Ninja Foodi air fryer chicken parm is the best dinner idea! Crispy breaded chicken on the outside smothered with cheese with a homemade or bottled spaghetti sauce on top makes for the perfect hearty dinner even kids love.

Close-up of a slice of air fryer chicken parm on a white plate, topped with melted cheese and herbs. The background shows a blurred dish and a small bowl of sauce. Text at the top reads, "Best Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan, crispy outside, cheesy, tender chicken inside.
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Try air fryer chicken parm in your kitchen tonight! We have been trying lots of new air fryer recipes for dinner lately and this protein packed meal has become a family favorite. (affiliate links present)

Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan Thighs

You could use breasts or make this with thighs in air fryer instead. If you love dark me, us too, you may insist on these instead which isn’t a problem. You will still want boneless skinless so you can slice right thru them when done and not lose an ounce.

Ninja Foodi Chicken Parm

It doesn’t matter what brand you might have at home to make this either. The only difference between all the models and brands is the size of the basket. Only difference that will make is how many pieces you can cook at once, and if you have a Foodi you will use the lid that is attached.

If you love extra crispy food and quick recipes, here are some resources to start with:

A close-up photo of a hand pulling out the basket of an open air fryer on a light-colored surface. The interior of the air fryer basket is empty and features a mesh design, perfect for cooking your favorite dishes like bang bang shrimp. The edge of the air fryer has a latch mechanism for securing the basket.
chicken

Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan No Egg

If you are allergic or don’t want an eggfree piece there are other options you could use to get the crumbs to still stick. The one I use most often is mayonnaise because it adds flavor and a lot of moisture to the dish too. I have a list of other ideas for how to bread chicken without eggs here.

Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan No Breading

You could skip the outsides all together for a keto low carb dish too, but that isn’t as good if you ask me. The best choice for this are a few fresh, boneless skinless chicken breasts. I suppose you could use chicken thighs but they aren’t as large and typically one piece is a full meal.

How do you make chicken parmesan from scratch?

There are a TON of variations, I will start by saying that. The main difference is the type of breading, and/or method of cooking. Beyond that chicken, sauce and mozzarella are the bases.

Why is chicken parmesan made with mozzarella?

It originates from Melanzane alla Parmigiana. The classic Italian dish had eggplant cooked in olive oil, layered with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. Staying with tradition it still includes this.

Why is it called chicken parmesan?

Do you bake chicken parm covered or uncovered?

Whether you bake it in the oven or in your air fryer, you’ll do so uncovered. You want to get a nice crispy outer layer so covering the top would inhibit that.

A flat lay of cooking ingredients for air fryer chicken parm: raw chicken breasts on a white plate, two eggs, shredded cheese, a bowl of breadcrumbs mixed with seasonings, and a bowl of red sauce, all placed on a white wooden surface.

Ingredients

  1. Chicken breasts
  2. Eggs
  3. Bread crumbs
  4. Parmesan cheese
  5. Garlic powder
  6. Onion powder
  7. Marinara sauce
  8. Mozzarella cheese
  9. Italian seasoning

When frying chicken do you dip in egg or flour first?

It depends on what you’re making. This is of course air frying, minus the oil but it will get just as crispy I promise you that. The standard breading technique when you’re making something like crispy chicken legs involves buttermilk, flour, then dipping it in egg wash. Lastly you’d coat them with breadcrumbs. This works because the flour sticks to the food, the egg sticks to the flour, and the breadcrumbs stick to the egg.

    How do you make breading?

    Dip each breast into the egg, then let excess drip off. Next, run the breast through the breadcrumbs mixture and pat on to both sides so it sticks well. Let any excess fall back into the bowl. Finally, lay the chicken into your sprayed air fryer preheated basket to cook and crisp up nicely. Having 2 shallow dishes, and/or bowls to dredge the chicken in is helpful so you can lay them flat.

    Just like when you make air fryer stuffed chicken breast you want to make sure that the pieces are the same size and thickness. That is important so they get done and cooked through all at the same time. Medium  size boneless skinless breasts are best.

    Can you use frozen chicken?

    I would not recommend thatn, but you could make Crockpot chicken parmesan with medium size breasts right out of the freezer. In this case it’s better if your meat is defrosted beforehand. Also, it is best that you do not choose really thick breasts. Those can take a while to cook and by the time the middle is cooked thoroughly the outsides are a bit overdone.

    Air fryer basket with three breaded chicken breasts, perfectly cooked and labeled "Air Fryer Chicken Parm" at the top.

    How to Cook Ninja Foodi Chicken Parmesan

    • In a shallow bowl whisk your eggs, set aside.
    • Mix breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese with garlic and onion powder in another bowl or dish.
    • Dip chicken in the whisked egg, then dredge in breadcrumb mixture so it is coated. Shake off excess.
    • Place breaded chicken into air fryer basket in a single layer.
    • You can sprinkle with salt and pepper now as well if you wish.
    • Cook at 360 degrees F for 15-18 minutes.
    • Then spoon marinara sauce on top sprinkled with shredded mozzarella.
    • Add about 2 more minutes to melt this over the cooked chicken 

    We love it this way and hope you do too! There isn’t really anything beyond that unless you want a side dish of some sort or additional seasonings.

    Close-up of air fryer chicken parm, topped with melted cheese and herbs on a white plate. The text at the top reads "Easy Air Fryer chicken parmesan.

    How to serve

    How long does cooked chicken parmesan last in the fridge?

    Poultry pieces are safe in the refrigerator for 1-2 days and safe in the freezer for up to nine months. After it’s been cooked, chicken is safe to be refrigerated for 3-4 days and in the freezer for 2-6 months.

    Can you freeze cooked air fried chicken parmesan?

    Wrap the frozen pieces in a couple layers of plastic wrap, or use foil. Reheat in an oven at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until heated through. Other Ninja Foodi recipes you should try (any brand works really)

    How do you reheat leftover chicken parmesan?

    You can preheat your air fryer once again and set for same temp. 5-8 minutes should be enough time to reheat to the center core of your breasts. OR, heat up the oven to 350 F. Set the chicken in an oven safe dish. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and warm it up for 15-20 min until the center is warmed through. May add more cheese and sauce on top near the end. Follow these tips when reheating chicken in air fryer.

    Close-up of air fryer chicken parm topped with melted cheese and tomato sauce, garnished with herbs, served on a white plate.
    5 from 10 votes

    Air Fryer Chicken Parm

    By The Typical Mom
    Ninja foodi air fryer chicken parm is the best! Crispy outside smothered with cheese and tender chicken parmesan inside makes for the perfect hearty dinner.
    Prep: 10 minutes
    Cook: 15 minutes
    Servings: 3
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    Equipment

    • 1 air fryer

    Ingredients 

    • 3 chicken breasts, medium size, thawed
    • 2 eggs, whisked
    • 1/4 c bread crumbs
    • 1/4 c parmesan cheese
    • 1/2 tsp onion powder
    • 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
    • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
    • 1/2 c marinara sauce
    • 1/2 c mozzarella cheese, shredded, or more

    Instructions 

    • In a small bowl whisk eggs, in another bowl combine bread crumbs, parmesan, and onion and garlic powder.
    • Dredge chicken breast in egg, then cover in bread crumb mixture generously shaking off excess. (make sure breasts are about med. size and are all similar sizes so they cook evenly)
    • Spray inside of air fryer basket with non stick spray and put coated breasts inside.
    • Close and set air fryer to 360 degrees for 15-18 minutes. Cook time will depend on thickness of chicken.
    • Open basket and spoon marinara sauce over cooked breasts, then sprinkle with cheese. Air fry for additional 2 minutes until cheese is melted.
    • Sprinkle top with Italian seasonings and serve!

    Video

    Nutrition

    Serving: 3oz, Calories: 462kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 61g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 277mg, Sodium: 1238mg, Potassium: 1312mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 929IU, Vitamin C: 11mg, Calcium: 217mg, Iron: 3mg

    Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

    Additional Info

    Course: Entree, Main Course
    Cuisine: American, Italian
    Tried this recipe?Mention @thetypical_mom or tag #thetypicalmom!
    A fork holds a piece of air fryer chicken parm with red sauce and melted cheese. Text at the top reads, "Chicken Parm in the air fryer!" A blurred background features more deliciously crisp chicken parm.
    A raw chicken breast is dipped in beaten eggs in the top image. In the bottom image, it is coated with breadcrumbs. Text reads: "Master air fryer chicken parm - crispy outside, tender inside.

    About The Typical Mom

    Justine is the creative mind behind The Typical Mom and The Typical Family on YouTube. She began blogging about easy recipes, budget friendly activities for kids, and fun family travel destinations in September 2012.

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    5 from 10 votes (1 rating without comment)

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    22 Comments

    1. I made this last night and my whole family loved it! Even my kids (6, 4, 1.5) had seconds. Printing and saving this recipe!
      I used chicken breasts from Costco, so I had to up the heat to 380, and cook about 25 minutes, but I assume that’s because everything from Costco is bigger 🙂

    2. This was delicious and the whole family felt that it was restaurant-quality. Served with a side of the marinara (used Ragu chunky garden style tomato and onion spaghetti sauce). Thanks for sharing this! Made in the small Ninja air fryer so I could only do 2 at a time–375 degrees, 18 min-flipped halfway through, then 1.5 min to warm sauce/melt cheese.

    3. Made this tonight, first Recipe in our new Air Fryer. Cooked at 360 for 15 minutes then another 2 to heat the sauce and melt the mozzarella. Delicious!,

    4. We have a Ninja Foodi 5 in 1 Grill. All their chicken recipes say to turn the chicken half-way through. This recipe does not turn. What do you advise: first attempt at air frying chicken.

      1. I would flip it half way through to make sure both sides are cooked the same. That’s what I did and it turned out great.

    5. It turned our Delicious. Perfect and tender and juicy. My family loved it. I served Collard Greens with it