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If you love the taste of crispy chicken, warm marinara sauce, and melty mozzarella cheese, then you will love this recipe. This is my Quick and Easy Chicken Parmesan– a better-for-you take on the classic Italian dish that comes together in under 30 minutes. It’s baked, not fried, giving it a healthier spin, but is still packed with all of the flavor that you know and love. Serve it over a bed of pasta, and you have the perfect, restaurant-quality dinner, ready in minutes.
Friends, if there is one dish that exemplifies comfort food, it is the classic Chicken Parmesan. I mean truly, is there anything better than it? Crispy, thin, breaded chicken breast topped with warm marinara sauce and stringy mozzarella cheese is a flavor combination made in heaven. But let’s be honest: a classic Chicken Parm can be a labor-intensive dish!
That’s where this recipe comes in. My version of Chicken Parmesan comes together in just under 30 minutes, making it a perfect dinner to whip up on a moment’s notice. Whether you’re looking to make dinner for a spontaneous date night, or are craving a restaurant-quality meal from home, you can’t go wrong with my Chicken Parm.
Plus, I love pairing this dish with a bed of cozy, comforting pasta. A simple pasta dish like my Spaghetti Aglio E Olio or my Simple Lemon Garlic Pasta perfectly cocoon this Chicken Parm for that truly perfect bite. Don’t believe me, yet? Run to your kitchen and make it for yourself. I promise, you’re going to LOVE it!
What You Need to Make This Classic, Comforting Recipe
- Chicken Breasts: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are the key to making the perfect chicken parmesan!
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper: A pinch of salt and pepper adds the perfect flavor to the chicken.
- Eggs: For the breadcrumbs to stick to the chicken breasts, you’ll first want to dredge them in an egg wash.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: Breadcrumbs are what gives the Chicken Parmesan its perfect, golden crust. If you want to make this recipe gluten-free, you can substitute gluten-free breadcrumbs instead.
- Italian Breadcrumbs: In addition to the panko breadcrumbs, you’ll also want to use Italian breadcrumbs. If you don’t have them, you can make your own by combining traditional breadcrumbs with some italian seasoning. It’s easy!
- Parmesan Cheese: After all, it wouldn’t be Chicken Parmesan without the parmesan cheese! Freshly grated parmesan cheese adds the best flavor to this recipe, so I highly recommend it.
- Cooking Spray: Pick your favorite cooking spray and use it in this recipe! I like to opt for a healthier cooking spray, such as olive oil spray or avocado oil spray.
- Marinara Sauce: Warm, hearty marinara sauce is a key ingredient in Chicken Parmesan. I like using Rao’s for the best flavor!
- Mozzarella Cheese: Shredded mozzarella cheese makes this dish perfectly cheesy. Don’t skip it!
- Fresh Parsley: I love to finish off this dish with a garnish of chopped fresh parsley, for both color and flavor.
How to Make This Hearty & Delicious Dinner in Under 20 Minutes
To make this chicken parmesan, start by preheating your oven to 425 F. Next, prepare the chicken breasts. Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel, then place them between sheets of plastic wrap and pound them thin, until they’re approximately 1/2 inch in thickness. Then, season them with the kosher salt and black pepper.
Next, crack the eggs into a small bowl and whisk them to combine. In a separate bowl, add the panko bread crumbs, italian bread crumbs, and parmesan cheese, and mix to combine. Coat the chicken breasts by first dipping them into the bowl with the egg wash, and then dipping them into the bowl with the bread crumbs. Repeat until both of the chicken breasts are fully coated in the breadcrumbs.
Then, transfer the coated chicken breasts to a baking sheet. Spray the tops of the chicken breasts with cooking spray, transfer them to the oven, and bake them for 15 minutes. While the chicken is baking, line a separate baking sheet with parchment paper and pour the marinara sauce on top.
Then, top with the shredded mozzarella cheese. Place the tray into the oven with the chicken and bake it for 8-10 minutes. If you want the cheese to be browned, you can broil it for just 1 minute at the end, but watch it carefully so that it doesn’t burn.
Once the time is up, remove the trays from the oven. Transfer the chicken breasts to a plate, then pour the marinara and cheese mixture on top. Garnish with fresh parsley (if desired) then serve and enjoy!
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new.
** Photography by Gayle McLeod
If you love the taste of crispy chicken, warm marinara sauce, and melty mozzarella cheese, then you will love this recipe. This is my Quick and Easy Chicken Parmesan- a better-for-you take on the classic Italian dish that comes together in under 30 minutes. It's baked, not fried, giving it a healthier spin, but is still packed with all of the flavor that you know and love. Serve it over a bed of pasta, and you have the perfect, restaurant-quality dinner, ready in minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast pounded thin – this is about 2 breasts
- 1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ½ Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 2 Eggs
- ⅓ Cup Panko Breadcrumbs
- ½ Cup Italian Breadcrumbs or, make your own by combining 1/2 cup of regular breadcrumbs with 1 tablespoon of italian seasoning
- ⅔ Cup Parmesan Cheese finely grates, plus more for garnishing
- Cooking Spray of choice
- 1 24 Ounce Jar Marinara Sauce
- 1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese shredded
- Fresh Parsley chopped – for garnishing (optional)
Instructions
- To make this chicken parmesan, start by preheating your oven to 425 F.
- Next, prepare the chicken breasts. Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel, then place them between sheets of plastic wrap and pound them thin, until they're approximately 1/2 inch in thickness. Then, season them with the kosher salt and black pepper.
- Next, crack the eggs into a small bowl and whisk them to combine.
- In a separate bowl, add the panko bread crumbs, italian bread crumbs, and parmesan cheese, and mix to combine.
- Coat the chicken breasts by first dipping them into the bowl with the egg wash, and then dipping them into the bowl with the bread crumbs. Repeat until both of the chicken breasts are fully coated in the breadcrumbs.
- Then, transfer the coated chicken breasts to a baking sheet.
- Spray the tops of the chicken breasts with cooking spray, transfer them to the oven, and bake them for 15 minutes.
- While the chicken is baking, line a separate baking sheet with parchment paper and pour the marinara sauce on top.
- Then, top with the shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Place the tray into the oven with the chicken and bake it for 8-10 minutes. If you want the cheese to be browned, you can broil it for just 1 minute at the end, but watch it carefully so that it doesn't burn.
- Once the time is up, remove the trays from the oven.
- Transfer the chicken breasts to a plate, then pour the marinara and cheese mixture on top.
- Garnish with fresh parsley (if desired) then serve and enjoy!
Did you make this recipe?
I’d love to see what you made – tag @kalejunkie
in your posts and I’ll re-share!
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WHAT DID YOU THINK?
Rate + Review
This recipe was excellent. I added red pepper seeds and Italian seasoning to the bread crumbs. After baking, added sauce from the pan along with Italian blend cheese then back in the oven for 6 minutes. Topped zucchini noodles with chicken and sauce for a delicious meal.
That sounds delicious, Cal! Thank you so much for making this recipe and for leaving such a kind review!
I had never made Parmesan chicken before, and I liked the way this turned out. Like another reviewer, I also heated the marinara sauce on the stovetop since my husband doesn’t like a lot of sauce. We each added the amount of sauce and cheese we wanted at the table.
I’m so glad that you enjoyed it, Loretta! Thank you so much for your review!
Me husband are I are obsessed with this one! I just search up this recipe to make for dinner tonight and thought I might as well leave a review since we are such fans! Thanks Kale Junkie!
I am so happy to hear that, patty! Thank you so much for all of your support, it truly means the world to me!
I cooked the chicken per the recipe. I then heated up the sauce on the stove. When the chicken was done, I pour a scoop of sauce over top of the chicken. I added a slice of Mozzarella cheese to the sauce. Put the tray back in the oven for 5 minutes.
It turned out delicious! I took a picture. There isn’t an option to add one
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Carole! Thank you so much for making this recipe and for your review!
Made this for my husband’s birthday this past Sunday, exactly according to instructions, and IT WAS AMAZING!! First, so much better than the mess of trying to fry the chicken–this was still so crispy that I didn’t even miss the fried flavor. I also made the Spaghetti alglio e olio to go with this dish and it was a match made in heaven. SO GOOD! And so perfect for a chicken parm loving husband! 5 stars! (Also every recipe of Nicole’s that I have tried has been 5 stars).
Lauren, I am so happy to hear that! Thank you so much for making it and for leaving such a kind review!
This worked exactly as written, thanks! It was easy and delicious. I have never made chicken parmesan before and it tasted like the chicken parmesan from my favorite Italian Restaurant. So easy!
Wow, I am so thrilled to hear that, Michael! Thank you so much for your review!
Oddest chicken parm recipe / approach I’ve ever seen. Why would you heat sauce and cheese alone on a baking sheet and try to spoon it on to dry breaded chicken later? Breading on the chicken was also bland and wouldn’t stay on the chicken once topped with sauce. It was a challenge to spoon sauce up from the cookie sheet and a good amount went to waste. The cheese also melted into the sauce goop and couldn’t be detected. Ended up heating another jar of sauce on the stove top so we’d have enough for our 2 dinners.