I love parmesan chicken. You take three amazing things, fried chicken, pasta sauce, and cheese, and turn them into something magical. Today I have a twist on the classic chicken parm, my parmesan chicken bites recipe!
This recipe makes for great hors d’oeuvres, but it can also be part of an entree. Pair these bites with some pasta and garlic bread, and you have a winner-winner chicken dinner.
Ingredients
- chicken breast
- egg
- Italian breadcrumbs
- marinara sauce
- mozzarella cheese
- parmesan cheese
- salt
Prepping Chicken Parmesan Bites
The first step is to turn the chicken breast into chicken bites. This recipe makes the chicken part of the dish from scratch, but you can go with your favorite frozen chicken nuggets or tenders to save time if you wish.
Cut your chicken breast into strips, and then chop the strips into nuggets. Scramble two eggs in a bowl to create an egg wash. Finally, place your Italian breadcrumbs into a plastic container with a lid.
Next up, dunk each chicken nugget into the egg wash, and then into the breadcrumbs. Fill up the container, but not too full. If you overfill the container, all the chicken won’t get a good coat. Once you have enough in, put the lid on and give it a good shake. Place the finished chicken aside for frying.
Gather the rest of your ingredients. Place the marinara sauce in a bowl and get a dipping spoon for it. Your favorite jar sauce should be fine, but you can go homemade if you want to take this dish to 11. Have your mozzarella cheese ready on standby.
The one ingredient I wouldn’t skimp on is parmesan cheese. You don’t have to spend a fortune, but I do recommend getting an actual wedge of cheese in place of the Kraft powder. Have your cheese and a zester ready for the cooking phase.
Cooking Parmesan Chicken Bites
Time to cook the chicken bites. I recommend cooking in a deep fryer set to 350 degrees. If you don’t have a deep fryer, a frying pan on the stovetop will work. The bites will only take about 3 to 4 minutes. For more details on prepping and cooking the chicken, check out my Copycat Chic-Fil-A nuggets recipe.
Once the bites are done, strain them on a rack or a plate with a piece of paper towel. Generously salt them.
Next up, preheat your air fryer, toaster oven, or conventional oven to 350 degrees. Grab your favorite baking tray and line it with aluminum foil. Spray the foil with cooking spray so nothing sticks.
It’s time to turn these chicken nuggets into parmesan chicken bites! Place the chicken on the pan. Using a spoon, dab marinara sauce onto each bite. Once they are all topped with marinara, grab the mozzarella and give each bite a generous pinch of cheese. Lastly, using your micro zester, dust each bite with parmesan.
Once the chicken bites are topped, place them into the 350-degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Since the chicken is done, we just need to heat up the marinara and melt the cheese. When the cheese has reached your preferred level of meltiness, they are done!
Baked Parmesan Chicken Bites!?
If you are looking to make the dish slightly more healthy, you can go with baked chicken in place of fried. To keep this dish as tasty as possible, I recommend marinating the chicken before baking. A simple marinade of Italian dressing will do. Give the marinade at least 4 hours to season the chicken, but overnight would be best.
To make baked parmesan chicken bites, simply bake the chicken for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees in place of frying. The timing is going to depend on the size of your chicken cuts. The bigger the cut, the longer it will take to take. Just note that the chicken will be going back into the oven to melt the cheese, so it’s ok to pull a little early on the initial bake.
The rest of the process is identical to the fried bites. Top the chicken with marinara, mozzarella, and parmesan and melt in the oven. Be careful not to overcook this time around, as baked chicken has a higher attendance to dry out.
Alternatively, you could sear the chicken in a pan instead of baking it. Use the same Italian dressing marinade, but this time season the chicken with Italian seasoning to give it an extra punch. Like with the baked chicken, be careful not to overcook, as it will get time in the oven.
What Goes Well With Chicken Parm?
These parmesan chicken bites make a great appetizer, especially if you are cooking Italian for the main course. They are a fun, bite-sized snack even children will love.
You can serve them as a main dish as well. They pair amazingly well with pasta. Toss in a green, like green beans or a salad, and some breadsticks or garlic bread and you will have a delicious meal. The type of pasta doesn’t matter, just choose your favorite type and favorite sauce.
These chicken parmesan bites also make a great game-day snack. They are a great sub for chicken wings if you are looking for something different. Pair them with meatballs and cocktail sausages for some delicious finger foods.
