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Chicken Parmesan. It’s easy to see why this recipe is a favorite: tender, juicy chicken breasts with a seasoned breadcrumb coating, marinara sauce and cheese all baked to gooey perfection. This homemade chicken parmesan recipe is sure to satisfy and will become a staple in your recipe collection.
The Best Chicken Parmesan Recipe
Chicken parmesan, sometimes called chicken parmigiana or chicken parm, is one of our favorite family-friendly dinner ideas. If making homemade chicken parmesan sounds intimidating to you, then this recipe is for you!
This chicken parmesan recipe is surprisingly simple to make. The steps are easy and the ingredient list is short. With this recipe you can have delicious homemade chicken parmesan on your table in just over 30 minutes, from start to finish!
This chicken parmesan is baked, not fried, making it a healthy dinner option. Like my baked chicken breast recipe, we’ll bake the chicken at a high temperature for a shorter amount of time to ensure that it stays tender and juicy.
With its addictive combination of melty cheese, Italian breadcrumb coating and saucy pasta, this mouthwatering meal is a weeknight staple that will appeal to both picky eaters and those who are craving a comforting home-cooked dinner.
For more favorite chicken dinners, try my Chicken Piccata, Baked Chicken and Rice, Chicken Enchiladas and Chicken Stir Fry.
How to make Chicken Parmesan
You can find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of the steps, with step by step photos.
To start, you’ll want to prepare three shallow, wide dishes or pie plates for the chicken parmesan coating. You’ll put flour in one and an egg beaten with a tablespoon of water in another. In the third, mix together Italian seasoned bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.
Once this is set up it’s time to prepare the chicken:
- Slice two chicken breasts in half horizontally to get four thin chicken cutlets.
- Coat the chicken in the flour.
- Dip the chicken in the egg, coating it on both sides.
- Coat the chicken with the seasoned bread crumbs.
- Bake until almost cooked through.
- Top with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese. Don’t put on too much marinara sauce at this point or the chicken can get soggy. You can have more marinara sauce available when you serve the chicken. Continue baking for a few more minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
- Sprinkle on chopped fresh parsley or basil when serving, if desired.
For Crispy Parmesan Chicken
When this chicken parmesan bakes, the coating on the chicken crisps up some in the oven, but not as much as it would in a fried chicken parmesan recipe. If you want a crispier coating, you can pan-sear the chicken in olive oil before baking it.
To do this, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a nonstick skillet or cast iron pan over medium high heat on the stove. Brown the breaded chicken in the skillet for a few minutes on both sides before baking it in the oven. Reduce the initial baking time by a few minutes, since the chicken will partially cook in the skillet.
What to Serve with Parmesan Crusted Chicken
- Spaghetti pasta is traditionally served with classic chicken parmesan.
- If you’re looking for a lighter option, try zucchini noodles.
- Extra marinara sauce is a must for topping the noodles.
- An Italian salad goes especially well with this chicken parm recipe.
- This simple green salad is another delicious way to add healthy veggies.
- Roasted broccoli is an easy side dish.
- Garlic bread is a perfect addition to this meal.
Recipe Tips
- If you plan to serve the parmesan chicken with pasta, I recommend starting a pot of water boiling for the pasta when you begin preparing the chicken. This way, the pasta and chicken will be ready around the same time.
- If your chicken cutlets are uneven in thickness, you can pound them with a rolling pin until they are an even 1/2-inch thick. Cover the chicken with plastic wrap or place it in a zip-top bag before pounding to prevent the juices from splattering.
- Try not to over-bake the chicken or it may dry out. The chicken is done when it registers 165° F at the thickest part. I recommend using an instant read thermometer to test when the chicken is done.
- Have extra marinara sauce and Parmesan cheese ready for serving with the chicken parmesan and pasta.
More Italian Chicken Recipes:
- Chicken Marsala
- Chicken Piccata
- Chicken Cacciatore
- Tuscan Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs
5 from 2 ratings
Baked Chicken Parmesan
Servings: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes mins
Cook Time: 20 minutes mins
Total Time: 35 minutes mins
This Chicken Parmesan is a favorite family dinner. This delicious recipe has tender, juicy chicken breasts with a seasoned breadcrumb coating, marinara sauce and cheese all baked to gooey perfection.
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Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, 2 breasts
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- ½ cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup marinara sauce, plus more for serving
- 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, 4 ounces
- chopped fresh parsley or basil, optional, for serving
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425° F. Grease a baking sheet or baking dish with cooking spray or oil.
Slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally to get 4 thin chicken cutlets. If the chicken cutlets are uneven in thickness, you can pound them with a meat mallet or rolling pin to make them an even ½-inch thickness. (Cover the chicken with a piece of plastic wrap or place in a zip-top bag before pounding to prevent splattering.)
To prepare the breading for the chicken, you will need 3 shallow pie plates, bowls or other wide and shallow dishes. In one, place the flour. In the second, place the egg and tablespoon of water. Use a fork to beat the egg and water together until well combined. In the third dish, stir together the Italian seasoned bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.
Coat the chicken first in the flour, then in the egg, and then in the bread crumb mixture. Place on the prepared baking sheet or baking dish.
Bake chicken in the upper third of the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the chicken is almost cooked through (it should be about 150° F when tested with an instant read thermometer). Spoon 2 tablespoons of the marinara sauce over each chicken piece and sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese. Continue baking chicken until it is cooked through (it should register 165° F at the thickest part when tested with an instant read thermometer). This may take about 3 to 8 minutes, depending on the size of your chicken pieces.
Serve chicken with pasta and additional marinara sauce, garnished with chopped fresh parsley or basil if desired.
Serving: 1piece, Calories: 430kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 51g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 173mg, Sodium: 1134mg, Potassium: 830mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 461IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 337mg, Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information is an estimate.
Cuisine: Italian
Course: Main Course
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