The BEST Panko Breaded Chicken Recipe Made In Just 20 minutes

If you’re looking for a panko breaded chicken breast recipe that has a perfectly crisp exterior and a tender juicy interior, you’ve found it! The recipe combines flavorful parmesan cheese with creamy mayo, meaty chicken breasts, an array of seasonings, and, of course, panko breadcrumbs to create a dish that’s to die for. Not only is it super delicious though, it's also effortless to make - just 3 steps are all you need to follow to make.

My Take On Panko Chicken

This panko chicken recipe has quickly become one of my favorite meals to make the fam.

In fact, my wife and 2 year old like it so much that we’ve been making it weekly the past few months now. Yeah, it’s that good. And, as I alluded to just a second ago, it couldn’t be easier to put together either.

The whole process for making this panko chicken really comes down to just prepping the chicken, coating the chicken, and then finally baking it. Easy peasy!

By the way, since this recipe is so easy to make, you'll definitely have some extra time to make some sides to go with it. A couple of my favorite things to make with it are these cheesy mashed potatoes and this Outback mac and cheese.

Ingredients

One of my favorite things about this crispy panko chicken recipe is that it requires just a few simple ingredients to make. And, honestly, there's a good chance you’ll have all of them at home already.

Anyway, here's what you'll need to make these panko crusted chicken breasts:

• 1 Large or 2 Small Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into fillets
• 1 tbsp. Mayonnaise
• ¾ cup Panko Bread Crumbs
• ⅓ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 tsp. Italian Seasoning
• ½ tsp. Smoked Paprika
• ½ tsp. Garlic Powder
• ½  tsp. Salt
• ¼  tsp. Pepper
• Marinara sauce, to serve

Not too shabby, eh?!

By the way, you can use almost every single one of these ingredients to make my Italian chicken cutlets. I highly recommend checking that one out if you want to make breaded chicken cutlets that are fried on the stovetop - it’s so good.

Oh, and by the way, I typically serve this baked panko chicken with marinara sauce, but it goes incredible with this chipotle mayo, Wingstop ranch dressing, Halal white sauce, and, best of all, this Chick-Fil-A sauce. All of those sauces make a "winner, winner, chicken dinner."

How To Make Panko Chicken

Just so you know, this recipe for panko breaded chicken will make enough for two people. So, if you're planning on feeding the entire family, I recommend doubling or tripling the recipe.

Anyway, now get out all of the ingredients, and let's get into this crispy panko chicken recipe!

Step 1: Prep The Chicken

First things first, preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC) and prepare a clean surface to work with the chicken breasts.

Then, place your chicken breasts on a flat surface and brush both sides with mayonnaise. I find a silicone grill brush works best.

Step 2: Make The Panko Bread Crumb Mixture

Now, we're going to make our panko bread crumb mixture.

So, in a medium bowl, you'll want to mix together your panko bread crumbs, freshly grated parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

Then, add the mayo-coated chicken fillets to the panko mixture and cover each piece of chicken evenly on all sides with the panko crumbs.

Step 3: Bake The Panko Crusted Chicken

Next, place the parmesan crusted chicken on a baking sheet pan lined with parchment paper. If you want, you can also use baking spray to spray the baking sheet instead. 

Anyway, now you're all set to get the panko chicken in the oven and bake it for 12-15 minutes - or until golden brown and cooked through. If you have a meat thermometer handy, you're looking for the internal temp of the chicken to reach 165ºF (73ºC).

Then, once your crispy baked panko chicken is fully cooked, transfer it to a couple of plates and serve with your favorite marinara sauce, this Alabama white sauce, Wingstop ranch, or any other dipping sauce of your choice.

Enjoy!

My Recommendations For Storing Panko Breaded Chicken

Not only is this recipe for panko chicken easy to make and delicious the day that you make it, but it also happens to make for excellent leftovers!

With that said, you can store your leftover panko breaded chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 6 months!

Also, since this crispy baked chicken recipe keeps so well, I often like to make a triple batch just to store the leftovers in the freezer. That way, whenever I get hungry - and I'm craving some breaded chicken - I can just pull a breast out and dig in.

My Recommendations For Reheating Panko Chicken

To reheat, you can warm these crispy baked panko chicken breasts in an oven set to 400ºF (200ºC) for 5-10 minutes or until warmed through and crispy on the outside.

With that said, if you're starting from frozen, be sure to let the chicken thaw overnight in the fridge, or just add an additional 5-10 minutes of cook time to my reheating time posted above.

FAQS About This Panko Chicken Recipe

My Final Thoughts

Well, that's how to make panko breaded chicken breasts!

These chicken cutlets are so crunchy and flavorful and they're always a hit at the dinner table - even with the picky eaters!

Also, it's just an incredibly easy to make chicken breast recipe that uses basic ingredients you probably already have on hand. And you know I’m a big fan of that.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this panko chicken recipe as much as my family and I do.

As always, if you give this recipe a try, let me know what you think about it in the comments below!

More Of My Favorite Chicken Recipes

Still hungry for more easy chicken recipes just like this crispy chicken? I’ve got you covered!

Here are some of my favorite ones:

• Cream cheese stuffed chicken
• Olive Garden chicken alfredo
• Cheesecake Factory truffle honey chicken
• Texas Roadhouse herb crusted chicken
• BBQ chicken sliders
• Chick-Fil-A chicken nuggets
• McDonald's spicy chicken sandwich

Oh, and for even more deliciousness, be sure to follow us on Instagram, Youtube, and TikTok. We post new recipes on them daily.