Easy Chicken Parmesan

Cheesy, easy, and comforting, this chicken parmesan recipe is a restaurant favorite made easy at home.

Tender breaded chicken breasts are covered in marinara and baked with cheese until golden and bubbly!

a baked chicken parmesan in a casserole dish

An Easy Chicken Parmesan

Chicken parmesan, also known as chicken parmigiana, is an Italian favorite. This dish originated from Italian immigrants in the US in the ’50s and is thought to be a twist on eggplant parmesan.

It’ll look like you spent hours in the kitchen, but this parmesan chicken recipe is easy to make with common ingredients.
While it is traditionally deep-fried or often pan-fried in melted butter, this baked chicken parmesan is an easier version without all of the oil.
The chicken comes out tender and juicy, and tastes as good as a restaurant at a fraction of the price.

bread crumbs , parmesan , flour , eggs , chicken , marinara sauce , parsley and cheese with labels to make Easy Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients for Chicken Parmesan

Chicken – For this chicken parmesan recipe, you’ll need boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken cutlets. If using chicken breasts, pound them to ½-inch thick so they cook evenly.

Breading – I use two types of crumbs in this breadcrumb mixture; Panko adds crunch, while the finer breadcrumbs give a more even crust. Use pre-seasoned breadcrumbs, or add some Italian seasoning and salt to your own fine breadcrumbs.

Cheese – Parmesan cheese adds flavor while the melted mozzarella cheese gives this chicken parm recipe its delicious cheesy topping.

Tomato Sauce – Any marinara or pasta sauce will work, I choose a high quality sauce as the sauce adds a lot of flavor to this dish.

flattening chicken to make Easy Chicken Parmesan

ingredients to bread Easy Chicken Parmesan

How to Make Chicken Parmesan

Here is a basic overview, you can find the full chicken parmesan recipe below.

Bread the chicken: Bread the chicken breasts and lightly brown them in a pan (per the recipe below).
Add marinara sauce: Place them into a casserole dish with marinara sauce and top with cheese.
Top with cheese & bake: Bake until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese is golden brown and bubbly.

Once it comes out of the oven, sprinkle it with fresh basil and parsley and serve it over pasta like spaghetti.

marinara sauce in a pan to make Easy Chicken Parmesan

adding cooked chicken to pan with sauce to make Easy Chicken Parmesan

Leftovers

Leftover chicken parmesan is delish as a chicken parmesan sandwich.
Keep leftover chicken parmesan in a covered container for up to 4 days and reheat portions in the microwave or air fryer with some fresh Parmesan cheese.
To freeze prepared chicken parmesan, cool completely. Once cool, seal in freezer-safe food storage containers or quart-sized freezer bags. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. The chicken will not be as crispy once frozen, but it is still delicious.

a bowl of spaghetti topped with baked chicken parmesan and herbs

More Baked Chicken Recipes

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This easy chicken parmesan recipe is a family favorite, perfect served over pasta!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Place the flour in a shallow bowl or dish. Place the eggs in a second shallow dish and beat with a fork.
In a third shallow dish, combine Panko, Italian seasoned crumbs, grated Parmesan, 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
Using a meat mallet, pound the chicken breasts to ½-inch thickness. After pounding, if they’re very large, you can cut them in half. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
Dip chicken into the flour and shake to remove any excess. Dip chicken in beaten eggs, then into the bread crumb mixture and gently press to adhere.
Preheat the oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Brown the chicken for about 2 minutes per side or until golden. It does not need to cook through.
In the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish, add 1 ½ cups of marinara sauce. Add the browned chicken. Top each piece of chicken with 2 tablespoons of marinara sauce in the center. Top with mozzarella and shredded parmesan.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden and bubbly and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F with an instant-read thermometer.
Sprinkle with fresh herbs and serve over pasta.

Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness so they cook evenly. Chicken cutlets can be used in place of chicken breasts.
Dab the chicken dry with a paper towel, this will help the coating stick.
Gently press the breadcrumbs onto the chicken to ensure they adhere.
Preheat the oil in the pan before adding the chicken for a crispier crumb.
Don’t add too much sauce to the baking pan, you can heat extra sauce on the side if desired.

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Chicken, Entree, Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

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