Chicken Parmesan- Baked or Fried
Chicken Parmesan is the epitome of Italian comfort food. Tender inside, crispy outside chicken breasts topped with marinara and melted mozzarella.
🍽️ Recipe Name: Chicken Parmesan
⏰ Ready In: About 40 minutes
⏳ Prep Time: 15 minutes
🔥 Cook Time: 25 minutes
👥 Serves: 4
🥕Main Ingredients: Chicken breasts, bread crumbs, egg, marinara sauce, mozzarella, Parmigiano Reggiano
🍳 Special Equipment: Cast iron skillet
⭐ Why You’ll Love It: Crispy chicken, melty cheese, and saucy pasta all on one plate. It is classic comfort food that works for busy weeknights and relaxed Sunday dinners.
What You Need
- Chicken Breasts: Fresh, skinless chicken breasts form the base of this Parmesan. You can buy chicken cutlets, if you’d like.
- Bread Crumbs: You can use seasoned or plain bread crumbs and add your own seasonings. Use fine bread crumbs or panko for extra crispiness.
- Spices: Basil, oregano, parsley and garlic are added to season the bread crumbs.
- Seasoning: Kosher or sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper are used to season the bread crumbs and the chicken itself.
- Egg: Used to dredge the chicken and help the breadcrumbs stick.
- Marinara Sauce: Store-bought or homemade marinara sauce are both fine.
- Parmigiano Reggiano: Add parm to the bread crumbs and sprinkle on top of the marinara sauce.
- Fresh Mozzarella Cheese: Adds the stringy, melty texture to the top of the dish.
- Olive oil: Don’t use extra-virgin oil.
- Pasta: Serve the chicken with long pasta, such as spaghetti, linguini, angel hair, or fettuccini.
How to Make It
Pan-frying
If the breasts are thick, you can cut them in half width-wise. After they are cut, lay the breast on a cutting board. Cover it with plastic wrap. Pound it out with a meat mallet to about ⅛-inch thick.
Whisk an egg in a medium bowl. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
In a separate bowl, mix the bread crumbs, grated parmesan cheese, and spices well.
Set up a dredging station with a shallow bowl with seasoned flour, egg, and bread crumb mixture.
Dredge the chicken in flour. Then dip the chicken in the egg and let the excess drip off.
Then dip the chicken in the bread crumbs, pressing down to coat the entire surface.
Brown the chicken in a heavy-bottom, large skillet, such as a cast-iron skillet, over medium-high heat. Use a splash of oil to coat the pan. Brown it until it’s golden brown. Check the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer is 165°F. If not, continue to cook it in a 350°F oven until it reaches the desired temperature.
Place the breaded chicken on a baking sheet. Top it with the tomato sauce.
Cook your pasta according to package directions. Toss it with marinara and a bit of the pasta cooking water.
Top the chicken cutlet with marinara sauce. Add a slice of mozzarella. Broil on high until the mozzarella is melty and a bit browned, if you’d like.
Add a serving of pasta to your plate. Top with a chicken cutlet.
Baked Chicken Parmesan
For a lighter version of classic chicken parm, try baking it.
Pound and coat the chicken as above. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
Spray the outsides with olive oil spray. Bake at 450°F for about 20-25 minutes, until they reach 165°F.
Then top with the marinara and cheese. Raise the oven to broil. Broil until the mozzarella is melted and a bit browned.
Variations
- Instead of serving these with pasta, serve them on a crusty roll or hoagie roll to make a chicken parm submarine sandwich.
- Top a baked ziti with the chicken pieces before baking.
- Layer the chicken cutlets between lasagna layers for a chicken Parmesan lasagna.
- Slice leftovers and tuck them into a toasted garlic bread grilled cheese for an over-the-top sandwich the next day.
- Swap the chicken for thin slices of eggplant for a meatless version that still has that crispy coating and cheesy top.
How to Store/Reheat Leftovers
Store leftover pasta and chicken in separate airtight containers, so the chicken crust doesn’t get too soggy. If you know you’ll have leftovers, wait to spread the marinara sauce on top until the day you eat it. Then the crust will stay crispy.
To reheat chicken parmesan, bake it at 350°F for 20 minutes, or until heated through. They can also be reheated in the air fryer at 300°F or less for about 10 minutes. Flip halfway through cooking.
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Chicken Parmesan
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon basil
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon parsley
- 1 teaspoon garlic
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- ½ cup flour
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups marinara sauce plus more for pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 slices mozzarella cheese
- ½ pound spaghetti
Instructions
- If the breasts are thick, you can cut them in half width-wise. After they are cut, lay the breast on a cutting board. Cover it with plastic wrap. Pound it out with a meat mallet to about ⅛-inch thick.
- Whisk an egg in a medium bowl. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- In a separate bowl, mix the bread crumbs, grated parmesan cheese, and spices well.Set up a dredging station with a shallow bowl with seasoned flour, egg, and bread crumb mixture.
- Dredge the chicken in flour. Then dip the chicken in the egg and let the excess drip off.Then dip the chicken in the bread crumbs, pressing down to coat the entire surface.
- Brown the chicken in a heavy-bottom, large skillet, such as a cast-iron skillet, over medium-high heat. Use a splash of oil to coat the pan. Brown it until it’s golden brown. Check the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer is 165°F. If not, continue to cook it in a 350°F oven until it reaches the desired temperature.
- Place the breaded chicken on a baking sheet. Top it with half-cup of the tomato sauce.
- Cook your pasta according to package directions. Toss it with marinara and a bit of the pasta cooking water.
- Top the chicken cutlet with marinara sauce. Add a slice of mozzarella. Broil on high until the mozzarella is melty and a bit browned, if you’d like.
- Add a serving of pasta to your plate. Top with a chicken cutlet.
Baked Chicken Parmesan
- Do the first 4 steps above. Instead of frying it, Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
- Spray the outsides with olive oil spray. Bake at 450°F for about 20-25 minutes, until they reach 165°F.
- Then top with the marinara and cheese. Raise the oven to broil. Broil until the mozzarella is melted and a bit browned.
See all of my favorite tools and gift ideas on my New Amazon Store!Check out Binky’s Amazon Store!Notes
- Instead of serving these with pasta, serve them on a crusty roll or hoagie roll to make a chicken parm submarine sandwich.
- Top a baked ziti with the chicken pieces before baking.
- Layer the chicken cutlets between lasagna layers for a chicken Parmesan lasagna.
- Slice leftovers and tuck them into a toasted garlic bread grilled cheese for an over-the-top sandwich the next day.
- Swap the chicken for thin slices of eggplant for a meatless version that still has that crispy coating and cheesy top.
Nutrition
Recipe Name: Chicken Parmesan
Type: Main Dish
Main Ingredients: Chicken breasts, bread crumbs, egg, marinara sauce, mozzarella, Parmigiano Reggiano
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Special Equipment: Large skillet, baking sheet, meat mallet, instant-read thermometer
Great For: Family dinners, casual entertaining, comfort food cravings
