Name: Paprika Parmesan Chicken {Baked or Air Fryer}
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds chicken (tenders, nuggets or breasts); 1 egg (lightly beaten); 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese (finely grated); 2 Tablespoons flour (unbleached all-purpose, white whole wheat or almond flour); 2 teaspoons paprika; 1/2 teaspoons salt; 1/2 teaspoon pepper

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Make low-carb, kid-friendly Paprika Parmesan Chicken in the oven or an air fryer. They're cheesy with just the right amount of kick which is why everyone will love them.

Follow our no-mess trick to prepare this recipe in minutes. You can even freeze them before cooking and cook them from frozen...which is how we like to roll for all of our healthy chicken tender recipes.

Kids and adults alike loved this recipe at our Make-Ahead Meal Store! The tasty breading is light, naturally low-carb and can be made gluten-free too.

We usually make it with small cuts of chicken, like tenders or nuggets, because there's more surface area for the tasty coating! But, it will work with chicken breasts too!

This recipe is a cousin to our popular Parmesan Cauliflower Bites, which also calls for paprika.

It's fair to say we're hooked on this tasty breading combination and you'll probably see it again. 🙂 And, if you're just not that into paprika, try Parmesan Chicken Nuggets!

Breading Ingredients for Paprika Parmesan Chicken

To make the breading for this recipe, combine finely grated Parmesan cheese, paprika, salt, pepper and flour in a LARGE bowl or oblong container with a lid. (We'll explain why you need a big container in a minute.)

Flour

Different types of flour may be used depending up dietary needs:

Unbleached all-purpose flour or white whole wheat flour - since only a little is needed, we don't agonize much about the carbs.
Almond flour or meal for a gluten-free or even lower-carb version. We prefer a coarser almond meal, which contains some almond skin. The taste is slightly different, but the paprika flavoring continues to shine through.

Paprika

You'll generally find smoked, hot and sweet paprika at the grocery store. Each one has a different flavor depending upon the type of pepper used to make it since paprika is made from grinding peppers. Read more about the different types of paprika in this article by Bon Appetit.

If you don't have a favorite, we suggest using sweet paprika.

Parmesan Cheese

There are many options for Parmesan Cheese. The very best option is to finely grate a block of Parmesan yourself! But, there are convenience products out there, some of which don't have fillers either.

Bread Chicken Tenders the Easy Way

Use our tried and true method! We use this process to make Healthy Chicken Tenders, Broiled Scallops with a Parmesan Crust and just about any other smaller-sized ingredient that needs to be breaded:

Break an egg in a large bowl, whisk it and then add all the chicken to the bowl. Mix until all the pieces of chicken are coated with egg.
Combine the breading ingredients in a separate large bowl with a lid.
Lift the chicken out of the bowl with the egg and into the bowl with the breading, allowing excess egg to run off the chicken first.
Once the chicken has been transferred, seal the bowl and gently turn it several times to coat the chicken with breading.
Open the lid and lift the chicken pieces out to a baking sheet or air fryer basket.
Press any leftover breading on top of the chicken, hitting any areas that are light on breading.

FAQ Breading Questions:

YES - Gallon-sized ziplock bags can be used instead of bowls.
YES - The traditional method of breading by dipping the chicken in egg and then rolling it in the breading will also work.

Oven Instructions

To bake Paprika Parmesan Chicken tenders in the oven, arrange them on a cooling rack placed over a baking tin. This will ensure that all sides are evenly crisped. Spray the cooling rack to prevent sticking first.

They can also be baked directly on a baking sheet. Ideally, flip halfway through the cooking time.

The cook time will vary depending upon the thickness of the chicken and on the oven. It usually takes chicken tenders 15-20 minutes cooked in a 375 °F oven. The chicken should not be pink and should reach an internal temperature of 165 °F.

Air Fryer Instructions

I love the way these cook in our air fryer. They're crispy on the outside and tender on the inside and the process is much quicker too. We have a Ninja 4 Quart Air Fryer and are able to fit about 1 pound of chicken on the crisper plate without pieces overlapping.

Note: Always follow the manufacturer's instructions for your own air fryer.

Here's the process we use to cook chicken tenders:

Preheat Air Fryer for 3 minutes at 375 °F with the crisper plate in place.
Place chicken tenders or nuggets on the crisper plate in a single layer. The chicken should not overlap and have space surrounding each piece so that air can easily circulate during the cooking time. We did not need to oil the crisper plate for this recipe. If necessary, use a mister with olive oil to coat it. Aerosol sprays, like Pam, are not recommended for most air fryers.
Return the basket to the air fryer and cook at 375 °F, turning pieces over with silicone tongs halfway through and checking for doneness periodically.
- Cook time will vary based upon the thickness of the chicken and the type of air fryer used. It can range anywhere from 15-20 minutes.
- Check chicken frequently to see how things are progressing. It's easy to do. Just pause and pull out the basket.
- Chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 °F.
  - Best way to check: Lift out the largest piece and stick a temperature probe in the side.
  - If you don't have a probe, then cut the chicken in half to see if it is cooked through and no longer pink.
Remove and enjoy!

How to Freeze Parmesan Paprika Chicken

Paprika Parmesan chicken may be prepared and frozen before cooking. Assemble the recipe, but don't cook it.

Place the prepared chicken in a single layer in a freezable container. Cover and label. You can remove the breaded chicken pieces to a plastic bag once frozen.

Cooking options:

Defrost the chicken in the refrigerator overnight and then follow the cooking instructions.
Cook chicken tenders from frozen. Add about 10 minutes to the cooking time in the oven and 5 in an air fryer.

Either way, make sure the chicken is fully cooked.

Faster than takeout and no ketchup required!

Please rate this recipe if you make it and tag @DinnerMom #DinnerMom on social media. We love to see what you are cooking up!

📋 Recipe

Baked Paprika Parmesan Chicken Tenders layered on a plate.

Paprika Parmesan Chicken {Baked or Air Fryer}

Make low-carb, kid-friendly Paprika Parmesan Chicken in the oven OR air fryer using our easy NO-MESS tricks. Freeze them BEFORE or after cooking.

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 30

Servings: servings

Author: Marjory Pilley

Equipment

Air Fryer

Ingredients

▢ 2 pounds chicken tenders, nuggets or breasts
▢ 1 egg lightly beaten
▢ ¾ cup Parmesan cheese finely grated
▢ 2 Tablespoons flour unbleached all-purpose, white whole wheat or almond flour
▢ 2 teaspoons paprika
▢ ½ teaspoons salt
▢ ½ teaspoon pepper

Instructions

Lightly whisk an egg in a large bowl.
Add chicken to the bowl and turn to coat with egg. Set aside.
Place the remaining ingredients into a separate large bowl or oblong-shaped container with a lid. Seal and shake to combine contents.
Lift chicken tenders into the bowl with the breading ingredients, allowing excess egg to drip from chicken before adding it to the breading bowl.
Seal the bowl tightly and gently turn the bowl to coat the chicken with the breading mixture. Do this in batches, if necessary.

To Bake in the Oven

Preheat oven to 375 °F.
Place breaded chicken tenders on cooling rack sprayed to prevent sticking. Place the cooling rack on top of a baking sheet. If there is breading leftover, gently press it over the chicken tenders.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and reaches 165 °F in the center of the largest piece. Enjoy!

To Cook in an Air Fryer

Preheat Air Fryer for 3 minutes at 375 °F with the crisper plate in place.
Place chicken tenders or nuggets on the crisper plate in a single layer. The chicken should not overlap and have space surrounding each piece so that air can easily circulate during the cooking time. We did not need to oil the crisper plate for this recipe. If necessary, use a mister with olive oil to coat it. Aerosol sprays, like Pam, are not recommended for most air fryers.
Return the basket to the air fryer and cook at 375 °F for 15-20 minutes, turning pieces over with silicone tongs halfway through and checking for doneness periodically. Cook time will vary based upon the thickness of the chicken and the type of air fryer used.
Check chicken frequently to see how things are progressing. Pause air fryer and pull out the basket. Chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 °F. The best way to check is to lift out the largest piece of chicken and stick a temperature probe in the side. If you don't have a probe, then cut the chicken in half to see if it is cooked through and no longer pink.
Remove chicken from air fryer with silicone tongs and enjoy!

Notes

Please scroll up for more details and process shots!

Expert Tips and Notes:

To make ahead and freeze, prepare the chicken tenders, but don't cook them. Freeze in a single layer in a baking tin. Cover and store for up to 2 months for best results. Or transfer to a plastic bag once frozen.
Chicken can be cooked from frozen, add about 10 minutes and check to be sure chicken is no longer pink and reaches correct internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Use almond flour for SBD Phase 1.

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Nutrition

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Paprika Parmesan Chicken {Baked or Air Fryer}