Learn three methods to cook crispy panko chicken! These tender chicken breasts are coated in a crunchy, golden-brown breading that's absolutely irresistible. You'll love every bite!
Make our crispy panko chicken recipe prepared perfectly for a truly satisfying meal for the whole family. Learn how to bake, fry, or air fry panko-breaded chicken breast. Serve them with Greek Dill Lemon Rice for a delicious meal!
Panko-crusted chicken is the perfect meal for a family, kids, and adults; we all love these crispy pieces of perfectly tender, juicy chicken breast. You can serve them with almost any side dish and use the sliced leftovers to make salads, wraps, sandwiches, or pasta dishes.
You could also try Garlic Herb Marinated Chicken, Chicken Pomodoro, Chicken with Guinness, or Chicken Fajita Tacos.
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Recipe ingredients
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts. Slice them horizontally to obtain two thinner slices out of each breast. Chicken tenderloin (tenders) or already-cut chicken cutlets are great as well.
- Panko breadcrumbs: Japanese panko breadcrumbs are made from crustless white bread. When fried or baked, the larger, lighter flakes create a crispy and airy coating.
- Wet ingredients: A mixture of full-fat Greek yogurt, mustard (yellow or Dijon mustard), and egg will add flavor and keep the meat moist.
- All-purpose flour for the coating.
- Spices: Sweet or smoked paprika for mixing with the breadcrumbs. Garlic powder, onion powder, fine sea salt, and black pepper for mixing with the flour.
- Vegetable oil for pan-frying or cooking spray for baking or air-frying.
- Addition: Add some Parmesan cheese to the crumbs for extra flavor. If toasting the breadcrumbs (for frying or air frying), only add Parmesan after they are completely cooled.
See the recipe card for detailed instructions and full information on ingredients and quantities.
Prepare panko chicken for cooking
The preliminary steps are all the same, regardless of the chosen cooking method.
Step #1: (optional for air-frying or baking the cutlets). Toast the breadcrumbs in a little olive oil until golden.
Step #2: Slice the breasts horizontally to obtain two thinner slices (cutlets) from each breast.
Step #3: Prepare the breading station.
Step #4: Turn pieces into the flour using tongs until coated all over. Shake gently to remove the excess.
Step #5: Place them into the egg mixture and turn them around to coat. Shake gently so that the excess can drip off.
Step #6: Turn each piece into the panko mixture and press them down with your palms to help them adhere.
Cooking methods
Fried panko chicken
Step #7: Fry the panko chicken breasts in hot oil (375ยฐF/ 190ยฐC) in two batches.
Step #8: Cook on medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Place on paper towels to absorb the excess fat.
Air-fried panko chicken
Step #9: Preheat the air fryer. Place the chicken in the basket in a single layer. Spray it with cooking oil.
Step #10: Air fry for 5 minutes, flip, spray, and cook for another 5-7 minutes or until golden and cooked through
Baked panko chicken
Step #11: Bake on a wire rack on top of a baking sheet for 10 minutes.
Step #12: Flip, spray, and bake for another 8 minutes or until cooked through.
Expert Tips
Toasting the panko breadcrumbs for baking or air frying is not mandatory but recommendable. Air-fried or baked pieces tend to remain rather pale compared to fried chicken. Toasting the bread crumbs before breading the chicken ensures they are as golden and crispy as possible.
Fry or air fry in batches: Avoid overcrowding the pan or the air fryer basket when frying the chicken. Cook in batches, allowing enough space for the chicken to cook evenly and maintain its crispy texture. Try the Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs, too.
โThe cooking time depends on the chosen cooking method and the thickness of the cutlets. Always check that the meat is cooked through and safe for consumption.
Recipe FAQ
Most grocery stores sell it nowadays, and you can always purchase it online. In the store, you will probably find them with the Japanese products in the Asian section or the section storing other types of breadcrumbs.
Yes, but panko makes the chicken crunchier and crispier.
With a meat thermometer (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab), the internal temperature should be 165ยฐF (74ยฐC).ย
Without a thermometer: Cut one piece in the middle; the meat should be white; no pink allowed.
Refrigerate leftovers for 3-4 days in an airtight container.ย
Reheat in the air fryer for about 3 minutes.ย
Reheat in the oven at 375ยฐF (190ยฐC) for 10-12 minutes or until heated through.
Reheat on the stovetop: Heat a little oil in the pan and reheat the pieces on both sides for 5-7 minutes or until heated through and crispy again.
Reheat in the microwave: Covered for 1-2 minutes. Check and continue reheating in 30 seconds intervals until heated through. Remember that reheating in the microwave may result in a loss of crispiness.
You can use the leftovers for making sandwiches, burgers, wraps, salads, or pasta dishes.ย
How to serve?
You can use panko chicken to make these delicious Crispy Fried Chicken Burgers!
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๐ Recipe
Crispy Panko Chicken
Equipment
- Large bowls
- Skillet OR Air Fryer OR Baking sheet
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts about 130-150 g, each/ 4.5-5.5 oz
- ยฝ cup vegetable oil 125 ml for fried chicken, Note 1
- cooking oil spray for air-fried or baked chicken
Panko mix:
- 1 ยพ cup panko 100 g/ 3.5 oz
- 1 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika
Flour mix:
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ยฝ teaspoon garlic powder
- ยฝ teaspoon onion powder
- ยผ teaspoon fine sea salt or Kosher
- ยผ teaspoon ground black pepper
Dipping mix:
- 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt or mayonnaise
- 1 ยฝ tablespoons yellow mustard or Dijon mustard
- 1 egg
- ยฝ teaspoon fine sea salt or Kosher
- ยผ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- The preliminary steps all are the same, regardless of the chosen cooking method. Optional step for air-frying or baking the cutlets: Toast the breadcrumbs in a little olive oil until golden.
Prepare the chicken breasts:
- Cut the chicken breasts horizontally to obtain two thinner slices (cutlets) from each breast. Set them aside. 4 chicken breasts
- Flour mix: Mix flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Set aside. 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour + ยฝ teaspoon garlic powder + ยฝ teaspoon onion powder + ยผ teaspoon fine sea salt + ยผ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Dipping mix: Whisk yogurt, mustard, egg, salt, and pepper with a fork in another large bowl. Set aside. 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt + 1 ยฝ tablespoons yellow mustard + 1 egg + ยฝ teaspoon fine sea salt + ยผ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Panko mix: Mix panko and paprika in a baking dish or another large shallow container. 1 ยพ cup/ 100 g panko + 1 teaspoon paprika1 ยพ cup panko / 100 g + 1 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika
Bread the chicken:
- Flour: Place the chicken breasts into the flour bowl. Turn the pieces around using tongs until coated all over.
- Dip: Lift them with tongs, shake them briefly to remove the excess flour, and place them into the yogurt-egg bowl. Turn them around to coat them all over.
- Breadcrumbs: Pick up each piece with tongs, shake it gently to remove the excess, and turn it into the panko mixture. Press the breadcrumbs down with your palms to help them adhere.
Fried panko chicken:
- Heat the oil in a large, slightly deeper frying pan or cast-iron skillet. The oil should be hot but not smoking (about 375ยฐF/ 190ยฐC). ยฝ cup vegetable oil 125 ml
- Fry the breaded chicken breast pieces in two batches for 3 to 5 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through (the internal temperature should be 165ยฐF (74ยฐC).
Air-fried panko chicken:
- Toast the panko (optional - Note 2): Heat the oil in a large frying panko. Fry the breadcrumbs for 2 minutes, stirring almost constantly, until golden. Immediately transfer it to a large baking dish or another large container. Let it cool while you prepare the rest.
- Preheat the air fryer if its instruction manual requires it; for 3 minutes to 375ยฐF (190ยฐC).
- Bread the chicken as instructed above and place the pieces into the basket in a single layer. Spray them with cooking oil.
- Air fry for 5 minutes. Flip, and spray with oil again. Cook for another 5-7 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Check the internal temperature; it should be 165ยฐF (74ยฐ).
Baked panko chicken:
- Preheat the oven to 400ยฐF (200ยฐC). Place a wire rack on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Panko: If desired, toast the breadcrumbs as instructed above.
- Bread the chicken as instructed above and spray it with cooking oil.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Flip, spray with oil again, and bake for another 8 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165ยฐF (74ยฐC) (Note 4).
Notes
- How much oil you need depends on the size of the pan. The pan should be large enough to cook at least 4 pieces of chicken in one batch, and its bottom should be covered with about ยฝ cm/ ยผ inch of oil. In my case, I needed about 100 ml/ ยฝ cup.
- The best way to check is with a meat thermometer (the Amazon link opens in a new tab); the internal temperature should be 165ยฐF/ 74ยฐC. Otherwise, cut one piece in the middle; the meat should be white; no pink allowed.
- Toast panko: This is an optional step. Air-fried or baked panko chicken remains rather pale compared to fried chicken. Toasting the breadcrumbs before breading the chicken ensures they are as golden and crispy as possible.
- Adjust the cooking time if the breaded cutlets are thicker or thinner.
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