Herbed Parmesan Crusted Chicken (Printable)
Crispy baked chicken coated in Parmesan and fresh herbs, ready in 40 minutes for a satisfying family meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
→ Breading & Coating
02 - 3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
03 - 3/4 cup breadcrumbs (use gluten-free breadcrumbs if needed)
04 - 2 large eggs
→ Herbs & Spices
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
07 - 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried basil)
08 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
09 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
→ For Finishing
12 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
# How to Prepare:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it with non-stick spray.
02 - In a shallow dish, combine the Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, parsley, thyme, basil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix until evenly distributed.
03 - In a separate shallow bowl, beat the eggs until well blended.
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 the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
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 Parmesan crust gets genuinely crispy in the oven without any frying, which feels like a small miracle on a weeknight.
- It uses ingredients you probably already have, and the herb combination makes it taste like something from a neighborhood Italian restaurant.
02 -
- If the chicken breasts are very thick, pound them slightly between plastic wrap so they cook through before the crust burns.
- Broiling for the last two to three minutes transforms the coating from golden to shatteringly crisp, but watch it like a hawk because it goes from perfect to charred in seconds.
03 -
- One hand for the egg and one hand for the dry coating keeps you from breading your own fingers into a sticky mess.
- Letting the coated chicken rest for five minutes on the counter before baking helps the crust adhere better than going straight into the oven.