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Toaster-Oven Chicken Parmesan

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on January 18, 2022

Time

45 minutes

Yield

Serves 2

Toaster oven setting

Air-fry or convection

Toaster-Oven Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients

1 cup panko bread crumbs 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 large egg 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour ¾ teaspoon garlic powder ½ teaspoon dried oregano ⅛ teaspoon plus ¼ teaspoon table salt, divided⅛ teaspoon plus ¼ teaspoon pepper, divided¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese 2 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed4 ounces whole-milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (1 cup)¼ cup marinara sauce, warmed2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Before You Begin

We prefer to use our Quick Marinara Sauce here; however, you can substitute store-bought marinara sauce. The air-fry or convection setting helps to achieve a crisp crust on the chicken; if your toaster does not have these functions, use the standard bake function. This recipe can be easily doubled.

Instructions

  1.  Adjust toaster oven rack to middle position, select air-fry or convection function, and heat oven to 400 degrees. Set small wire rack in small rimmed baking sheet and spray rack with vegetable oil spray.
  2.  Toss panko with oil in bowl until evenly coated. Microwave, stirring frequently, until light golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes; let cool slightly. Whisk egg, flour, garlic powder, oregano, ⅛ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper together in shallow dish. Combine cooled panko mixture and Parmesan in second shallow dish.
  3.  Pound chicken to uniform thickness as needed. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle with remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper. Working with 1 breast at a time, dredge in egg mixture, letting excess drip off, then coat with panko mixture, pressing gently to adhere.
  4.  Arrange chicken breasts on prepared rack and cook until crispy and chicken registers 160 degrees, 14 to 19 minutes. 
  5.  Remove sheet from oven and sprinkle chicken with mozzarella. Cook until cheese is melted, about 1 minute. Transfer chicken to individual serving plates. Top each breast with 2 tablespoons marinara sauce and sprinkle with basil. Serve.  
Toaster-Oven Chicken Parmesan
Photography by Keller + Keller. Styling by Kendra McKnight.

Toaster-Oven Chicken Parmesan

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

45 minutes

Yield

Serves 2

Toaster oven setting

Air-fry or convection

Ingredients

1 cup panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large egg
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon dried oregano
⅛ teaspoon plus ¼ teaspoon table salt, divided
⅛ teaspoon plus ¼ teaspoon pepper, divided
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
4 ounces whole-milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (1 cup)
¼ cup marinara sauce, warmed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Ingredients

1 cup panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large egg
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon dried oregano
⅛ teaspoon plus ¼ teaspoon table salt, divided
⅛ teaspoon plus ¼ teaspoon pepper, divided
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
4 ounces whole-milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (1 cup)
¼ cup marinara sauce, warmed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Ingredients

1 cup panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large egg
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon dried oregano
⅛ teaspoon plus ¼ teaspoon table salt, divided
⅛ teaspoon plus ¼ teaspoon pepper, divided
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
4 ounces whole-milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (1 cup)
¼ cup marinara sauce, warmed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Why This Recipe Works

Chicken Parm can be a production, requiring the cook to bread and pan-fry one piece after the other. Keeping everything within the toaster eliminates stovetop splatter and no frying oil means you get chicken Parm without the risk of sogginess. Unfortunately, we soon learned that without the pan of oil the panko bread crumbs refused to brown. To counteract this we turned to a test kitchen trick: pretoasting the panko in the microwave with olive oil. To streamline the breading process, we whisked the flour and egg together along with garlic powder and dried oregano. We dipped our chicken in this mixture and then pressed it in the toasted panko, which we combined with grated Parmesan for extra cheesiness. A quick stint in the toaster gave us chicken that was succulent inside and crunchy outside. To top our dish, we sprinkled on shredded mozzarella and cooked it all just long enough to melt the cheese. Warmed marinara poured over the top kept our recipe simple and delicious.

Before You Begin

We prefer to use our Quick Marinara Sauce here; however, you can substitute store-bought marinara sauce. The air-fry or convection setting helps to achieve a crisp crust on the chicken; if your toaster does not have these functions, use the standard bake function. This recipe can be easily doubled.

Instructions

  1.  Adjust toaster oven rack to middle position, select air-fry or convection function, and heat oven to 400 degrees. Set small wire rack in small rimmed baking sheet and spray rack with vegetable oil spray.
  2.  Toss panko with oil in bowl until evenly coated. Microwave, stirring frequently, until light golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes; let cool slightly. Whisk egg, flour, garlic powder, oregano, ⅛ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper together in shallow dish. Combine cooled panko mixture and Parmesan in second shallow dish.
  3.  Pound chicken to uniform thickness as needed. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle with remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper. Working with 1 breast at a time, dredge in egg mixture, letting excess drip off, then coat with panko mixture, pressing gently to adhere.
  4.  Arrange chicken breasts on prepared rack and cook until crispy and chicken registers 160 degrees, 14 to 19 minutes. 
  5.  Remove sheet from oven and sprinkle chicken with mozzarella. Cook until cheese is melted, about 1 minute. Transfer chicken to individual serving plates. Top each breast with 2 tablespoons marinara sauce and sprinkle with basil. Serve.  

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