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Make restaurant-quality crispy chicken parmesan at home! Super crispy breaded chicken smothered with marinara sauce and topped with parmesan and ooey gooey mozzarella – in under 30 minutes.
Crispy chicken parmesan (aka chicken parmigiana) is one of those delicious dishes that looks fancy but is fairly simple to make at home. If you’ve ever made crispy chicken cutlets, you’re already halfway there! In this recipe, the chicken is double coated with flour, then with a parmesan panko crumb mixture for an extra crispy crust – loaded with flavor, a crowd-pleasing protein for family and entertaining.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Chicken: Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
- Breadcrumbs: Panko breadcrumbs make a super light and crispy coating. Use gluten-free if necessary.
- Cheese: A combination of parmesan and mozzarella cheese (I use shredded, but you can use fresh mozzarella) creates the best flavor and texture (cheese pull!). However, you could replace mozzarella with provolone, mortadella, pecorino Romano, etc.
- Tomato marinara: Use store-bought or homemade marinara sauce (or tomato pasta sauce).
- Eggs: This will help the crumbs adhere to the meat.
- Flour: Regular all-purpose flour is all you need. A gluten-free blend would also work.
- Seasoning: Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Oil: Use a high-smoke point cooking oil to shallow fry the chicken. E.g., vegetable oil, canola oil, or avocado oil.
- Fresh herbs: Fresh basil and parsley add color and aromatic freshness.
How to make chicken parmesan
Prepare the chicken: First, use a long, sharp knife to slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise. It’s best to do so in a single, clean slice rather than “see-sawing” through the meat. Then, place the meat between two layers of plastic wrap and use a meat mallet (or rolling pin) to pound the meat into equal thickness, about 1/4-1/3 inch thick.
Set up the breading station: You’ll need three separate shallow bowls in which to:
- Mix the panko bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, and one cup of parmesan.
- Mix the flour, salt, and pepper.
- Whisk the eggs until smooth.
Bread the chicken: Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then dip each piece into the flour and shake away any excess. Then, dip them each into the egg mixture before moving them to the breadcrumb mixture. Gently press to help the crumbs adhere.
Pan-fry the chicken: Heat the oil in a heavy-based, large skillet/pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers (about 350ºF/175ºC). Then, working with one or two pieces at a time (avoid adding too many to the pan!), fry the chicken for about 2-3 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of your cutlets, or until they are golden brown and crispy. Ensure that the internal temperature reads 165ºF/74ºC on an instant-read thermometer. Transfer the cooked pieces to a wire rack set over a parchment paper-lined baking sheet while you repeat the process with the remaining chicken pieces.
Layer and broil: Preheat the broiler. Meanwhile, spread 2-3 tablespoons of marinara over each piece of meat and top with the remaining grated parmesan and the mozzarella (mixed) – aim for about ¼ cup per chicken piece. Transfer the chicken to the oven to broil until the cheese melts (3-5 minutes). Monitor it to avoid burn.
Alternatively, bake it in the oven at 450ºF/230ºC until the cheese melts (about 10 minutes).
Garnish and serve: Top the chicken parmesan with ribboned parsley and some basil leaves, then serve and enjoy!
For more of a saucy chicken parm, transfer the remaining marinara to a baking dish, top with the chicken, and garnish with herbs. This makes the chicken soggier, though.
What to serve with chicken parmesan
Easily create a delicious, well-rounded meal by serving this easy chicken parmesan alongside:
- A bed of pasta/spaghetti with marinara or another tomato sauce, rice/quinoa, risotto, or mashed potatoes.
- Salad: As part of a salad (e.g., Caprese salad or Caesar salad) or with a side salad.
- Vegetables: Roasted or sautéed green beans, asparagus, broccoli, zucchini, eggplant, potatoes, and/or mushrooms.
- Bread: Crusty bread or garlic bread.
Storage instructions
- Fridge: Transfer any leftovers to an airtight container and in the refrigerator within two hours of cooking them. Store for 2-3 days.
- Freezer: Flash freeze the chicken (to avoid sticking), then store it in a freezer-safe container or Ziplock for up to 2-3 months. Leave it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
- Reheat: Either in the oven (350ºF/175ºC for 15-25 minutes) or the microwave (2-3 minutes). The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165ºF/74ºC for proper food safety. Optionally garnish with more parmesan and fresh herbs – it won’t be as crispy but is delicious.
More chicken recipes
If you try this homemade chicken parmesan recipe, let me know how it goes in the comments below. I’d appreciate a recipe card rating and would love to see your recipe recreations – tag me on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
Chicken Parmesan Recipe
Ingredients
Chicken Cutlets
- 26.5 oz chicken breasts (3 medium) – skinless, boneless
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs regular or gluten-free
- 4.4 oz all purpose flour (1/2 cup) gluten-free flour will work, too
- 2 oz parmesan cheese (1 cup shredded)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1.5 cups vegetable oil or as needed to shallow fry the chicken
Other Ingredients
- 3 cups marinara sauce
- 8 oz mozzarella cheese (2 cup shredded)
- 1 oz parmesan cheese (1/2 cup shredded)
- 1/4 cup basil leaves minced
- 1/4 cup parsley minced
Instructions
- Use a long, sharp knife to slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise. It's best to do so in a single, clean slice rather than "see-sawing" through the meat.
- Place the meat between two layers of plastic wrap and use a meat mallet (or rolling pin) to pound the meat into equal thickness, about 1/4-1/3 inch thick.
- Set up the breading station with three separate shallow dishes. In the first, add the panko breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, and one cup of parmesan. In the second, mix the flour, salt, and pepper. In the third, whisk the eggs until smooth.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Dip each piece into the flour, shaking away any excess. Then dip it into the egg mixture and finally into the panko mixture. Gently press to help the crumbs adhere. Repeat with all the chicken pieces.
- Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based pan/skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers (about 350ºF/175ºC).
- Working one or two pieces at a time (don't overcrowd the pan!), fry the chicken for about 2-3 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of your cutlets, or until they are golden brown and crispy. Ensure that the internal temperature reads 165ºF/74ºC on an instant-read thermometer. Transfer the cooked pieces to a wire rack over a parchment paper-lined baking sheet while you repeat the process with the remaining chicken pieces.
- Preheat the broiler. Meanwhile, spread about 2-3 tablespoons of marinara over each piece of meat and top with the remaining parmesan and the mozzarella (mixed) – aim for about ¼ cup per chicken piece.
- Transfer the chicken to the oven to broil until the cheese melts (3-5 minutes). Monitor it to avoid burn.
- Top the chicken parmesan with ribboned parsley and some basil leaves, then serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
