This might just be the best chicken parmesan you’ve ever tasted! White meat chicken pieces are pounded thin, coated in a 3-step standard breading, and pan-fried till crisp and golden brown. Then, they’re topped with homemade marinara sauce and cheese and baked until melty. If you’ve been on the hunt for a crowd-pleasing main dish, this is it.
Better yet, chicken parmigiana uses just 10 simple ingredients and about 30 minutes of active prep time! Serve it over pasta for the most comforting dinner. For more Italian dinner recipes, check out my speedy Instant Pot spaghetti and meatballs, creamy chicken alfredo, or skillet chicken marsala next.
Ingredients
There are a few key ingredients to making the best chicken parmesan! You can find the full list of ingredients in the chicken parmesan recipe card.
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts — cutting and pounding your own chicken cutlets will give the most tender pieces of chicken and is also more affordable than purchasing pre-packaged cutlets.
All-purpose flour, salt, and freshly ground black pepper — the basic dredging mix that helps the egg mixture stick to the chicken cutlets. Feel free to swap in gluten-free AP flour if needed.
Eggs — this is the “glue” for your bread crumb coating! They help the breading adhere to the cutlets for a perfectly crisp fried chicken cutlet.
Italian breadcrumbs and panko breadcrumbs — I like to use a mix of both types. Italian seasoned dry breadcrumbs have a finer crumb for great coverage. Panko is lighter and larger, which is great for crispiness. If you only have plain breadcrumbs instead of Italian, season them with ½ teaspoon each of garlic powder and Italian seasoning.
Freshly grated parmesan cheese and low-moisture mozzarella cheese — these make the iconic cheesy topping for the chicken cutlets. You can use pre-shredded mozzarella cheese in this recipe, but I still recommend using a block of Parmesan and grating it yourself with a cheese grater or microplane.
Marinara sauce — while I love my homemade recipe, you’re welcome to use the jarred store-bought sauce of your choice as a shortcut.
Chicken Parmesan Recipe
Video
Equipment
- Large frying pan
- Baking Sheet
- 3 medium, shallow bowls
Ingredients
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds, 900g)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour (40g)
- 2 large eggs beaten
- ½ cup Italian breadcrumbs (56g)
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs (120g)
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan (56g)
- 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 1 cup olive oil (240mL)
- 2 cups low-moisture mozzarella shredded or thinly sliced (8 ounces, 226g)
- 2 cups marinara sauce (500g)
- Fresh basil and parsley leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Butterfly the chicken breasts by cutting through the middle of each lengthwise to create six cutlets. Pound each piece between sheets of plastic wrap using a rolling pin or meat mallet until they are an even thickness.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper. In a separate medium bowl, whisk to combine the flour with 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper. In a third medium bowl, combine the Panko and seasoned breadcrumbs with ½ cup grated Parmesan (28g), chopped parsley and mix together.
- Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour mixture and tap off any excess. Dip in the egg and let the excess drip off. Dredge on both sides in the breadcrumb mixture and press down so the breadcrumbs stick and form a nice layer.
- In a large skillet, pour the olive oil and heat over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers. Working in batches, add 2 to 3 pieces of chicken to the pan and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side, adjusting the heat as needed. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to absorb any excess grease.
- Transfer to a baking sheet and top each breast with ¼ to ⅓ cup marinara sauce, a generous sprinkle of mozzarella, and about a tablespoon of Parmesan.
- Bake in the oven until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese is melted and golden, 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and garnish with basil and parsley leaves. Serve over spaghetti.
Notes
- Pound the chicken cutlets evenly. This ensures they are all roughly the same thickness for even cooking.
- Don’t have mozzarella? Shredded or sliced provolone cheese works well too!
- Chicken breasts are the best cut of chicken for this recipe. I don’t recommend using chicken thighs.
- Have a “wet” and a “dry” hand when breading the chicken. It’s easier to use one hand to dip the chicken into the dry ingredients (flour and breadcrumbs) and the other hand for the wet (beaten eggs). It helps to ensure the coating goes on the chicken, not your hands.
- If serving with spaghetti, you can toss the noodles with more marinara sauce or try 2 tablespoons of melted butter and the juice of half a lemon. This is a brighter, lighter flavor that’s delicious!
Nutrition
How To Make Chicken Parmesan
1. Make 6 chicken cutlets by slicing each piece through the middle lengthwise.
2. Pound each cutlet with a meat mallet or between two sheets of plastic wrap with a rolling pin into an even thickness.
3. To set up your breading station, whisk the eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Whisk together the flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon of pepper in a separate dish. In a third dish, combine the Panko, seasoned breadcrumbs, ½ cup grated Parmesan, and parsley. Stir together.
4. Coat each piece of chicken in the flour mixture.
5. Dip the dredged chicken in the egg mixture.
6. Place the chicken in the breadcrumb mixture and coat both sides with the breadcrumbs.
7. Fry 2 to 3 pieces of breaded chicken at a time in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken cutlets to a paper towel-lined plate and continue cooking the rest of the cutlets.
8. Once they are all browned, place the fried chicken cutlets on a baking sheet in a single layer and top each with marinara sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese. Bake at 425°F until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese is melted and golden. Serve over spaghetti garnished with fresh basil or parsley.
Do I Have To Fry The Cutlets?
Nope! I like to lightly pan-fry the chicken to ensure it is extra crispy and delicious, and it’s the classic method for chicken parmesan, but you can bake or air fry them instead.
To bake the chicken, place the breaded cutlets on a baking sheet and spray both sides with olive oil cooking spray. Bake at 425°F until crispy and golden on the outside (about 20 minutes). Remove from the oven and top with sauce and cheese, bake once more as instructed in the recipe. For air fryer instructions, check out my air fryer chicken parmesan recipe!
How To Serve
Classic chicken parmesan is made with marinara, but my spaghetti sauce and Instant Pot spaghetti sauce are both excellent alternatives. Don’t forget to add an extra spoonful of sauce on the bed of noodles (or zoodles) before placing the chicken parm cutlets on top!
If noodles aren’t in the pantry, try swapping in creamy mashed potatoes instead. A slice of crusty garlic bread is always welcome for sopping up any leftover sauce.
Freezing And Storing Leftovers
If you’d like to meal-prep your chicken parmesan, freeze it! Pan-fry the chicken cutlets, allow them to cool, then place them in a freezer bag or container with pieces of parchment paper separating the cutlets. The chicken can be frozen for up to 3 months. To serve, allow the chicken to defrost overnight in the fridge, then bake the culets until they reach an internal temperature of 160°F before topping and baking for the final time.
To store leftovers, simply allow them to cool and transfer them to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Note that the breading will become soggy after storage, but reheating leftovers in the oven instead of microwaving can help re-crisp any exposed edges.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Pound the chicken cutlets evenly. This ensures they are all roughly the same thickness for even cooking.
- Don’t have mozzarella? Shredded or sliced provolone cheese works well too!
- Chicken breasts are the best cut of chicken for this recipe. I don’t recommend using chicken thighs.
- Have a “wet” and a “dry” hand when breading the chicken. It’s easier to use one hand to dip the chicken into the dry ingredients (flour and breadcrumbs) and the other hand for the wet (beaten eggs). It helps to ensure the coating goes on the chicken, not your hands.
- If serving with spaghetti, you can toss the noodles with more marinara sauce or try 2 tablespoons of melted butter and the juice of half a lemon. This is a brighter, lighter flavor that’s delicious!
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Just note that if you go this route, I recommend freezing them in a single layer on a baking sheet until firm, then transferring them to a freezer bag with parchment paper separating each cutlet. Allow the chicken to defrost overnight in the fridge before baking. You can separate the cutlets first for faster thawing if desired.
Make sure your oil and skillet are hot so the breading gets golden brown (thus crispy!). If you’re prepping ahead, let the chicken pieces cool on a wire rack after draining on a paper towel for a few minutes to prevent condensation from causing the breading to get soggy. Only add the sauce right before you are ready to bake. If storing, let the chicken cool entirely to room temperature before transferring it to a storage container to prevent condensation from forming in the container.
Reheat them on a baking sheet in the oven at 400°F for 10 to 15 minutes or in the air fryer at 350°F for 5 to 10 minutes.
If you know you won’t be serving all of the chicken parmesan the day you make it, don’t top all of the cutlets and instead store the elements separately. Then, assemble and bake as directed.
If you’ve tried this Chicken Parmesan recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
