Paprika Parmesan Crusted Chicken (Printable)
Crispy paprika-Parmesan crusted chicken breasts baked golden in under 40 minutes. Gluten-free friendly and family-approved.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
→ Dairy
02 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Breading & Spices
03 - 1 cup breadcrumbs (use gluten-free if needed)
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
→ Liquids
10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
11 - 2 large eggs
# Steps:
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 beaten egg, allowing excess to drip off, then coat thoroughly in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing gently to adhere.
06 - Place coated chicken breasts on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil evenly over each piece.
07 - Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until the chicken is golden, the crust is crispy, and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
08 - Let rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow juices to redistribute.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The crust gets impossibly crispy while the chicken stays juicy inside and people always assume you spent twice as long making it.
- You probably have every ingredient in your pantry right now which means no emergency grocery runs on a Tuesday evening.
02 -
- If your chicken breasts are very thick pound them to an even thickness first or the outside will burn before the center cooks through which I learned the hard way on a first date.
- Letting the coated chicken sit on the counter for five minutes before baking helps the breading adhere better and prevents it from falling off in big patches.
03 -
- Use one hand for the egg and the other for the breadcrumbs to avoid getting breading all over your fingers which turns into a messy clumpy disaster.
- Brushing the chicken with olive oil instead of drizzling gives more even coverage and prevents bald patches where the crust does not crisp.