How to Make Homemade Chicken Parmesan

This easy chicken Parmesan recipe features lightly fried chicken breasts topped with a simple marinara and melty golden brown cheese.

This recipe is brought to you by Kroger

Comfort food Italian classics like spaghetti with meat sauce, chicken piccata, and lasagna are the stuff of red and white checkered tablecloths and drippy candle dreams. This easy chicken Parmesan recipe may not be authentically Sicilian, or even red-blooded-Italian. But who cares about authenticity when something is this delicious? My version leans a bit healthier than the over-floured and fat-fried version of the past. Instead of deep-frying the chicken breast in a vat of oil, I lightly fry the chicken. A quick sear in just the smallest amount of oil and butter totally delivers the crust I want, to stand up to the saucy tomato and melty mozzarella this dish is known for. I also have a baked chicken Parmesan recipe you should check out, which is equally delicious!

Why You’ll Love It

• This chicken Parmesan is weeknight-friendly and comes together in just 30 minutes
• My version leans a bit healthy-ish since the chicken isn’t deep-fried
• This is not a dish that requires a long-simmering, deep-bodied, red-wine-soaked sauce. I keep things simple and make a super easy stove-top tomato sauce or simple roasted tomato basil sauce

Chicken Parmesan Ingredients

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts—cut them in half lengthwise and pound them all the same thickness so they cook evenly. I prefer somewhere between ¼″ and ½″ but the thinner the better IMO.
• Flour—gets mixed with salt and pepper for breading
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper—I keep things simple for the breading, though you could add some dried oregano or garlic powder if you wanted
• Eggs—for egg wash (you can thin it out with a splash of water if you like)
• Store-bought Italian seasoned breadcrumbs—I buy the Kroger brand at my local Smiths Marketplace—and then toss it with finely grated Parmesan cheese from the Murray’s Cheese Shop deli case to lighten it up. Sometimes I’ll toss or use panko bread crumbs too. Whatever is in the cupboard is my goal!
• Tomato or marinara sauce—don’t overcomplicate it; a simple marinara, super easy stove-top tomato sauce, or roasted tomato basil sauce is all you need.
• Oil and butter—for lightly frying the chicken (I use a combination of oil and butter for the best flavor and a higher smoke point)
• Fresh mozzarella slices and grated Parmesan cheese—because duh, melty mozzarella cheese and more PARMESAN. I mean, it’s called CHICKEN PARMESAN for a reason!
• Fresh basil—for flavor and color

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

Pro-Tip: I make my red sauce ahead of time and keep it frozen in gallon freezer bags so I can pull them out and use them at any time. That’s what makes this meal so meal-prep friendly: Having a batch of homemade tomato sauce on hand or using a high-quality brand from the grocery store.

How to Make Chicken Parmesan

• Cut and tenderize your chicken breasts. Slice the breasts in half lengthwise and pound them flat with a meat tenderizer. Drag the flattened chicken breasts first in some seasoned flour, then beaten eggs, and finally Italian bread crumbs.
• Lightly fry the chicken. Working in batches, sear the chicken on both sides in a hot skillet with butter and oil.
• Sauce, cheese, and bake. Once golden brown, ladle warm marinara sauce over the chicken then top with cheese. Pop the skillet into the oven to finish cooking the chicken and melt the cheese.
• Top and serve. Garnish with fresh basil and more Parmesan.

Kitchen Tools for This Recipe

• Meat tenderizer for pounding the chicken to the right thickness
• Large cast-iron skillet for frying. This is my favorite, it’s an investment but you’ll have it forever!
• Meat thermometer for checking the doneness of the chicken. The chicken does most of its cooking in the oven. How long it takes (roughly 10-12 minutes) depends on the thickness of your chicken. Use a meat thermometer and when it hits an internal temp of 165°F, it’s done!

FAQ and Recipe Tips

• How do you get breading to stick to chicken Parmesan? A simple egg wash will help the breadcrumb mixture adhere to the chicken with no issue.
• Should you use olive oil or vegetable oil for chicken Parmesan? When searing the chicken, I like to use both canola oil (for its high smoke point) and a pat of butter (for its flavor) to cook the cutlets. The combination of both makes it so the skillet doesn’t get that weird burned element that can happen when sautéeing.
• Make sure not to overcrowd the skillet when searing the chicken. If you add too many cutlets to the skillet, you’ll wind up partially steaming them rather than searing them. It’s best to cook them in batches.
• Chicken Parmesan is best enjoyed right away. If you wind up with leftovers, I suggest reheating them in the oven. Avoid using the microwave to reheat homemade Chicken Parmesan as it’ll make the breadcrumb coating soggy and chewy.

What to Serve with Chicken Parmesan

• Killer Garlic Rolls
• The BEST Garlic Bread
• Citrus Fennel and Avocado Salad
• Easy Buttered Parmesan Noodles
• Easy 5-Minute Parmesan Zucchini
• Caesar Salad with Garlic Croutons
• Easy Creamed Swiss Chard with Garlicky Bread Crumbs

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.

4.67 from 9 votes

How to Make Homemade Chicken Parmesan

This super easy, 30-minute chicken parmesan delivers flavorful, juicy chicken breasts with a crunchy, mozzarella-pulled bite in every tomato-sauced plate.

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Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword chicken parmesan

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 388kcal

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2-3 cups prepared Marinara or roasted tomato sauce
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Fresh basil leaves , if desired
• 2 tablespoons canola or grapeseed oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese , thinly sliced

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Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425°F.
• Use a sharp, thin knife to slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise and place the chicken between 2 pieces of plastic wrap then pound with the flat side of a meat tenderizer to about ¼ inch thickness.
• Pour the marinara or tomato sauce into a pot, and warm over medium heat until heated through then reduce to a simmer.
• Pour the flour into a shallow bowl and season with the kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. In another shallow bowl, whisk the eggs. And in another shallow bowl, toss the bread crumbs with the Parmesan cheese.
• Place a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat and heat the oil and butter until hot but not smoking and the butter has melted. Working with one chicken breast at a time, dredge the chicken cutlet in the flour, shake off the excess, and dip lightly but evenly into the egg wash and let the extra egg drip off and place the cutlet in the bread crumbs, gently patting the crumbs into the chicken cutlet. Set each of the cutlets aside.
• Working in batches, add the cutlets to the skillet but be careful not to overcrowd it. Cook on each side until lightly browned, about 3-4 minutes each, or until golden and crisped.
• Ladle the marinara sauce around and over the chicken cutlets. Top with slices of the mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the cheese has melted. Garnish with fresh basil and more Parmesan.

Notes

While you could easily use grated mozzarella cheese in this dish, a fresh mozzarella really delivers the unctious cheese pull this crispy chicken dinner is known for. Nestle the chicken breasts in the tomato sauce and don't be shy with the cheese!

Nutrition

Calories: 388kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 143mg | Sodium: 1197mg | Potassium: 702mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 650IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 225mg | Iron: 2mg

More Easy Italian Recipes You’ll Love

• Baked Sausage and Cheese Rigatoni
• The Cheesiest Spinach and Cheese Lasagna
• Homemade Pesto Pasta
• Slow Cooker Tortellini Soup with Sausage and Kale
• 30-Minute Pork Scallopini with Lemons and Capers
• Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore 

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This recipe is brought to you by Kroger. As always, thank you for reading and supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. There may be affiliate links in this post of which I receive a small commission. All opinions are always my own.