Air fryer chicken parmigiana
A firm family favourite, this is traditionally served with spaghetti but it is just as delicious with a simple crisp green salad.
Ingredients
For the tomato sauce
- 1 small garlic clove, sliced
- ½ onion, thinly sliced
- 1 small carrot, peeled, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
- 100g/3½oz cherry tomatoes, halved
- olive oil spray
- 1 basil sprig (or small handful basil leaves)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the chicken
- 2 chicken breasts
- 1 large free-range egg, beaten
- 50g/1¾oz panko breadcrumbs
- 15g/½oz Parmesan, finely grated
- 50g/1¾oz mozzarella, sliced
- small handful parsley leaves, roughly chopped, to garnish
Method
To make the sauce, heat the air fryer to 200C. In a heatproof tray or bowl that will fit inside the air fryer, mix together the garlic, onion, carrot and cherry tomatoes. Spray a few times with the olive oil spray and season well with salt and pepper. Cook for 8–10 minutes, until soft. Transfer to a blender or food processor, add the basil and blend to a smooth purée. Set aside.
To make the chicken, lay the chicken breasts on a piece of baking paper and cover with another sheet of baking paper. Use the end of a rolling pin to bash the breasts until about 2cm/¾in thick.
Heat the air fryer to 205C. Place the egg in a small, wide bowl. Mix the panko breadcrumbs with most of the Parmesan, reserving about 2 teaspoons, in a wide bowl or large plate.
Dip the chicken breasts first into the egg mixture and then into the Parmesan breadcrumbs. Press well to ensure a good, even coating (if there are any uncoated patches, dip into the egg and breadcrumbs again).
Lay the chicken breasts in the air fryer (you may need to do one at a time, depending on the size of your air fryer) and cook for 10 minutes, turning the chicken over after 6 minutes.
When the chicken is golden and cooked through, remove from the air fryer and spoon half of the tomato sauce over each breast, then top with the mozzarella and a sprinkling of the reserved Parmesan. Return to the air fryer for 3 minutes to melt the cheese, then remove and garnish with the parsley.
Recipe Tips
To roast the vegetables for the sauce, use a springform cake tin that fits inside the air fryer or a square baking tin for a square basket. Alternatively, use greaseproof air fryer liners.
The tomato sauce can be made ahead of time. The chicken is crispiest and best served immediately.
As chicken breasts vary in size, you may need a little more liquid for the coating if you have large pieces. Add a few tablespoons of milk to the beaten eggs if needed.
This recipe was developed using a 5.5 litre/9½ pint air fryer.
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