on the outside while staying moist and tender (cringing right now—I hate those words but best way to describe it) on the inside!

making the chicken

First, prepare the chicken by slicing it horizontally into 2 pieces. Pat the chicken dry so it’s ready to be dredged.

Dredging is when you coat a food lightly, usually in flour. Certain foods, like boneless chicken, fish fillets, and pork and veal cutlets, benefit from a light coating of flour before they’re sautéed. The flour creates a slim barrier between the food and the pan so the surface of the food is less likely to stick, will color more evenly, and will cook up crisp but not tough.

This parmesan crusted chicken does not use bread crumbs or white flour. I use any one of the many other flours I have on hand. In this recipe I used Bob’s Red Mill Millet flour and I’ve used oat flour in the past. The coating is so slim that I doubt it would matter what flour you used (coconut flour may taste slightly coconut but I haven’t tried it).

After the prepared chicken is dredged in flour, it goes into the egg and then finally the parmesan seasoning. This seasoning is perfection—an herb and spice blend that has parmesan (obv), garlic powder, oregano, red pepper flakes and lemon zest.
A little tang, a little heat, a little salt – what more do you need in life?!?!

By the way, you may recognize this seasoning if you’ve tried my parmesan roasted chickpeas (and if you haven’t, you need to!). It’s so great, why re-invent the wheel? This is also a great blend on roasted veggies like cauliflower or broccoli!

how do you cook parmesan crusted chicken

My favorite way is to pan fry the chicken and it takes minutes. So easy! The most important part is getting the pan temperature right so it crisps nicely without drying the chicken out.

To get the right temp, place a pan on the stove and heat at a medium to medium high temperature. Don’t go too high, too fast or the heat will not be even.

To know when the pan is the right temperature, pour 1/8 teaspoon of water in the pan. If it jumps around and then comes back together to form one small ball that bounces around, you’ve got the perfect temp!

Now turn down the heat slightly and add your oil. It should cover the bottom of pan and shimmer!

It’s go time!

parmesan crusted chicken tips

What if I don’t have oregano for the parmesan crusted chicken? You have many options—rosemary, thyme, basil or an Italian blend would all work well! If you like more heat, feel free to add more red chili pepper!

What goes with parmesan crusted chicken? You can serve this with autumn salad with warm cider vinaigrette, herb roasted sweet potato fries, pasta salad with balsamic vinaigrette, sautéed green beans with shallots and garlic or many other sides like brown rice, potatoes, roasted vegetables or salads.

Do you need a sauce with parmesan crusted chicken? No, it’s perfectly flavored and delicious on it’s own! However, you could top this chicken with marinara sauce and fresh mozzarella to make chicken parmesan.

What’s the best oil to use to pan fry parmesan crusted chicken? I use a high heat oil like grape-seed or avocado oil however olive oil works well too.

When is the parmesan crusted chicken done in the pan? Use a thermometer and chicken should reach 165 degrees F. Or, I find it easier to feel the chicken. It should feel firm rather than jiggly or rubbery. Ideally, it should also not be tight (a sign of overcooking).