Crispy Parmesan Chicken w/ Arugula Salad

CRISPY PARMESAN CHICKEN😍

One of my all time favorite meals - crispy parmesan chicken with a peppery arugula salad, lemony vinaigrette, and parm? YUM. 

I think the reason I eat this combo so often is because of how well this combo works - you’ve got crispy fried chicken, which everyone loves. But pairing it with a lemony arugula salad brings freshness to the chicken and just makes for the perfect bite. If you don’t like arugula, feel free to sub for romaine or whatever lettuce you prefer.

Serves 3-4.

Ingredients:

For the Crispy Parmesan Chicken:

• 2 chicken breasts

• 2 eggs

• ½ cup flour

• 1 cup panko

• ¾ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Avocado oil or neutral frying oil

For the Lemony Arugula Salad:

• 4 cups arugula

• 2 tbsps olive oil

• 1.5 tpsps lemon juice

• 1 tsp dijon mustard

• Shaved parmesan

• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

For the Crispy Parmesan Chicken w/ Arugula Salad:

• Place your palm on the top of your chicken breast to hold it still while you carefully slice each piece in half horizontally. Cover all 4 thinner chicken cutlets with plastic wrap or wax paper and use a meat mallet, rolling pin, or heavy skillet to gently pound them until they’re about ⅓” thick. You want to be sure you have even thickness on all sides, so the chicken cooks more evenly. The reason we do this is to ensure the inside cooks at the same rate as the breading browns, so you don’t have to worry about a browned exterior but pink inside.

• Set up a dredging station by putting the flour with a pinch of salt and pepper on one plate, whisking the eggs in another bowl, and mixing together the panko, parmesan, salt and pepper on another plate. 

• Season the chicken with salt and pepper and using one hand, bread the chicken breast in the flour until coated, then shake off any excess and transfer the chicken to the bowl with the eggs. Now using your other hand, dip each side of the chicken in the egg and transfer to the panko mixture. 

• Using the hand you used at the beginning, or your dry hand, coat the chicken in the panko parmesan mixture, pressing the breadcrumbs into the chicken until it sticks and the whole chicken is coated. Transfer to a plate and repeat with all remaining chicken.

• Add enough oil to a large skillet to coat the bottom (about ½ cup or more depending on how wide your skillet is) and heat on medium heat until hot but not smoking. You can test this with a wooden chopstick, if you see bubbles start to form, the oil is hot enough.

• Gently lower the chicken away from you. You should hear a sizzle when it hits the oil. You may need to do this in batches to not overcrowd the pan. 

• Cook for 2 minutes or so or until the edges of the chicken are golden brown, then flip and cook for 1-2 more minutes or until golden brown. Really use your instincts here as timing will vary depending on your pan and how hot your oil is. If you pound the chicken to ⅓” thickness, once it’s golden brown all over it should be cooked through on the inside.

• Transfer to a wire baking sheet or paper towel lined plate and immediately season with salt.

• For the Lemony Salad Dressing, add the dijon mustard, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper to a mason jar and shake to combine.

• Add the arugula to a bowl and add the dressing in spoonfuls, tossing to combine. You may not use all the dressing, so go light at first as you don’t want to weigh down the arugula. Use a vegetable peeler to shave some parmesan over top.

• I like to serve the chicken on a plate with the arugula on top with freshly cracked pepper. Enjoy!

For Air Fryer Crispy Parmesan Chicken:

• Preheat your air fryer at 400 degrees for 5 minutes. Follow all steps above to bread the chicken.

• Once preheated, place the chicken in the air fryer and spray both sides well with avocado or olive oil spray.

• Air fry at 390 degrees for about 8 minutes or until golden brown. Season with salt and serve!

• Note: When testing this recipe in the air fryer, I noticed the chicken was overcooking by the time the outside was golden brown. By cooking it fully on one side, you get a nice golden brown all around while still keeping the chicken juicy. Timing will vary depending on how thin your chicken is. If following the air fryer method, I recommend not pounding your chicken super thin as the inside will cook faster than if you were frying traditionally.