Paprika Parmesan Chicken (Printable Version)
Juicy chicken with a crispy paprika-Parmesan crust, baked golden and ready in just 40 minutes.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
→ Breading and Spices
02 - 1 cup breadcrumbs (use gluten-free if needed)
03 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
04 - 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
05 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
06 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Wet Ingredients
10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
11 - 2 large eggs
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
02 - Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels to ensure proper breading adhesion.
03 - In a shallow bowl, whisk the eggs until fully beaten.
04 - In a separate shallow bowl, combine breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, sweet paprika, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix until evenly distributed.
05 - Dip each chicken breast into the egg wash, allowing excess to drip off, then press firmly into the breadcrumb mixture, coating both sides thoroughly.
06 - Place the coated chicken breasts on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil evenly over each piece to promote browning.
07 - Bake for 22-25 minutes until the crust is golden and crispy and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
08 - Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow juices to redistribute.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The Parmesan in the crust creates this almost fried chicken crunch without you ever needing to deal with hot oil splattering your stove.
- It takes one bowl for the egg wash and one bowl for the coating, which means cleanup is laughably easy for a weeknight.
02 -
- Do not skip the olive oil drizzle, I tried it once thinking the Parmesan fat would be enough and the crust came out pale and powdery like it was wearing chalk.
- If your chicken breasts are very thick, butterfly them or pound them slightly, otherwise the outside overcooks before the center reaches temperature and you end up with dry edges.
03 -
- Use one hand for the egg and the other hand for the dry mixture, otherwise you end up with breadcrumb claws that look like you are wearing weird oven mitts made of batter.
- Let the coated chicken sit on the sheet for five minutes before baking, the coating adheres better and you lose fewer crumbs to the pan.