Air Fryer Panko Crusted Chicken is perfect for an easy weeknight dinner or special occasion entree. Panko's airy crunch meets juicy chicken, seasoned to perfection. Serve with some oven-roasted asparagus to complete your meal.
Why You'll Love This Panko Crusted Chicken Recipe
The chicken is breaded in Panko breadcrumbs and then air fried until it is crispy and golden brown. Here's a few additional reasons why you'll love this easy air fryer Panko chicken recipe:
- Easy to make. This recipe only requires a few ingredients and can be made in just a few minutes.
- Delicious. The chicken is breaded in Panko breadcrumbs and then air fried until it is crispy and golden brown.
- Versatile. Panko Crusted Chicken can be served with a variety of sides, such as rice, vegetables, or pasta.
Ingredients Overview
You'll need some chicken breasts or chicken tenderloins, as well as Panko bread crumbs, seasoned or unseasoned, flour, and an egg. Additionally, salt, garlic powder, blac pepper, smoked paprika, and parsley will be used in the coating.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How To Make Air Fried Panko Crusted Chicken
Panko Crusted Chicken is a quick and easy meal that can be served with a variety of sides. The best part is that you don't need any fancy ingredients or hard-to-find items. This delicious air fryer Panko chicken recipe uses simple pantry staples like flour, garlic powder, paprika and an egg.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and Spread Panko bread crumbs on a baking sheet. Toast for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove and cool, transfer to a plate.
- Slice each chicken breast in half horizontally so that you get two chicken fillets from each breast.
Pro Tip: I don't recommend toasting the bread crumbs in the air fryer. The circulating hot hair will send them flying everywhere, as they are so delicate and light!
- Add the flour and seasonings to the cooled toasted Panko bread crumbs, and mix together.
- Whisk together the egg and Dijon mustard in a medium mixing bowl to blend.
- Dip each chicken breast fillet in the bowl of whisked egg and Dijon mustard, turning to coat both sides of the chicken breast fillets.
- Dredge the egg and mustard coated chicken breast fillets in the Panko and seasoned flour mixture, making sure the Panko mixture adheres to the chicken.
- Use a pair of tongs to turn each chicken breast fillet so that both sides are evenly coated.
PRO TIP: If you are concerned about the chicken sticking, use a little vegetable oil with an Oil Sprayer. Don't use non stick cooking spray, the propellants can damage the cooking elements of the air fryer.
- Place the Panko crusted chicken breast fillets in the air fryer basket with space between chicken portions. Air fry at 375 F for 5 minutes.
- Flip the chicken pieces and cook for another 5-7 minutes, or until golden brown. Use a ThermoPro or any instant read thermometer to verify the thickest part of the chicken breast fillets is 165F.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this Panko crusted chicken with a side of creamy mashed potatoes or steamed Jasmine rice. For a Japanese touch by serving it with an orange teriyaki sauce, or Japanese yum yum sauce.
Substitutions and Variations
There are a few substitutions and variations that can be made to this recipe for additional flavor or flair.
- Substitute boneless, skinless turkey breast cutlets for the chicken breasts.
- Use a different type of breading, such as Italian breadcrumbs or seasoned breadcrumbs.
- Add additional herbs or spices to the breading, such as cumin, smoked paprika, or curry powder.
- Serve Panko Crusted Chicken with your favorite dipping or marinara sauce.
Tips for Success
Here are a few tips for making this recipe:
- Make sure the chicken is coated well with the Dijon coating before breading it. This will help the breading to stick to the chicken.
- Use a light hand when breading the chicken. Too much breading will make the chicken heavy and dense.
- Air fry the chicken until it is golden brown and cooked through. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Use an instant read thermometer like the ThermoPro to check.
- Serve immediately for the best results.
Storage Options
Some recommended storage options for this recipe are:
- Panko Crusted Chicken can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To reheat, place the chicken in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-15 minutes, or until heated through.
Related Recipes
- Air Fryer Chicken Katsu
- Chicken Karaage
- Edamame Cucumber Salad
- Blackstone Beef Teppanyaki
- Teppanyaki Sauce (Yakiniku)
Frequently Asked Questions
Panko breadcrumbs are a type of Japanese breadcrumb that is made from white bread that has been dried and then crushed into small pieces. They are lighter and flakier than traditional breadcrumbs, which makes them ideal for air frying or baking.
Yes, your chicken will still come out delicious, but maybe not with quite the same light and crispy crust that Panko crumbs make.
Yes, or course! Use the back of a knife or a meat mallet and gently flatten the chicken tenders or chicken thighs so that they are not so thick.
Yes, you can use frozen chicken for this Panko chicken recipe. However, you will need to increase the cooking time by about 50%. For example, if you would normally bake chicken for 20 minutes, you would need to bake frozen chicken for 30 minutes.
Yes, The ideal temperature for baking this Panko chicken recipe is 375 degrees Fahrenheit. This will help to ensure that the chicken is cooked through and crispy.
Japanese Recipes
Get The Recipe!
Panko Crusted Chicken
Equipment
- Air Fryer
- Oil Sprayer
Ingredients
- 1½ cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1 lb chicken breasts (4 to 5 oz each) - fillet each chicken breast in half
- 3 tablespoon flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoon parsley fresh or dry, minced
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and Spread Panko bread crumbs on a baking sheet. Toast for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove and cool, transfer to a plate.Pro Tip: I don't recommend toasting the bread crumbs in the air fryer. The circulating hot hair will send them flying everywhere, as they are so delicate and light!1½ cup Panko bread crumbs
- Slice each chicken breast in half horizontally so that you get two chicken fillets from each breast.1 lb chicken breasts
- Add the flour and seasonings to the cooled toasted Panko bread crumbs, and mix together.3 tablespoon flour, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 2 tablespoon parsley
- Whisk together the egg and Dijon mustard in a medium mixing bowl to blend.2 large eggs, 3 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- Dip each chicken breast fillet in the bowl of whisked egg and Dijon mustard, turning to coat both sides of the chicken breast fillets.
- Dredge the egg and mustard coated chicken breast fillets in the Panko and seasoned flour mixture, making sure the Panko mixture adheres to the chicken.
- Use a pair of tongs to turn each chicken breast fillet so that both sides are evenly coated.
- Place the Panko crusted chicken breast fillets in the air fryer basket with space between chicken portions. Air fry at 375 F for 5 minutes. PRO TIP: If you are concerned about the chicken sticking, use a little vegetable oil with an Oil Sprayer. Don't use non stick cooking spray, the propellants can damage the cooking elements of the air fryer.
- Flip the chicken pieces and cook for another 5-7 minutes, or until golden brown. Use a ThermoPro or any instant read thermometer to verify the thickest part of the chicken breast fillets is 165F.
Notes
- Make sure the chicken is coated well with the Dijon coating before breading it. This will help the breading to stick to the chicken.
- Use a light hand when breading the chicken. Too much breading will make the chicken heavy and dense.
- Air fry the chicken until it is golden brown and cooked through. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Use an instant read thermometer like the ThermoPro to check.
- Serve immediately for the best results.
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