If you're looking for easy dinner recipes, look no further than this air fryer frozen chicken parmesan! Make use of frozen chicken parmesan for a quick and easy meal that's ready in less than 25 minutes! Serve with pasta, veggies, or your choice of sides for simple and complete meal.
I've always had a soft spot for chicken parmesan. In fact, if I'm out to eat and chicken parmesan is on the menu, I'm probably ordering it! A crispy breaded and fried chicken breast, spread with marinara sauce and topped with mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. All of that served on a bed of hot pasta, and served with a side of garlic bread. What more can a gal ask for?
And while I've made my own homemade versions a time or two, it can be sort of labor intensive, especially if you're in a time crunch. Since I've become a mom, my schedule is a bit tighter, and so I've made use of both my air fryer AND prepared frozen foods.
This recipe for Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Parmesan combines my two favorite time-saving techniques to make a super easy weeknight dinner that is ready in less than 25 minutes. It has all the familiar flavors of your favorite chicken parmesan. While the chicken cooks, prepare the pasta and warm some jarred marinara sauce if you want to serve it the traditional way. They are perfectly yummy served as is too!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's ready in just 25 minutes, making it the perfect weeknight dinner idea!
- Chicken parmesan combines a crunchy, breaded coating, a melty, cheesy middle and a touch of sweet marinara sauce.
- Takes almost half the time as oven baked frozen chicken parmesan.
- Cooks directly from frozen, meaning it doesn't require any planning ahead of time. Perfect for last minute meals.
Ingredients
- Frozen chicken parmesan: While there are several brands of frozen chicken parmesan available, the most popular is available at Costco warehouses. This is where we buy ours, and they make a quick and easy weeknight meal.
- Air Fryer: You can either use a basket style air fryer or tray style air fryer. I used a basket for this recipe, and the times are based off of that. Add 1-3 more minutes onto the cook time if you're using a tray style air fryer.
My Favorite Air Fryer:
For Serving
The following are all optional, since the frozen chicken parmesan cutlets have sauce and cheese inside of them, but they do make for a nice presentation!
- Marinara sauce: You can use whatever type you like best! Both Classico and Rao's make good quality jarred sauces.
- Mozzarella: Topping the chicken parmesan with this stretchy cheese adds a special touch.
- Parmesan: A little bit of freshly grated parmesan cheese adds a nice, sharp flavor.
- Spaghetti noodles: If you like to serve your chicken parmesan with pasta, some cooked spaghetti (and additional warmed marinara sauce) will give you a simple and delicious main dish.
How to Cook Frozen Chicken Parmesan in an Air Fryer
- Preheat your air fryer to 325ºF for a minimum of 3 minutes, or according to your manufacturers instructions.
- Place the frozen chicken parmesan in the basket of your air fryer.
- Cook for 18-22 minutes, or until the cutlets reach a minimum internal temperature of 165ºF. Basket style air fryers will take 18-20 minutes, while oven style models will take 20-22 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy.
Assembling
If you want the full chicken parmesan experience, you can serve with marinara sauce, shredded mozzarella, shredded Parmesan and cooked spaghetti noodles.
Layer the cooked pasta on a plate, top with warmed marinara, then the cooked chicken parmesan, a spoonful of additional marinara, and the shredded cheeses. Garnish with parsley and serve.
What to Serve with Chicken Parmesan
You may be wondering what to serve with chicken parmesan (besides pasta). Here are a few popular side dishes:
- Caesar salad
- Greek salad
- Garlic bread or garlic knots
- Buttered French bread
- Roasted broccoli
- Steamed vegetables
- Mozzarella sticks
Recipe FAQs
Start by preheating your oven to 350ºF, and then add the frozen chicken parmesan cutlets to a baking sheet. Cook in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until they reach a minimum internal temperature of 165ºF. Remove and serve as desired.
If you want to cook your frozen chicken parmesan filets in the air fryer, they will take approximately 18-22 minutes to cook at 325ºF. To ensure it is cooked through, check the internal temperature and verify it has reached a minimum of 165ºF.
The easiest way to keep chicken parmesan from getting soggy is to keep the cutlet elevated after cooking and before serving. If it sits directly on a plate or on marinara, the steam or liquid will cause it to become soggy. Instead, place the cooked chicken parmesan on a wire rack until ready to serve. Only assemble the chicken parmesan just before serving time.
More Easy Frozen Foods in the Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Frozen Meatballs
- Air Fryer Tater Tots
- Air Fryer Frozen Sweet Potato Fries
- Air Fryer Frozen French Fries - 40 Aprons
Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Parmesan
Ingredients
- 2 frozen chicken parmesan cutlets
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 325ºF for at least 3 minutes, or according to your manufactuers instructions.
- Unwrap your chicken parmesan cutlets and place them on the crisping tray of your air fryer.
- Cook for 18-22 minutes, or until each of the pieces reaches a minimum internal temperature of 165ºF. Basket style air fryers should take 18-20 minutes, while tray style fryers may take 20-22 minutes.
- Remove from the air fryer and serve with cooked pasta, warmed marinara sauce, and additional shredded cheese, if desired.
Notes
- Caesar salad
- Greek salad
- Garlic bread or garlic knots
- Buttered French bread
- Roasted broccoli
- Steamed vegetables
- Mozzarella sticks
Nutrition
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Steve
I used to buy these and cook them in the oven, but I LOVE them in the air fryer so much better AND they are quicker.