Jump to recipeMain Course · Chicken

Parmesan-Crusted Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

These Parmesan-panko cutlets get a golden shallow-fried crust, while a sheet pan handles sweet potato wedges and broccoli alongside.

Golden Parmesan-crusted chicken cutlets with roasted sweet potato wedges, broccoli, lemon, and parsley.

This is a crisp cutlet dinner rather than a tomato-sauced chicken Parmesan: finely grated cheese joins panko in the coating and browns directly in the skillet. Sweet potatoes begin roasting first, and broccoli joins partway through so the sides finish as the chicken is fried.

Let the sheet pan lead

Sweet potatoes need the longer roast, so give them a 15-minute head start before adding broccoli. Turning the wedges exposes another surface to the hot pan, and leaving the broccoli in a single layer helps its edges roast instead of steam.

Even thickness matters

Halving and pounding the chicken into even cutlets lets each piece cook in the few minutes it takes the crumb coating to turn golden. Patting the meat dry helps the flour, egg, and panko layers adhere rather than slide off in the oil.

Pounded chicken cutlets are coated in flour, egg, and a Parmesan-panko crumb mixture before frying. — Pounded cutlets move through flour, egg, and Parmesan-panko before the skillet fry.

Watch the oil temperature

A thermometer makes shallow frying more predictable: around 350 F gives the coating time to crisp without soaking up excess oil. Frying in uncrowded batches keeps the temperature from dropping sharply and gives each cutlet contact with the hot skillet.

Check the center

Color and timing are useful cues, but the center temperature is the safety check for chicken. Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of each cutlet and continue cooking until it reads at least 165 F.

A golden Parmesan-panko crust surrounds cooked chicken beside browned sweet potatoes and broccoli. — A cross-section shows a golden cheese-and-panko crust around fully cooked chicken.

Serve from the rack

A wire rack lets steam escape from the hot crust while the chicken rests, preserving its crunch. Add lemon at the table and serve alongside the browned sweet potatoes and broccoli for brightness and a tender counterpoint.

Parmesan-Crusted Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

4 servings

45 minutes total

Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 1/2 lb sweet potatoes
• 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp water
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 cup neutral oil for shallow frying
• 12 oz broccoli florets
• 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Method

Heat the oven
Position a rack in the center and heat the oven to 425 F. Set a rimmed sheet pan nearby for the potatoes and broccoli.
Look for: The oven is fully preheated before the potato pan goes in.
Start the sweet potatoes
Cut the sweet potatoes into 1/2-inch wedges and toss with 1 tbsp olive oil, 3/4 tsp salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Spread cut sides down on the sheet pan and roast for 15 minutes.
Look for: Wedges have a light oil sheen and lie in one layer with cut faces touching the pan.
Pound the chicken
Meanwhile, halve each chicken breast horizontally into thin cutlets, then place between parchment and pound to an even 1/2-inch thickness. Pat dry so the coating adheres evenly.
Look for: Each cutlet is an even thickness with no torn edges.
Set up the coating
Arrange flour in one shallow dish. Beat eggs with water in a second dish; in a third, mix panko, Parmesan, oregano, and the remaining 3/4 tsp salt until evenly combined.
Look for: The Parmesan is distributed through the panko with no large clumps.
Coat the cutlets
Dredge each cutlet in flour and shake off excess, dip in egg, then press firmly into the Parmesan-panko mixture on both sides. Set coated cutlets on a clean tray without stacking.
Look for: A continuous crumb layer clings across both sides of each cutlet.
Add the broccoli
After the potatoes have roasted 15 minutes, turn the wedges and push them to one side. Toss broccoli with the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt, spread beside the wedges, and return the pan to the oven.
Look for: Broccoli sits in a single layer and the wedges show lightly browned edges.
Heat the frying oil
Pour neutral oil into a large skillet to a depth of about 1/4 inch and heat over medium to 350 F. Check with a clip-on or instant-read thermometer; adjust the burner to hold the temperature before adding chicken.
Look for: Oil holds near 350 F and a panko crumb sizzles steadily without darkening at once.
Fry in batches
Lay cutlets in the oil without crowding and fry about 3 minutes per side, turning once, until the crust is deep golden and the thickest center reaches 165 F. Fry in batches, allowing the oil to return to 350 F between batches, and transfer cooked pieces to a wire rack.
Look for: The crust is golden rather than dark, and a thermometer inserted into the thickest cutlet reads at least 165 F.
Finish and serve
Roast the vegetables until the wedges are tender and browned and the broccoli is crisp-tender, about 10 minutes more. Rest the chicken on the rack for 3 minutes, then serve with the vegetables, lemon wedges, and parsley.
Look for: A knife slides into a sweet potato wedge easily, broccoli has browned tips, and the chicken crust remains crisp on the rack.