Paprika Parmesan Chicken (Air Fryer and Oven)

This Paprika Parmesan Chicken (Air Fryer and Oven) is made with chicken thighs, olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, parsley, baked and topped with parmesan cheese or tzatziki.

This is one of Nan’s regular dishes using minimal ingredients. Baking in the oven is a great alternative if you do not have a grill. It is so easy to make this chicken: you simply coat this chicken in olive oil and spices, and bake them. They are so crispy on the outside and so juicy on the inside. This is one of the easiest recipes, especially if you are feeding a family. Not only is it tasty, it is also super healthy. This is an easy weeknight meal and fuss-free. I love to serve them with some tzatziki on the side or parmesan cheese on top. This dish will become a part of your regular meals, all it takes it one time, and you’ll be hooked.

If you love this Paprika Parmesan Chicken recipe, you will love my Horseradish Panko Crusted Chicken and my Air Fried Chicken Legs.

Ingredients

• Chicken Thighs
• Extra Virgin Olive oil
• Paprika
• Garlic Powder
• Parsley
• Parmesan cheese

See recipe card for Paprika Parmesan Chicken (Air Fryer and Oven) quantities.

Instructions

1. In a bowl, mix together the olive oil, paprika and garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix until the seasoning blends into the oil. Use more oil if it needs more help dissolving.
2. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Add the chicken thighs onto the baking sheet. With a cooking brush, dip into the olive oil mixture and brush onto each piece of chicken on both sides.
3. Oven: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Bake the chicken in the oven for about 35-45 minutes. For crispier skin, you can broil for 3 minutes extra at the end.
4. Air Fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 380°F. Air fry for 20 minutes, flipping once halfway, until internal temperature reaches 165°F. 
5. Take the chicken out and garnish with parsley. Serve with tzatziki on the side or parmesan cheese on top.

Hint: Add more olive oil to mix the seasonings if they wont soften up.

Substitutions

Chicken: Instead of using a whole chicken, you can use chicken drumsticks or chicken thighs. Anything with the bone in.

Olive oil: I love using olive oil for this recipe, although you can always use another oil like vegetable or sunflower oil. You could even use melted butter as the glue.

Spices: I used a combination of garlic powder and paprika. If you like a spicier variation, feel free to add some cayenne pepper in there.

Tzatziki: If you want to use tzatziki for serving instead of parmesan, you can even try making my Homemade Vegan Tzatziki sauce! If not, you can just buy at the store.

Parmesan Cheese: Topping this recipe with parmesan cheese gives it such a nice kick. You can use asiago or Pecorino Romano, or instead use tzatziki sauce.

Variations

Cooking is a chance to be creative! Have fun with it and feel free to make your own variation.

• Spicy - add chili pepper flakes into the olive oil mixture to add more heat.
• Deluxe - Serve with Tzatziki sauce on the side for dipping.
• Kid friendly - Use small chicken breasts to make nuggets!

Check out this Air Fryer Chicken Fries your kids will love.

Equipment

Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. Stone bakeware takes longer to heat up than metal pans, and also retain heat for longer, which could make the recipe more watery, or burnt on the outsides.

I love using my Caraway pots, pans and baking sheets for best quality. Get yourself a discount by clicking here!

Storage

This will be good in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

This Paprika Parmesan Chicken (Air Fryer and Oven) can be frozen for 3 months.

Top tip

Broil an extra 3 minutes at the end of baking for extra crispy skin.

Paprika Parmesan Chicken (Air Fryer and Oven)

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• Author: Maxine Dubois
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 3 servings 1x

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Description

This Paprika Parmesan Chicken (Air Fryer and Oven) is made with chicken thighs, olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, parsley, baked and topped with parmesan cheese or tzatziki.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 4 bone-in chicken thighs
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, or more
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ cup chopped parsley
• Parmesan cheese or tzatziki, for serving

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Instructions

1. In a bowl, mix together the olive oil, paprika and garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix until the seasoning blends into the oil. Use more oil if it needs more help dissolving.
2. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Add the chicken thighs onto the baking sheet. With a cooking brush, dip into the olive oil mixture and brush onto each piece of chicken on both sides.
3. Oven: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Bake the chicken in the oven for about 35-45 minutes. For crispier skin, you can broil for 3 minutes extra at the end.
4. Air Fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 380°F. Air fry for 20 minutes, flipping once halfway, until internal temperature reaches 165°F. 
5. Take the chicken out and garnish with parsley. Serve with tzatziki on the side or parmesan cheese on top.

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Food safety

• Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
• Wash hands after touching raw meat
• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave cooking food unattended
• Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.