Chicken Parmesan
If you are looking for a delicious and easy-to-make dinner the whole family will love, our Chicken Parmesan recipe is for you!
Juicy, tender, and crispy breaded chicken is baked to perfection in flavorful tomato sauce and topped with Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese!
What could be better than breaded chicken? It’s got great texture and flavor and is topped with gooey melted cheese! Simple, homemade, and delicious!
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CROCKPOT LASAGNA – This easy recipe combines flavorful meat sauce, creamy Ricotta cheese, and gooey Mozzarella, all layered between tender lasagna noodles.
Take it from somebody who has worked in the restaurant business for a long time, Chicken Parmesan is an easy, delicious comfort food.
But you don’t need to make a restaurant reservation to enjoy this dish. This is an easy recipe and a great homemade meal.
Chicken Parmesan Recipe Highlights
EASY – This is the best Chicken Parmesan recipe if you are looking for a super cheesy and really easy-to-make version of this restaurant classic. The secret is that you can easily make this recipe in your kitchen. And you don’t need to be a 5-star chef!
INGREDIENTS – You only need 7 ingredients plus your favorite pasta. And chances are you don’t even have to go to the supermarket. Chicken, eggs, parmesan, mozzarella cheese, olive oil, and breadcrumbs are all you need to make this super simple dish.
PARTY FOOD – Chicken Parmesan makes excellent party food. I worked in catering for 15 years, and it’s been consistently one of the most beloved dinner items. It holds up very well in a chafing dish.
Ingredient Notes
Please check the recipe card below for a detailed, printable ingredient list.
CHICKEN – Chicken breasts work very well and are what I recommend. But you can also use chicken tenders. However, you won’t be able to butterfly those, so instead, use the meat tenderizer to flatten them.
BREAD CRUMBS – I highly recommend using Panko bread crumbs because you will end up with crispier chicken cutlets. But if all you have is plain bread crumbs, go ahead and use those.
CHEESE – To create this extra cheesy recipe, we’ll use both Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cut half of the mozzarella into thin slices (try to get between 6 and 9 slices) and grate the remaining cheese. Grate the parmesan cheese.
EGGS – Use two large eggs and whisk them in a shallow bowl beforehand.
BREADCRUMBS – I highly recommend using Panko breadcrumbs.
I recently made this recipe with plain breadcrumbs. It still tasted nice. But trust me, there’s a world of difference between panko-crusted chicken and a plain breadcrumb-crusted chicken. The panko crust is crispier and simply more delicious.
PASTA SAUCE – Use your favorite tomato pasta sauce for this recipe. Marinara or Tomato and Basil are some delicious choices. Over the last few years, we’ve been partial to Roasted Garlic Tomato Sauce, which is simply divine.
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AIR FRYER CHICKEN CUTLETS
Try our air fryer chicken cutlet recipe. Yes, you could combine the two recipes!
Variations
FLOUR – When it’s time to bread the chicken, you can add a step and first dredge the chicken in all-purpose flour, shake off the excess, bathe it in the egg mixture, and then add it to the parmesan bread crumb mix.
But I have found that this step isn’t necessary for this recipe. A simple egg wash before dipping it in the panko-breadcrumb mix is the method I recommend.
How To Make This Chicken Parmesan Recipe
Please check the printable recipe card below for more detailed instructions.
- BUTTERFLY chicken, tenderize with a meat mallet, and season with salt and black pepper.
- DIP chicken in egg wash and cover with parmesan-panko breadcrumb mixture.
- FRY the chicken in olive oil until golden brown on each side.
- TRANSFER the chicken to a casserole dish. Add your favorite tomato sauce (we love this one).
- TOP with fresh Mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
- BAKE on the middle rack for 15 minutes at 450º Fahrenheit. Serve over pasta.
Optional: Garnish with fresh basil.
NOTE: As with all chicken recipes, make sure that the chicken has an internal temperature of at least 165º Fahrenheit.
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Storage
STORE – If you’re wondering how long Chicken Parmesan lasts, here’s the quick answer. If you place the leftovers in an airtight container and store them in the fridge, they will last up to 3 days.
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Repurposing Leftovers
Use the leftover Chicken Parm to make a delicious Chicken Parmesan Sandwich.
To make this most delicious sandwich, reheat the chicken. Slice and lightly toast your favorite sandwich bread (try focaccia bread!). Add the chicken and top with a few basil leaves. Simply divine.
FREEZE – If you’re wondering if you can freeze-cooked Chicken Parmesan. The simple answer is yes.
Freezer Method 1 – I recommend freezing the fried chicken without the sauce and cheese if you make a larger batch of fried chicken. Place into a freezer-safe container or bag. It will last up to three months in the freezer.
Freezer Method 2 – If you want to freeze leftovers, you can do it. Wrap the cooked chicken cutlets (including sauce and cheese) with plastic wrap. Then, wrap the plastic chicken cutlet in aluminum foil and place it in a freezer-safe bag.
Opinion: I don’t recommend the freezer method 2. It’s a bit messy, and chances are you will be disappointed once you reheat the chicken.
REHEAT
- IN THE OVEN – The best way to reheat Chicken Parm is in the oven. Preheat the oven to 300º Fahrenheit. Place in an oven-safe dish, cover with aluminum foil, and reheat for about 8-10 minutes.
- ON THE STOVETOP– Place the chicken, sauce, and cheese in a large skillet and reheat over medium heat.
- MICROWAVE – Place the chicken parmesan in a microwave-safe dish and select the reheat function. It will take 3-5 minutes to reheat, depending on your microwave.
- AIR FRYER – Preheat the air fryer to 325º Fahrenheit and place the chicken in the basket. Set the timer for 5 minutes.
What To Serve With Chicken Parmesan?
Spaghetti pasta is the classic, but you can serve it over any pasta.
If you’re looking for a fun twist on classic spaghetti pasta, you serve it over a side of Spätzle.
A side of garlic bread is delicious with this dinner! Some might even say it’s a must. 😉
If you’re looking for a side salad, try our chopped Tomato Salad or Oma’s German Cucumber Salad. Both are easy and delicious options.
And if you’re looking to add some veggies, try serving it with a side of Broccoli or Cauliflower.
Chicken Parmesan Recipe
Ingredients
- 16 ounces pasta spaghetti, fettuccini, linguini or a pasta of your choice
Breaded Chicken Cutlets
- 1 – 1½ pound chicken breast cut lengthwise in half (butterfly)
- salt and pepper enough to season both sides of each chicken breast
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 1 cup parmesan cheese grated, divided (½ breading, ½ cheese topping)
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
Frying
- ¼-⅓ cup olive oil extra virgin
For the Sauce
- 24 ounces Pasta Sauce or your favorite pasta sauce
- 8 ounces Mozzarella cheese cut into 6-9 thin slices, grate remaining mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
PREP
- Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain, cover, and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 450º Fahrenheit.
- Cut 6-9 thin slices of Mozzarella cheese. Grate the remaining Mozzarella. Set aside. Grate 1 cup of Parmesan cheese. ½ cup for the breading and ½ cup to sprinkle on the marinara sauce.
- Prepare two shallow dishes. The first dish is for the eggs. Use a fork to beat the eggs lightly.In the second dish, combine ½ cup of Parmesan and breadcrumbs.
BREAD
- Butterfly the chicken. Cover with plastic foil and pound with a meat tenderizer (or a rolling pin) until the slices are thin and tender. Season each side with salt and pepper.
- Dip each slice of chicken into the egg wash. Make sure the chicken is fully coated. Transfer the chicken into the bowl with the Parmesan-panko breadcrumb mixture and coat well.
FRY
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Once hot, transfer the chicken into the frying pan. Cook until golden brown on both sides. About 3-5 minutes per side.
ASSEMBLE
- Use 2-3 tablespoons of pasta sauce and spread it across a 9×13-inch casserole dish.
- Transfer the fried chicken to the casserole dish and coat it with the remaining pasta sauce. Top with mozzarella slices. Sprinkle with the remaining grated Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
BAKE
- Bake the chicken for 15 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Serve the Chicken Parmesan over pasta. Optional: Garnish with fresh basil and enjoy.
Equipment
Video
Notes
Nutritional Information
Nutritional Disclaimer
Cheerful Cook team members are not trained nutritionists or medical professionals. Calorie information and nutritional values are estimates. If you have nutritional concerns, we recommend using a nutritional calculator.
Maike Corbett is the founder and food blogger of Cheerful Cook, a popular recipe website featuring comfort food recipes from the US and Germany. She has been featured in numerous media outlets, including the AP Wire and MSN.
My sister made this and sent it home with me..it was fantastic! Love it will be making it…
Oh, yay. I’m so glad you guys enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing. 🙂
Do you have to use bread crumbs?it sounds delicious can’t wait to make it
Great question! I suppose you don’t have to. I’ve never made it without breadcrumbs but don’t see why it shouldn’t work as long as you are prepared that it is going to taste a little differently. But different doesn’t have to mean worse.
So, if you feel adventurous, you could try just season the chicken with salt and pepper and sauté it in olive oil beforehand. If you try it, please let us know how you liked it.
Can I prepare the chicken in the frying pan and bake later
Great question. Yes, you can! 🙂
Made this for my husband and grandson. It was soooo delicious. Definitely on my “can make this again” list.
Awe, I’m so excited you enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing. :-).
I love the layout of the recipe with the pictures and the bold text for each step.
The recipe was delicious as well. My family of four ate it right up
I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed the recipe. Thank you for sharing. You’ve made my day. 🙂
I used to make this The easy way with Chicken Nuggets. It was the kids favorite and was polished off in nothing flat. Thanks for reminding me of this family favorite. I hadn’t made it for ages.
That’s a great idea for a shortcut. I’ll add that as a suggestion when the recipe gets updated. Thank you, Carole!
I love chicken parm but because of the time it took only made once a year, NOT anymore!! This is fantastic, quick and an absolute favorite in our house, thank you!!
Easy recipe, quick to make and delicious. Thank you Maike!
I’m so happy you enjoyed it! 🙂
The only thing that I did differently was to only use the minimum amount of sauce needed to cover the top of each browned piece of chicken. I wanted to save the remaining sauce to coat the cooked pasta.
This was better then any chicken Parm I’ve ever gotten from a restaurant. It looked even better then the pictures in the recipe. This dish is absolutely delicious and can feed a family of 4.
Great recipe…. At what point can you make this a freezer meal? Thanks I like to batch cook.
I loved this, I definitely will be making this again and again and again❣️
Delicious 😋
Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it, Amy.
I am planning to make this for a dinner party next week, wondering if you could make any of it in advance
Thanks
Yes, you can do some prep ahead of time. And I’m certain of that because it is a recipe we successfully used in catering for many years.
Here’s what I would suggest, though. Prep the chicken, meaning bread, sauté it and set put it in an airtight container. This is the part that takes the longest. Then on the day when you are ready to serve it, add the pasta sauce, breaded chicken, and cheese. You can do this a few hours beforehand. Lastly when it’s time to serve simply put the chicken parmesan in the oven.
Bonus Tip. If you are serving this buffet style, this recipe will keep very well in a chafing dish.
This is the best chicken Parmesan recipe! My extended family loved it.
This is my favorite chicken parm recipe; I was never a huge fan of the dish but now I’m a convert. Have been thinking of tweaking the process and before putting it in the oven, put the cooked pasta in the casserole dish first and then layer the chicken, cheese and sauce on top.
I think this would marry the flavors more. Will have more sauce on standby if needed. Wish me luck!
Thank you, Carol! That’s wonderful, I’m delighted you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you for sharing.
I made this recipe last night and it is very delicious! I have been making my late grandmother’s recipe for years but this recipe is far more delicious. The chicken was tender and juicy. I will add more sauce the next time. Definitely a great recipe and it will be made often in my home.
This was delicious! Will make again.
Yummy
I’ve made this for my family a couple weeks back. Complete hit! Everyone loved it including my 14mo g baby. In fact, we’ve decided to making it again tonight. Thanks for a great recipe.
So good! Made it for my 20th anniversary dinner! Big hit!
Congratulations!!! 20 years is amazing. 🎉 And yay, I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for sharing. 💖
When you listed the ingredients, you show 1 1/2 cups of parmesan cheese, but in the instructions it only shows 1 cup, divided into 2 equal amounts. I haven’t tried this recipe yet, but I plan to try it this weekend.
Thank you for catching our typo. I just updated the recipe card. Enjoy the recipe. 💖
My husband absolutely loved this, definitely will be making again.
VALENTINES DINNER , for family always awesome.
This recipe is a fave now in my house! I use Raos Arrabbiata sauce… SO good!!!!
Thank you for sharing! I LOVE that Rao flavor, too. Also, Rao’s spaghetti is delicious, too.
This is a STAPLE for my husband and kids!!! They love it. I wish I could make it with the spaghetti in the casserole dish.
I hear you. That’s a good point but you might like this recipe I recently added. Crockpot Chicken Spaghetti.
Has become my favorite chicken parm recipe. Once you get organized, it comes together in a snap and is always delicious.
Tips for anyone: Next time I will include Italian seasoning on the chicken (more flavor), have more than 24oz of sauce, and make sure I grate/shred the parmesan cheese smaller to make coating the chicken easier. This was good, thanks.
The chicken blackened a bit in hot olive oil, but very tasty with the sauce and cheeses. I’ll lower the temperature and add a little butter. My sauce could have been spiced up a little also. I will make this again.
Very delicious! What is the best way to freeze leftovers
This recipe for Chicken Parmesan spaghetti it was so easy and perfect. It came out so good. Thank you for the recipe.
This was delicious, my husband and kids all loved it!
changes I made- season the chicken with salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder before breading and added those seasonings to the panko crumbs as well. I decided to put the cooked pasta mixed with sauce under the chicken before baking. Thanks for the great recipe 🙂