Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan Cutlets + Big Salad

Ingredients

• chicken breast cutlets (or slice 3–4 breasts into cutlets) 2 lb
• basil (fresh) 1 unit
• eggs, beaten 2 unit
• Italian breadcrumbs 1 cup
• salt 1 tsp
• Olive oil spray (or cooking spray) 1 unit
• marinara 1.5 cup
• shredded mozzarella 1.5 cup
• Salad: kit + optional cucumber/avocado 1 unit
• grated parmesan 0.5 cup
• pepper 0.5 tsp

Steps

1. Preheat air fryer to 400°F. Slice the chicken into cutlets: lay each breast on the cutting board, and with a knife, carefully slice through its equator so you have two thinner pieces. Cover with plastic or parchment to keep things tidy, then with a meat mallet (or rolling pin or your fist) gently pound each to a ¼-inch thickness. Set aside.
2. Bread cutlets: flour → egg → breadcrumbs/parmesan. In a shallow bowl or dish (a pie plate works well), stir together the Italian breadcrumbs, panko, Parmesan, garlic powder, and pepper. In a second bowl, whisk the egg until well blended. Slice or shred the mozzarella into 4 portions. Working one at a time, dip each chicken piece into the egg, letting any excess drip off, then coat with the breadcrumbs, gently pressing as needed to help them adhere. Place on a clean work surface or return to the cutting board you used to pound them out.
3. Coat the air fryer basket lightly with nonstick spray. Working in batches as needed, place the breaded chicken in a single layer in the basket so that the pieces are not touching. Mist the tops with cooking spray. Air fry at 360°F for 5 minutes, then using tongs carefully flip and top with 2 tablespoons sauce and 1 portion of the cheese.
4. Continue to air fry until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the chicken is golden and its internal temperature reaches 165°F, about 3 minutes more.
5. Transfer the cooked chicken to the baking sheet in the oven to keep warm while you repeat with remaining batches.
6. Serve the chicken hot, sprinkled generously with fresh basil with a salad as a side.