The Best Homemade Chicken Parmesan Recipe Everyone Will Love

Comfort meets simplicity in this mouthwatering easy chicken parmesan recipe that delivers restaurant-quality flavor right from your kitchen.

Golden-brown chicken breasts draped in melted cheese create a classic Italian-American favorite anyone can master.

The crispy exterior gives way to tender, juicy meat that sparks instant delight.

Weeknight dinners just got a delicious upgrade with minimal effort and maximum satisfaction.

Perfectly seasoned breadcrumbs and marinara sauce turn ordinary chicken into an extraordinary meal.

Each bite promises a harmonious blend of crunchy, savory goodness that will have everyone asking for seconds.

Get ready to become the culinary hero of your dining table with this foolproof chicken parmesan that’s sure to impress.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Calories: 525 kcal

Servings: 5

Ingredients for Chicken Parmesan

• Chicken Breasts or Chicken Cutlets: Lean protein that forms the heart of the dish, selecting fresh cuts with minimal fat ensures tender and juicy results.

• Whole Wheat Flour: Provides a light initial coating that helps eggs and breading adhere perfectly to the chicken.
• Large Eggs: Acts as a crucial binding agent to help breadcrumbs stick and create a golden, crispy exterior.
• Whole Wheat Bread Crumbs: Adds delightful crunch and nutty flavor, choosing unseasoned allows for more flavor control.
• Parmesan Cheese: Introduces rich, salty depth to the breading mixture, enhancing overall taste profile.

• Dried Basil, Dried Parsley: Infuse herbal aromatics into the breading, bringing Mediterranean-inspired brightness.
• Black Pepper: Provides subtle heat and complexity to the breading mixture.
• Mozzarella Cheese: Melts into a creamy, stretchy topping that adds luxurious texture.
• Marinara Sauce: Delivers tangy, robust tomato base that complements the crispy chicken perfectly.

Tool Checklist for Chicken Parmesan

• Baking Sheet: Large, flat pan for even baking and easy chicken placement.
• Meat Tenderizer: Essential for pounding chicken to uniform thickness.
• Plastic Wrap: Prevents mess and helps flatten chicken evenly.
• Shallow Bowls (3): Needed for breading station with flour, eggs, and bread crumb mixture.
• Measuring Cups: For precise ingredient measurements.
• Whisk: Perfect for beating eggs smoothly.
• Cheese Grater: Optional for fresh parmesan and mozzarella if using block cheese.
• Spatula or Tongs: Helpful for flipping chicken during baking.

How to Make Chicken Parmesan

• Chicken Preparation

Slice chicken breasts horizontally, creating thin, even cutlets. Gently flatten the meat to ensure uniform cooking and tenderness.

• Breading Setup

Create a three-stage coating process using flour, whisked eggs, and a seasoned crumb mixture with herbs and cheese.

• Coating Technique

Carefully dredge each chicken piece through the flour, egg, and seasoned crumb layers, ensuring complete and even coverage.

• Oven Magic

Bake the coated chicken in a hot oven, allowing the exterior to become golden and crispy while maintaining juicy inner meat.

• Cheesy Finish

Top the baked chicken with rich marinara sauce and melty cheese, then quickly broil until the cheese turns bubbly and slightly browned.

• Serving Suggestions

Present the chicken alongside pasta or a fresh green salad, creating a delightful and satisfying meal that feels like a restaurant-quality dish at home.

Flavor Boosters for Chicken Parmesan

• Crispy Coating Tricks: Crush crackers or panko breadcrumbs for extra crunch. Use seasoned bread crumbs to boost flavor complexity and create a more robust exterior that stays crispy longer.
• Make-Ahead Magic: Prepare breaded chicken cutlets up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate. Store uncooked breaded cutlets between parchment paper layers to prevent sticking, which helps streamline meal preparation.
• Healthier Swap Options: Replace traditional flour with almond flour for a gluten-free version. Swap whole wheat breadcrumbs with crushed cornflakes or gluten-free alternatives to accommodate different dietary needs without sacrificing texture.
• Sauce and Cheese Variations: Experiment with different marinara styles like spicy arrabbiata or roasted garlic sauce. Try provolone or fontina cheese instead of mozzarella for unexpected flavor profiles that elevate the classic dish.
• Leftover Transformation: Slice cold Chicken Parmesan for incredible sandwiches. Chop and toss into salads or pasta for quick meal repurposing, ensuring zero food waste and maximum deliciousness.

How to Present Chicken Parmesan

• Pasta Paradise: Serve this golden chicken parmesan over a bed of al dente spaghetti or fettuccine, letting the marinara sauce create delicious flavor harmony with your perfectly crispy cutlets.
• Salad Sidekick: Pair the chicken with a fresh arugula salad dressed in light lemon vinaigrette, adding a zesty and crisp complement to the rich, cheesy chicken.
• Italian Plating Magic: Arrange the chicken on a rustic platter, sprinkle fresh chopped basil, add a side of garlic bread, and create a stunning restaurant-style presentation that'll make everyone excited to dig in.
• Leftover Love: Transform remaining chicken parmesan into mouthwatering sandwiches by slicing the cutlets and placing them between crusty ciabatta bread with extra marinara and melted mozzarella.

Storage Tips for Chicken Parmesan

• Smart Portioning: Divide cooked chicken parmesan into individual servings using meal prep containers. Perfect for quick lunches or dinners throughout the week, these pre-portioned meals save time and reduce weeknight cooking stress.
• Refrigerator Strategy: Safely store leftover chicken parmesan in airtight containers for up to 3-4 days. Keep the crispy coating fresh by storing sauce separately and adding it just before reheating to maintain optimal texture and crunch.
• Freezer-Friendly Hack: Wrap individual uncooked breaded cutlets in plastic wrap, then place in freezer bags. These can be stored frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake directly from chilled state, adding a few extra minutes to cooking time.
• Reheating Wisdom: Revive refrigerated chicken parmesan in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes to restore crispiness. Avoid microwave reheating, which can make the breading soggy and compromise the delightful crunchy exterior.

Creamy Chicken Parmesan Recipe

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4.5 from 9 reviews

• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Yield: 5 1x

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Description

Savory chicken parmesan brings Italian-American culinary magic to dinner tables with crispy breaded chicken topped in rich marinara and melted cheese. Homemade comfort emerges quickly, inviting you to savor delicious layers of flavor in each satisfying bite.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1.5 lbs (680 g) chicken breasts (about 3 large chicken breasts) OR 1.5 lbs (680 g) chicken cutlets
• 1.5 cups marinara sauce
• 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs, unseasoned
• ½ cup whole wheat flour
• ½ cup parmesan cheese
• 2 tsps dried basil
• 2 tsps dried parsley
• ¼ tsp pepper

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Instructions

1. Preparation: Slice chicken breasts horizontally and gently pound between plastic wrap to create 6 thin, uniform cutlets roughly ¼ inch thick.
2. Coating Setup: Arrange three seasoning stations – whole wheat flour, whisked eggs, and a fragrant blend of bread crumbs, parmesan, ground pepper, dried basil, and parsley.
3. Breading Process: Coat each chicken cutlet by dredging in flour, dipping in egg wash, and thoroughly rolling in the herbed bread crumb mixture to ensure complete coverage.
4. Baking Technique: Place breaded cutlets on a parchment-lined baking sheet with spacing for optimal heat circulation, then roast in a preheated 425°F oven for 15 minutes.
5. Browning and Finishing: Flip cutlets to achieve golden-brown crispiness, continue baking for an additional 15 minutes, then top with marinara sauce and shredded mozzarella.
6. Final Touch: Broil briefly until cheese melts into a bubbling, golden layer, creating a delectable topping for the crispy chicken cutlets.
7. Serving Suggestion: Plate the cheesy chicken cutlets over pasta or alongside a fresh salad for a complete and satisfying meal.

Notes

• Slice and Pound Precisely: Create uniform chicken cutlets by slicing horizontally and gently pounding to ¼ inch thickness for even cooking.
• Create Organized Coating Stations: Set up three distinct seasoning areas with whole wheat flour, whisked eggs, and herbed bread crumb mixture for perfect breading.
• Dredge with Technique: Coat chicken by systematically moving through flour, egg wash, and bread crumb mixture, ensuring complete and even coverage.
• Bake for Golden Perfection: Roast at 425°F, flipping halfway through to achieve crispy, golden-brown exterior with juicy interior.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Dinner, Lunch
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 5
• Calories: 525
• Sugar: 5 g
• Sodium: 850 mg
• Fat: 22 g
• Saturated Fat: 10 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 44 g
• Fiber: 4 g
• Protein: 43 g
• Cholesterol: 165 mg