Herbed Parmesan Chicken (Print Version)
Juicy baked chicken with a crispy Parmesan and herb coating, ready in 40 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
→ Dairy
02 - 3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
→ Herbs & 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 salt
09 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
→ Breading & Coating
10 - 3/4 cup breadcrumbs (use gluten-free breadcrumbs if needed)
11 - 2 large eggs
→ For Drizzling
12 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly coat 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 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 egg wash, then press into the Parmesan breadcrumb mixture, coating both sides thoroughly and pressing gently to help the coating adhere.
05 - Place the coated chicken breasts on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle each breast lightly with olive oil to promote even browning.
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 and herb crust gets genuinely crispy in the oven without any frying, so you get all the crunch with none of the mess.
- It uses ingredients you probably already have in your pantry and fridge, which means no emergency grocery runs.
02 -
- If your chicken breasts are very thick, pound them to an even half inch thickness first or the outside will burn before the inside is safe to eat.
- Do not flip the chicken during baking because the crust on top needs uninterrupted heat to crisp up properly.
03 -
- For a crust that crunches like it was pan fried, switch your oven to broil for the final 2 to 3 minutes and watch it like a hawk so it chars instead of burns.
- Grate your own Parmesan from a block rather than using pre grated because the fresh stuff has less moisture and crisps up dramatically better.