Herbed Parmesan Crusted Chicken (Printable)
Crispy Parmesan and herb-crusted chicken breasts baked golden, perfect for a quick family dinner.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
→ Cheese
02 - 3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
→ Herbs and Spices
03 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
04 - 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
05 - 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried basil)
06 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
07 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
08 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
09 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
→ Coating
10 - 3/4 cup breadcrumbs (use gluten-free breadcrumbs if needed)
11 - 2 large eggs
→ Finishing
12 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
# How-To:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it with oil.
02 - In a shallow dish, combine the Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, parsley, thyme, basil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix until evenly blended.
03 - In a separate shallow bowl, beat the eggs until fully blended and smooth.
04 - Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Dip each breast into the beaten eggs, then press firmly into the Parmesan breadcrumb mixture, coating both sides evenly.
05 - Place the coated chicken breasts on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle each piece lightly with olive oil to help achieve a golden, crispy crust.
06 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through. The internal temperature should reach 165°F when checked with a meat thermometer.
07 - Remove from the oven and let the chicken rest for 3 minutes before serving. Garnish with additional fresh herbs if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The crust stays remarkably crunchy even the next day, which means leftovers are genuinely exciting.
- It feels like something you would order at a cozy Italian trattoria but comes together with pantry staples in under an hour.
02 -
- Do not skip patting the chicken dry before coating, because moisture is the enemy of adhesion and your crust will slide right off in the oven.
- A brief broil during the final 2 minutes transforms a good crust into a spectacular one, but watch it like a hawk because the line between perfectly caramelized and burned is thin.
03 -
- Letting the coated chicken sit on the sheet pan for 5 minutes before baking gives the egg time to set and helps the crust bond more firmly to the meat.
- If your Parmesan is very finely grated, add an extra tablespoon of breadcrumbs to the mixture to prevent the coating from becoming too dense and heavy.