Crispy Chicken Fritta

Made with delectable parmesan-crusted chicken pieces and a cheesy gooey alfredo sauce, this crispy chicken recipe is ideal for comforting family dinners! Plus, this is the perfect replica of how the restaurant makes its dish!

Olive Garden Chicken Fritta

The Olive Garden chicken fritta is one of my favorite restaurant dishes, but honestly, I like my homemade version better.

It’s made with simple ingredients to create the best homemade parmesan-crusted chicken – without taking a lot of time and at a fraction of the price.

This is a copycat recipe of crispy chicken fritta Olive Garden and it’s really easy to tackle during a busy weeknight.

What Is Crispy Chicken Fritta?

Crispy chicken fritta is an Italian dish made with fried chicken breasts and cheese – “fritta” meaning “deep-fried” in Italian.

The chicken is first breaded in a breadcrumbs-cheese-flour mixture before being fried in hot oil. Afterward, grated parmesan cheese is sprinkled on top.

But if you don’t want to deep fry the chicken pieces, you can bake or air fry them.

It’s then served with a rich, creamy, and delectable alfredo sauce made with a cream sauce, plus Italian cheese.

Crispy Chicken Fritta Ingredients

• Chicken breasts: this recipe calls for boneless and skinless chicken breasts, but you can basically also use tenders or strips. Avoid chicken thighs though. With the bone, skin, and meat you’ll struggle to bread and fry them.


• Flour: flour gives the milk and breadcrumbs something to stick to while ensuring a wonderfully crispy crust


• Breadcrumbs: You can use store-bought bread crumbs, panko or make your own at home


• Cheese: The recipe uses parmesan and Italian cheese. Freshly grated Parmesan cheese tastes better, but pre-shredded will also work. As Italian cheese, you can choose asiago or fontina


• Dairy products: Milk and half-and-half are used in this recipe for the breading and the alfredo sauce. Milk will help the breadcrumbs to stick to the chicken, while half and half serve as a base for the alfredo sauce.


• Fat: Vegetable oil is perfect for frying chicken because it has a high smoking point. Butter is used to make the roux of the Alfredo sauce.


• Seasonings: This chicken fritta recipe calls for salt, pepper, and garlic. But you can add more spices and seasonings according to your taste.

How to Make Crispy Chicken Fritta

Cooking The Pasta

To start, cook the pasta as directed on the package. In this recipe, I used tagliatelle and cooked them al dene. Drain and set aside.

Preparing The Chicken

In a bowl, add 4 tablespoons of flour, the bread crumbs, and parmesan cheese, and mix thoroughly. In another bowl, pour the milk and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Dip and coat the chicken cutlets pieces with the flour breadcrumbs mixture first. Make sure the chicken is fully coated. Then dip it in the milk mixture. Repeat this process two to three times.

Add 2 tablespoons of oil to your skillet and heat it over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken pieces and cook for 4 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove the fried chicken pieces from the pan and put it on a plate.

Making The Sauce

In a saucepan, melt the butter with 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat.

Once the butter melts, whisk in the 4 remaining tablespoons of flour until well combined.

Stir in the half-and-half. Wish continuously, so it doesn’t burn. Then add the minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Continue whisking until you get a smooth texture.

Next, sprinkle the grated asiago cheese until it melts and the Italian seasoning, whisking continuously. Set aside.

Putting It All Together

For serving, I like to add the pasta first at the bottom of a bowl, then the crispy breaded chicken. I finish off by pouring one cup of sauce over the chicken.

Sprinkle parsley and grated parmesan cheese on top for more greed.

Pro Tips

• Soak the chicken breasts in the buttermilk: marinating the chicken in buttermilk will make your chicken extra tender and juicy. Leave the pieces for at least 24 hours in the buttermilk before frying.
• Flatten the chicken. If the chicken breasts are too thick, cut them in half and tender them with a meat hammer. Thin chicken breasts are easier to bread and fry.
• If the crumbs start falling off your breaded chicken, tap off the dry and wet mixture when dredging. After dredging, pat the meat to make the dry mixture stick.
• Ensure your oil is hot before frying the chicken pieces. If your oil is too cold, the breading will become soggy instead of crispy. Hot means temperatures about 350°F. Since this recipe doesn’t call for lots of oil to cut fat on purpose, don’t hesitate to add more oil when frying the chicken.

What to Serve With Crispy Chicken Fritta?

I like to serve this dish with fresh pasta, but why not try it with:

• Longhorn steakhouse stuffed mushrooms


• Ina Garten au gratin potatoes


• KFC coleslaw dressing recipe

How to Store Crispy Chicken Fritta

• In The Fridge: store this chicken parmesan for 3-4 days.


• In The Freezer: To keep it longer, freeze it for 3-4 months.

How to Reheat Crispy Chicken Fritta

To reheat, put in a 400 degrees preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes. But don’t put it in the microwave or it will end up soggy.

Try These Next!

• Red Lobster Cajun Chicken Alfredo


• Zaxby’s Chicken Recipe


• Ina Garten Chicken Marsala

Tried This Recipe?

Let me know in the comments section! Give me your honest feedback ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐