Paprika Parmesan Crusted Chicken (Printable Version)
Juicy chicken with a crispy paprika-Parmesan crust, baked golden in under 40 minutes for a satisfying weeknight meal.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
→ Breading and Seasonings
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
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 Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
02 - Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels to ensure the coating adheres properly.
03 - In a shallow bowl, whisk the eggs until fully beaten.
04 - In a separate shallow bowl, combine the 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 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 and crispiness.
07 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until the chicken is golden brown, the crust is crispy, and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
08 - Remove from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the juices to redistribute.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- The double paprika trick, sweet and smoked, creates a crust that tastes like you spent far more than fifteen minutes prepping it.
- Everything coats in two bowls with no marinating, no frying, and almost no cleanup, which means you can have this on a Tuesday without thinking twice.
02 -
- Do not skip the five minute rest, because slicing too early means every ounce of juice ends up on the board and your chicken dries out before it reaches the plate.
- If your Parmesan is very finely grated, add an extra tablespoon of breadcrumbs to the mixture so the coating does not clump and slide off during baking.
03 -
- Use one hand for the egg dip and the other for the crumb press so you do not end up with battered fingers that coat themselves instead of the chicken.
- Broil for the final two minutes if you want an extra crunchy top, but watch it closely because paprika goes from beautifully dark to burnt in seconds.