Air Fryer Parmesan Crusted Chicken is an easy air fryer chicken breast entree for your next weeknight dinner. This parmesan and garlic crusted chicken is made without breadcrumbs or mayo to make it low carb but still delicious for picky eaters.
Mix together the parmesan, Italian seasoning, garlic paste and paprika until well mixed in a shallow bowl. At first the garlic will be clumpy but keep mixing until it is all incorporated.
Cut the chicken breasts in half widthwise and then cut each of those pieces into 2 or 3 pieces depending on how big the chicken breast is (resulting in 4-6 pieces per chicken breast). Make sure the chicken is cut into even pieces to make sure they cook evenly.
Preheat the air fryer to 400 F.
While the air fryer is preheating, beat the eggs and place them in a shallow bowl.
Season the cut pieces of chicken well with kosher salt. Dip a piece of chicken into the egg and allow some excess to drip off.
Next coat the chicken in the cheese mixture. Shake off any excess and set aside on a plate. Repeat with the rest of the chicken pieces.
Once all the chicken is coated, spray the inside basket with an oil spray to prevent the chicken from sticking. Place the chicken pieces in a single layer in the basket and bake for 5 minutes. If all the pieces do not fit in a single layer, make in multiple batches.
Flip the chicken pieces and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes until 155-160 F internally. Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes. The chicken is done once the crust is golden brown and delicious looking.
If cooking in batches, repeat until all chicken is done.
Serve with roasted vegetables, sides or on salad.
Notes
Make sure to mix the cheese mixture completely until all the garlic paste is incorporated.
Cut chicken into even pieces to ensure even cooking.
Cook chicken in a single layer to get good airflow. If necessary, bake in batches.
Boneless skinless chicken thighs can be used but may change the cooking time.