Panko Breaded Chicken Recipe

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, but it's also effortless to make!

A Perfect Panko Crusted Chicken Recipe

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 for 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 of 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 You'll Need

• Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts- one large one or two small ones cut into fillets.
• Mayonnaise- to keep the chicken moist and tender.
• Panko Bread Crumbs- make sure to grab plain ones since we'll be adding our own seasoning.
• Grated Parmesan Cheese- to give the breading a crispier texture and cheesy flavor.
• Italian Seasoning- the best seasoning for breaded chicken.
• Smoked Paprika- to add a tiny spice.
• Garlic Powder- for a savory undertone.
• Salt and pepper- for more flavor.
• Marinara sauce- optional for serving.

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

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

Take out a medium bowl and 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 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.  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 temperature 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!

How To Store and Reheat This Panko 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 any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months! I often like to make a triple batch just to store the leftovers in the freezer. That way, whenever I need a quick dinner, I can just pull a piece of chicken out, warm it up, and dig in.

The best way to reheat the chicken is in an oven set to 400ºF (200ºC) for 5-10 minutes or until warmed through and crispy on the outside. If you're starting from frozen, be sure to let the chicken thaw overnight in the fridge, or just add an additional 10-20 minutes of cooking time.

Frequently Asked Questions

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.