Easy Chicken Parmesan

Chicken Parmesan is classic comfort food dinner. Crispy breaded chicken topped with marinara and fresh mozzarella cheese is ready in less than an hour. It starts on the stove and finishes in the oven for a delicious dinner.

I’m a fan of chicken parmesan with all the tomato sauce, crispy breaded chicken and topping of melted cheese. More often than not, I’ll order it at our favorite local Italian place but it’s one of my favorite chicken dishes to make at home, too.

I’ve made different ways over the years but this version – a stovetop/oven combo – is my favorite way. The chicken is first pan-fried to get that nice crispy coating and then baked so the chicken is nice and juicy on the inside.

Even better, you don’t need a ton of oil for this recipe – the breaded chicken is pan-fried in a some olive oil instead of deep-fried. It has that delicious crispy coating all great chicken parmesan recipes should have, but made easy.

There are some steps involved, but none of them are complicated or stress-inducing. And, believe me, the effort is worth it in the end. It takes about 45ish minutes so it might not be a go-to weeknight dinner, but this chicken parm is definitely a weekend favorite – especially if you add some garlic toast and a glass of wine on the side.

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Ingredients

• All-purpose flour
• Italian seasoning
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• Large eggs
• Breadcrumbs
• Panko breadcrumbs
• Grated parmesan cheese
• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Olive oil
• Jarred marinara sauce
• Sliced fresh mozzarella cheese
• Chopped fresh basil for garnish

How to Bread the Chicken

Combine the flour, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. In a separate shallow bowl, whisk the eggs. In a third bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, panko, Italian seasoning, and Parmesan cheese.

Slice each chicken breast in half lengthwise and pound each with a meat mallet so they are approximately 1/4″ thick. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

Lightly coat each chicken breast starting with the flour, then dip it in the beaten egg (let any excess egg drip off), and then coat in the breadcrumbs and panko mixture. Repeat with each chicken breast.

How to Cook Chicken Parmesan

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Place the breaded chicken breasts in a single layer in the skillet.

Cook them for 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until they are lightly crispy and golden brown. The chicken doesn’t need to be cooked all the way through – it will finish in the oven. Just pan-fry it for a few minutes to get the breading crispy.

Place the breaded chicken in a single layer in the prepared baking dish. Bake them for 15 to 17 minutes at 350°F.

Spoon the marinara sauce over the top of the chicken and add the sliced mozzarella cheese.

Bake the chicken parmesan for another five to seven minutes and then turn the oven to broil so the cheese can melt. Keep an eye on it and once the cheese is completely melted and golden in spots, take the baking pan out of the oven.

Cool the chicken parmesan for about five minutes at room temperature and then garnish with the basil before serving.

Recipe Tips

It really helps to have everything ready and prepped before you start – so get your breading bowls ready, prep the chicken, and have the baking dish ready.

For the chicken, don’t skip the pounding part. The easiest way is to place the chicken breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap and them pound them with a meat mallet. It doesn’t take long and it’s a great stress release that’s cheaper than therapy.

Not sure if your chicken is done? Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature – it should be 165°F.

Ways to Serve It

• Pasta is the obvious side and my personal favorite. I like spaghetti, bucatini, or penne. You can boil the pasta while the chicken is in the oven and serve it with extra sauce.
• Or, instead of pasta, try serving your chicken parmesan over rice or potatoes.
• It’s also great on its own with some roasted broccoli or a crisp green salad. If you really want to lighten things up, try some zucchini noodles on the side.

Did you know there’s a weekend coming up soon? You should totally make this baked chicken parmesan – it won’t disappoint, I promise.

Happy cooking,

More Favorite Dinner Recipes

• Slow Cooker Bolognese
• Breaded Baked Chicken
• Baked Pasta with Sausage
• Creamy White Mac and Cheese

📣 Do you love this recipe? I would love to know! Leave a comment below the recipe along with your recipe star rating.

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The nutrition is an estimate only. It was calculated using Nutrifox, an online nutrition calculator.

Recipe, post, and photos updated from the archives. First published in April 2016.