Description
This classic Chicken Parmesan recipe features tender, breaded chicken breasts topped with marinara sauce, melted mozzarella, and parmesan cheese. The chicken is lightly pan-fried to a golden crisp before being baked to perfection. It’s an easy, comforting Italian-American dish that’s perfect for a family dinner or impressing guests, served best over spaghetti noodles with fresh basil garnish.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half horizontally to make 6 breast halves
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 cup Italian style bread crumbs or panko
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons oil
Sauce and Cheese
- 24 ounces marinara sauce or homemade
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Garnish
- Fresh basil leaves for serving
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F to get ready for baking the assembled chicken Parmesan.
- Butterfly Chicken: Place one hand on top of each chicken breast and carefully slice horizontally through the center to create two even, thin breast halves per breast.
- Season Chicken: Pat each chicken half dry with paper towels and season both sides thoroughly with salt and pepper.
- Prepare Coatings: In a shallow bowl, beat the 2 eggs well. In another shallow bowl, combine the panko, Italian style bread crumbs, half of the grated Parmesan cheese, and garlic powder, mixing until evenly combined.
- Dredge Chicken: Dip each chicken piece first into the egg mixture, allowing any excess to drip off, then press firmly into the breadcrumb mixture, coating both sides thoroughly.
- Pan Fry Chicken: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the breaded chicken pieces and cook for about 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown but not fully cooked through.
- Assemble for Baking: Spoon a thin layer of marinara sauce into the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking pan to cover it. Arrange the breaded chicken pieces evenly on top of the sauce.
- Add Sauce and Cheese: Spoon a generous spoonful of marinara sauce over each piece of chicken, then sprinkle each with shredded mozzarella and the remaining Parmesan cheese.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly browned, and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from oven, garnish with fresh chopped basil leaves, and serve hot. This dish pairs beautifully with cooked spaghetti noodles and extra marinara sauce if desired.
Notes
- This Chicken Parmesan recipe delivers restaurant-quality flavor with a crispy breadcrumb coating and rich melted cheeses.
- Using a mix of panko and Italian style bread crumbs adds extra crunch and flavor.
- Make sure not to overcook the chicken in the skillet; it finishes cooking in the oven to stay juicy.
- Fresh basil adds a bright, aromatic finish to the dish and enhances the Italian flavors.
- Serve over pasta or your choice of side to complete the meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 378 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 1092 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.04 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 113 mg
