By: Becky Hardin
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Chicken Parmesan is a classic dish featuring a deliciously crispy coating of breadcrumbs and spices, topped with a simple marinara sauce and melty cheese. This delicious meal is perfect for the whole family! Serve this Chicken Parm recipe over a bed of pasta, with a simple side salad, alongside breadsticks or garlic knots, and so much more! This easy recipe takes less than an hour to cook and makes 4 servings.
Table of Contents
What’s in Chicken Parm?
This recipe has been developed to include only necessary ingredients for maximum flavor and ease of cooking. If you like this recipe, be sure to also check out our Fried Chicken Parmesan!
- Chicken: Chicken is a necessary ingredient within this recipe and is the main ingredient in making Chicken Parm.
- Flour: All-purpose flour is essential to help create the breading and crust on the Chicken Parm.
- Eggs: The eggs in this recipe are used to create an egg wash and act as a binder between the chicken cutlets and the Italian breadcrumbs mixture.
- Breadcrumbs: The breadcrumb mixture adds texture to the outside of the chicken and makes up part of the crust.
- Cheese: This recipe uses mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese to add to the overall flavor of this dish and compliment the marinara sauce.
- Seasonings: This recipe uses the basic spices of Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder to maximize the flavor.
- Oil: Olive oil is used in this recipe to help create a breaded crispy chicken exterior and a golden brown crust.
- Marinara Sauce: This ingredient is essential in any parmesan chicken recipe. For this dish, you can use homemade marinara sauce or store-bought sauce.
- Basil: A little bit of fresh basil adds a lot of flavor to this classic dish.
Vegan Chicken Parmesan
To make this recipe vegan, swap the chicken for seitan chicken or vegan chicken fillets (like Quorn or Beyond), swap the eggs for vegan eggs (like Just Egg or Simply Eggless) or plant-based milk, and swap the cheeses for vegan cheese (like Chao, Kite Hill, or Miyoko’s)! For a vegetarian version, simply swap the chicken breasts for thinly-sliced eggplant!
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Is chicken parmesan gluten-free?
Unfortunately, this recipe is not naturally gluten-free. To make chicken parmesan gluten-free, use a gluten-free 1:1 baking flour and gluten-free breadcrumbs.
How many calories are in chicken parmesan?
A single serving of this chicken parmesan has approximately 633 calories. This number will vary based on the ingredients used and the size of your chicken breasts.
Can I make chicken parmesan with chicken thighs instead of breasts?
While I recommend using boneless, skinless chicken breasts of equal size for the most even results, you can also make this recipe with boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Thighs may take a bit longer to cook, though, so monitor with an instant-read thermometer.
How do I get the breading to stick to chicken parmesan?
I always pat my chicken dry before breading. Properly dredging the chicken in flour, then eggs, then breadcrumbs will help the breading to stick to the chicken pieces no matter how you cook them.
Can I make chicken parmesan in an air fryer instead?
You sure can! In fact, I have a great air fryer chicken parmesan recipe you can follow!
How can I tell when chicken parmesan is cooked through?
The easiest way to tell when your chicken is cooked through is to use an instant-read thermometer to check the temperature in the thickest part. Properly cooked chicken should be 165°F internally.
What goes with chicken parmesan besides pasta?
Chicken parmesan and pasta are a classic pairing, but it can be fun to switch it up once in a while! Try this recipe paired with a side of broccoli or roasted tomatoes and garlic bread, creamy mashed potatoes, or pull-apart cheese bread!
How to Store and Reheat Easy Chicken Parmesan
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 325°F oven for 12-15 minutes, until the chicken is warmed through and the cheese is bubbly. For the crispiest chicken parm, I recommend keeping the breaded chicken breasts separate from the sauce and cheese and assembling the dish just before reheating.
How to Freeze Homemade Chicken Parmesan
Freeze the chicken parm in a single layer on a lined baking sheet until solid, about 1-2 hours. Transfer the frozen chicken breasts to an airtight container or Ziplock bag to store for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
What to Serve with Chicken Parmesan
I like to serve this dish with homemade pasta or instant pot spaghetti for an easy weeknight meal.
It’s also delicious with veggie sides like roasted broccoli, grilled asparagus, or baked tomatoes and a starch, like mashed potatoes, potato wedges, garlic bread, or focaccia!
For some easy all-in-one sides, try oven-baked risotto, Italian pasta salad, or caprese farro salad.
Recipe
Chicken Parmesan Recipe
5 from 3 votes
Author: Becky Hardin
Prep: 30 minutes minutes
Cook: 15 minutes minutes
Total: 45 minutes minutes
Serves4 people
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Chicken Parmesan is a classic Italian dish made with breaded chicken cutlets topped with tomato sauce and cheese. It's a delicious and easy meal that's perfect for a family dinner.
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Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese divided
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 cup marinara sauce store-bought or homemade
- 1¼ cups freshly grated low-moisture mozzarella cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Recommended Equipment
Instant Read Meat Thermometer (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
Slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally to make 4 thin cutlets. Cover with plastic wrap and use a meat mallet to pound them into an even thickness, about ¼-inch thick.
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Prepare your breading station: Grab 3 large shallow bowls. In the first bowl, add the flour. In the second bowl, whisk the eggs until well mixed. In the third bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs, ½ cup parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
½ cup all-purpose flour, 2 large eggs, 1 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Coat the chicken in the flour, shaking off any excess, then coat it in the beaten eggs. Dredge in the breadcrumbs, pressing them into the chicken so it adheres. Set on a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken.
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Once hot, add in two chicken cutlets. Cook until the chicken is golden brown on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side.
⅓ cup olive oil
Place in the prepared 9×13 inch baking dish and repeat with the remaining cutlets, adding more oil to the pan if needed.
Spoon the marinara sauce over the cutlets. Top with mozzarella and remaining parmesan. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the chicken is cooked through. Top with basil before serving. Enjoy!
1¼ cups freshly grated low-moisture mozzarella cheese, 1 cup marinara sauce, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- Feel free to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of breasts.
- For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free 1:1 baking flour and gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- You can use regular, Panko, or homemade breadcrumbs.
- Feel free to omit the Parmesan cheese or use a different hard cheese, such as Pecorino Romano, Grana Padano, or Asiago.
- You can use sliced or grated mozzarella cheese.
- As an alternative to mozzarella cheese, try provolone.
- You can use any neutral oil in place of olive oil, such as avocado oil or vegetable oil.
- Pat the chicken dry before dredging. This will help the breading to adhere better.
- Chicken is fully cooked when it registers 165°F in the thickest part on an instant-read thermometer.
- If planning to have leftovers, store the chicken, sauce, and cheese separately and assemble before reheating. This will prevent soggy breading.
Storage: Store chicken parmesan in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1chicken breast Calories: 633kcal (32%) Carbohydrates: 41g (14%) Protein: 36g (72%) Fat: 36g (55%) Saturated Fat: 11g (69%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g Monounsaturated Fat: 18g Trans Fat: 0.02g Cholesterol: 169mg (56%) Sodium: 1659mg (72%) Potassium: 602mg (17%) Fiber: 3g (13%) Sugar: 5g (6%) Vitamin A: 905IU (18%) Vitamin C: 6mg (7%) Calcium: 497mg (50%) Iron: 4mg (22%)
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