Baked Parmesan Chicken Bites
All of the flavor of a classic chicken Parm in little, baked nuggets! Serve these Parmesan Chicken Bites with a side of marinara sauce for dipping, and watch your family smile.
Servings 3 - 4 people (about 16 bites total)
Calories 391kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry Italian-style seasoned breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 lb. chicken breast or chicken tenderloins, cut into 1-inch pieces
- Marinara sauce, for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- In a shallow dish, combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt, onion powder, and pepper. Add the olive oil and use a fork to work the olive oil into the breadcrumb mixture until it’s completely incorporated.
- Pour flour into a separate shallow dish.
- Place eggs in a third shallow dish.
- Dredge the chicken pieces in flour and turn to coat. Shake off any excess flour. Then dip the chicken in the egg, shaking off any excess egg before finally rolling and coating the chicken bites in the breadcrumb mixture.
- Arrange the breaded chicken bites in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet.
- Bake until the chicken is crisp and golden brown on the outside, and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, about 15 minutes.
- Serve chicken bites with warm marinara sauce for dipping.
Notes
- I use these Italian-style seasoned breadcrumbs, but you can substitute with plain breadcrumbs or panko bread crumbs. If using plain breadcrumbs, I recommend seasoning with some herbs, garlic powder, and onion powder (or just use Italian seasoning) to add some flavor to the coating.
- Cooking just for two? Cut all of the ingredients in half and prepare about ½ lb. of chicken.
- For a larger family, double all of the ingredients and bake the chicken on two separate trays.
- Season the chicken by adding herbs to the breading, such as parsley, basil, thyme, or oregano.
- Air fryer: instead of baking these bites in the oven, you can cook them in the air fryer. To do so, preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 8 minutes. Add the chicken (working in batches, if necessary, so that you don't overcrowd the basket). Cook the chicken bites at 400°F for about 7-8 minutes, or until crispy and the meat reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- If available, use freshly-grated Parmesan cheese for the best flavor and texture. In a pinch, a can of pre-grated Parmesan will work fine!
- Shake off excess flour, egg, and breading to prevent the chicken from getting soggy instead of crispy.
- The oil in the breading is a key to these extra crispy oven fried chicken bites since the fat helps the breading turn brown and crunchy in the oven. Don't skip the oil, or the end result won't be nearly as good.
- Season the warm chicken nuggets with additional salt and pepper, if desired, as soon as they come out of the oven.
- The nutrition information provided is merely an estimate, and includes all of the breading and egg. If you don't use all of the ingredients to coat your chicken, the nutrition facts will vary.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/4 of the recipe | Calories: 391kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 119mg | Sodium: 935mg | Potassium: 533mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 206IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 140mg | Iron: 3mg