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Chicken Parmesan

September 13, 2024

Covered in classic marinara and bubbly, mozzarella cheese, our chicken Parmesan recipe is simply the best.

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homemade chicken parmesan on a plate with marinara, basil and fresh mozzarella

Chicken Parmesan — or Chicken Parm, as true devotees casually call it — is the king of Italian-American comfort foods. But if you’ve only ever eaten it in a restaurant, you’ve just got to try making it at home because it’s SO much more delicious. Juicy chicken breast, sliced into thin cutlets and fried to crispy perfection are coated in marinara sauce and topped with fresh mozzarella cheese, then baked to perfection. All that crisp crust and pooling melted cheese, salty Parm, and marinara sauce—it’s impossible to get a bite from that pan of baked chicken parm that’s anything less than insanely delicious. For more classic Italian chicken recipes, check out our Chicken Cacciatore.

ingredients for chicken parmesan, marinara, panko, bread crumbs, flour, basil, mozzarella, eggs, salt, pepper, olive oil

Chicken Parm Ingredients

  • Chicken breasts. You’ll ‘butterfly’ these, which means cutting them in half horizontally until they’re almost sliced entirely through, and then you’ll cut each chicken breast into six thin cutlets.

  • Marinara sauce. Homemade marinara is terrific here — we’ve got a 20-minute Marinara Sauce Recipe — but it’s totally OK to use a jarred marinara sauce if you just need your chicken Parm ASAP!

  • Mozzarella cheese. Fresh mozzarella is our pick here. Some chicken Parmesan recipes use a variety of Italian cheese (like provolone), but when we can use fresh mozzarella, it’s our very favorite. It’s so milky and melts nicely.

  • Fresh basil. Fried chicken cutlets covered in cheese really do need a little herbal lift, and basil is perfect!

  • Flour. Flour is the first thing that you’ll dredge the cutlets in, and it will help the egg and breadcrumb mixture stick.

  • Eggs. Eggs will help the breadcrumbs stick to the cutlets.

  • Panko and regular breadcrumbs. Why both? Because nothing makes crispy crust like panko, but we also love the hearty way that the regular, heavier breadcrumbs coat the entire chicken.

  • Parmesan cheese. The “Parm” in Chicken Parm, it’s obviously a must. As always, it’s best if you buy a hunk of Parmesan cheese and grate it yourself.

  • Garlic powder. Just a hint of garlic!

  • Italian seasoning. Herby and good, to emphasize what the herbs in the marinara sauce, and ensure that every bite of chicken Parmesan is delicious.

  • Extra-virgin olive oil. We fry the chicken in olive oil because it adds so much flavor to the finished chicken.
beaten eggs, flour, panko, bread crumbs, and chicken breasts seasoned with salt and pepper in bowls to bread the chicken
beaten eggs, flour, panko, bread crumbs, and chicken breasts seasoned with salt and pepper in bowls to bread the chicken
2 breaded chicken filets in a skillet frying in olive oil
pan fried breaded chicken breast on a baking sheet

How To Cook Chicken Parmesan

  1. Cut the chicken breasts into cutlets by carefully slicing them in half horizontally. You want them thin, so that they cook really evenly.

  2. Prep your chicken dredging station by lining up three shallow dishes, pie plates, or even small baking pans. Fill one with beaten egg, one with a combination of panko, bread crumbs & parmesan cheese, and one with flour.

  3. Season the chicken! Sprinkle the chicken cutlets with garlic powder, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning.

  4. Time to dredge! Coat the chicken cutlets entirely — like, every nook and cranny! — with flour, then egg, then the Parmesan-panko-breadcrumbs mixture.

  5. Fry the chicken cutlets in olive oil for two minutes per side.

  6. Assemble! Put the crispy fried chicken on a baking sheet, top each chicken piece with tomato sauce and cheese.

  7. Bake the chicken Parmesan until the chicken is done and the cheese is melty and bubbly.

pan fried breaded chicken breast on a baking sheet topped with marinara
pan fried breaded chicken breast on a baking sheet topped with marinara and mozzarella
pan fried breaded chicken breast then baked topped with marinara and mozzarella on a baking sheet
pan fried breaded chicken breast then baked topped with marinara and mozzarella and sprinkled with basil on a baking sheet

How To Keep Chicken Parm From Being Soggy

  • Coat every nook and cranny of your chicken with the breading, so that there’s plenty of crust to crisp!

  • When you fry the chicken, don’t overcrowd the pan! Fry the breaded cutlets in batches so that each one gets really nice and crispy.

  • Don’t overdo the sauce. You want to top the crispy chicken cutlets with just a little sauce on top, not so much sauce that it pools under the chicken as it bakes — that’ll make your chicken Parm soggy for sure.

  • Slice the mozzarella thinly! Fresh mozzarella has a lot of moisture, so it could make your chicken Parmesan a little soggy if your slices are too thick.

oven baked chicken parmesan with marinara, mozzarella, basil and red pepper flakes

Serving Suggestions

While you can serve chicken Parmesan over pasta—that’s classic, and always delicious—you can also serve it as meaty, cheesy main dish with a few well-chosen side dishes. We love to serve chicken Parmesan with:

homemade chicken parmesan on a plate with marinara, basil and fresh mozzarella
homemade chicken parmesan on a plate with marinara, basil and fresh mozzarella with a fork and knife

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Chicken Parmesan

  • Serves:  6
  • Prep Time:  20 min
  • Cook Time:  25 min
  • Calories:  488

Ingredients

  • 3 large eggs
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • ⅓ cup plain breadcrumbs
  • ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 3 large chicken breasts, butterflied, then cut into 6 cutlets
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce
  • 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced into 12 thin slices
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
  • Red pepper flakes, optional

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 400° F with a rack in the center position.

    ingredients for chicken parmesan, marinara, panko, bread crumbs, flour, basil, mozzarella, eggs, salt, pepper, olive oil
  2. Grab three shallow bowls, or rimmed plates, large enough to fit your chicken breast. In one bowl beat the eggs until smooth. In the second bowl, place the flour. In the third bowl, combine the panko, breadcrumbs and Parmesan.

    beaten eggs, flour, panko, bread crumbs, and chicken breasts seasoned with salt and pepper in bowls to bread the chicken
  3. In a small bowl mix together the garlic powder, sea salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Season the chicken all over with the seasoning. Using 1 chicken cutlet at a time, dredge in the flour and gently shake off excess, then dip in the egg, letting the excess drip off, then place in the bread crumb mixture, gently pressing to coat completely on both sides. Repeat with the remaining chicken cutlets.

    beaten eggs, flour, panko, bread crumbs, and chicken breasts seasoned with salt and pepper in bowls to bread the chicken
  4. Heat ¼ cup of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is glistening, add 3 chicken breast cutlets and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a baking sheet. Add the remaining ¼ cup oil and heat until glistening. Repeat the process with the remaining chicken and transfer to the baking sheet.

    2 breaded chicken filets in a skillet frying in olive oil
  5. Top each piece of chicken with ¼ cup of marinara sauce and 2 slices each of the mozzarella. Bake in the oven until the chicken is cooked through, and the cheese is melted, about 10-14 minutes. Chicken is done when the thickest part of the chicken reads 165°F with an instant read thermometer.

    pan fried breaded chicken breast on a baking sheet topped with marinara and mozzarella
  6. Garnish with basil, extra Parmesan, and red pepper flakes if using.

    homemade chicken parmesan on a plate with marinara, basil and fresh mozzarella with a fork and knife

Nutrition Info

  • Per Serving
  • Amount
  • Calories 488
  • Protein 30 g
  • Carbohydrates 18 g
  • Total Fat 33 g
  • Dietary Fiber 1 g
  • Cholesterol 137 mg
  • sodium 442 mg
  • Total Sugars 1 g

Chicken Parmesan

Questions & Reviews

Join the discussion below.

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  • Kristina

    Hi! Is it okay to use burrata instead of mozzarella? Thank you.

    Sure!

  • Brett

    Can you use chicken thighs instead of chicken breast?

    Sure, it will change the cook time so make sure it is 165F before eating.

  • Meeta

    Hi!! Can’t wait to try this :)

    Can I prep the chicken beforehand (like coat in the bread crumbs) and then cook in skillet and bake it when I’m ready to serve?

    I think you would lose the crispness of the breading. I would personally not make the chicken ahead of time.

  • Alex

    I love this recipe. I’ve made it many times and it never disappoints. It’s so easy and always turns out amazing.

    Thanks Alex, so happy to hear it's a favorite!

  • Damien

    abosloutly stunning!!! i made this for the family and they were amased, I'm definitely planning to make this again. 10/10 would reccomend

    Thanks Damien! SO happy the whole family enjoyed!

  • T

    This was great!

    Thanks T!

  • Kay

    My husband has made this recipe a few times and it comes out so good! I’d even say foolproof. Classic and delicious!

    Thank you Kay, we are so happy you both enjoy it! Love to hear it's being repeated!

  • Jenn

    This was a family favorite!

    Yay, that's so great to hear!