These delicious parmesan chicken thighs are loaded with garlic parmesan flavor, the golden crunch of panko breading, and of course, tender juicy chicken!
I love the crunch you get when you fry anything, but these days, Ken and I are trying to live a healthier lifestyle. I love making these baked chicken parmesan thighs because they're loaded with flavor and a great crunch.
Why You Will Love this Recipe
- It's crispy and delicious.
- The breading is full of bold flavor.
- It's an easy recipe that's ready in no time.
Top Tip:
Gently tap the thighs when dredging to remove excess breading. This makes the crispiest exterior possible.
Ingredients
You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make this crispy baked parmesan chicken thigh recipe. The highlights are listed below, but you can find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card at the end of the post.
- Chicken thighs
- Minced garlic
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Italian seasoning
Instructions
This parmesan crusted chicken thigh recipe only takes a few simple steps to make. The overview is below, but you'll find the complete instructions in the recipe card at the end of the post.
1: Mix egg and garlic in a shallow bowl and the remaining breading ingredients in another bowl to make a dredge station.
2: Dip the chicken thighs into the egg mixture, then in the breadcrumb mixture to coat.
3: Place the thighs on a prepared baking sheet and cook until golden brown and the internal temperature is 160 degrees.
Substitutions and Variations
- Panko Crumbs - Use regular or seasoned bread crumbs instead.
- Minced Garlic - Use garlic powder instead.
- Eggs - Use heavy cream, melted butter, melted garlic butter
- Chicken Thighs - Use whole, boneless, skinless, chicken breasts or slice them into strips or nuggets, or use pork chops instead, just adjust your cook time accordingly.
- Italian Seasoning - Use dried oregano leaves, basil leaves, or thyme leaves will work in a pinch
- Spicy: Add a teaspoon of chili pepper flakes, jalapeno powder, smoked jalapeno powder, or chipotle powder to the crumb mixture to imbue heat into the dish. I will also occasionally add a teaspoon of our homemade hot pepper sauce, or use your favorite hot sauce, to the egg mixture.
Storage
Refrigerator: Store in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.
Freezer: Store in an air-tight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Reheat: Bake at 400 degrees until heated through and the breading is crispy again.
Can I make this recipe ahead? I don't advise it. The breading is best when fresh from the oven.
What to Serve with Chicken Thighs
- Italian cheese bread
- Cheesy potato casserole
- Air fryer garlic potatoes
- Instant Pot cheesy broccoli rice
Tips
- If you choose to use chicken breast or pork or cut your chicken into smaller pieces, adjust your cooking time accordingly.
- Be sure to gently tap the chicken to remove the excess breading for the crispiest coating.
FAQ
Chicken can be contaminated with salmonella, a nasty food poisoning bug that can't be killed as easily as others of its type. Fully cooking the chicken is the only way to kill it.
As long as the internal temperature is 160 degrees, the chicken is cooked. Thighs can still retain a bit of pink color.
While slightly higher in fat than breasts, chicken thighs are extremely healthy. They're full of protein, iron, and B vitamins.
More Chicken Recipes You'll Love
Parmesan Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400ºF.
- Prepare a small baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil and spraying it with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk egg and garlic together.
- In another small bowl, mix breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic salt, and pepper together.
- Dip each chicken thigh into egg mixture, then coat them with the breadcrumb mixture.
- Place them on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160ºF.
Nutrition
Susan
My sister and I make these all the time. Both our kids love them. We like to add extra parmf for the kids and extra garlic for us. It's a winner every time.
Karin and Ken
I’m glad you’re enjoying this easy chicken recipe as much as we do. A little extra Parmesan and garlic sounds great! I’ve done that myself. Thank you for taking the time to comment. You made my day. All the best. Karin
Nancy
The perfect weeknight dinner So easy to make and everyone loved it I mean what’s not to like The Parmesan Cheese goes beautifully with the chicken I added some extra garlic powder to the breading and it was wonderful but we love garlic Thank you for another winner KD❤️❤️❤️
Karin and Ken
Well thank you. We love this easy recipe too and it’s in our rotation. My son even makes sandwiches with this chicken. Thank you for taking the time to comment and let me know you enjoyed it. You made my day. All the best. Karin