Easy Chicken Parmesan – Restaurant-Quality Comfort, Straight from Your Oven

ByAchraf

This Easy Chicken Parmesan delivers everything you love about the Italian-American classic crispy breaded chicken, bright marinara, gooey mozzarella, and a final shower of parmesan without restaurant fuss. It’s simple, cozy, and impressive enough for guests. This SEO-optimized, WordPress-ready rewrite keeps your exact ingredients, measurements, and step order intact; only the wording and structure are polished for clarity, skimmability, and AdSense compliance.

Easy Chicken Parmesan Recipe
Easy Chicken Parmesan – Restaurant-Quality Comfort, Straight from Your Oven 2

Why You’ll Love This Chicken Parmesan

  • Truly “restaurant quality.” A quick pan-brown for crunch, then a hot bake for melty cheese and perfectly cooked chicken.
  • Weeknight-easy. Minimal prep, smart breading sequence, and a 10–15 minute finish in the oven.
  • Better with homemade marinara. If you can spare a few minutes, a fresh sauce lifts the entire dish. (It also holds beautifully when made days ahead.)
  • Endlessly versatile. Serve over spaghetti, tuck into toasted rolls for sandwiches, or lighten things up with zoodles and roasted vegetables.
  • Make-ahead and freezer-friendly. Bread now, bake later—dinner insurance you’ll actually use.

Promise kept: the ingredients and steps below match your original recipe exactly. We’ve only refined the language and added helpful pro tips, FAQs, and meta.

Ingredients (Unchanged)

  • 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half horizontally to make 6 breast halves*
  • 1/2 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
  • 24 ounces marinara sauce, or HOMEMADE
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • fresh basil leaves, for serving

Step-by-Step Instructions (Same Steps, Clearer Flow)

  1. Preheat the oven.
    Heat to 450°F (232°C) and position a rack in the center.
  2. Butterfly the chicken.
    Place one hand on top of each breast. With a sharp knife, carefully slice horizontally through the center to create two thin, even halves per breast (you’ll have 6 total). Pat dry and season both sides with salt and pepper.
  3. Set up the breading station.
    In one shallow bowl, beat the eggs. In another, combine panko, Italian style breadcrumbs (or more panko), half of the parmesan, and garlic powder. Dip each chicken piece in egg, then in breadcrumbs, pressing to help the coating adhere.
  4. Brown the cutlets.
    Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. When hot, add breaded chicken and cook ~2 minutes per side until golden (they won’t be fully cooked yet).
  5. Assemble in the baking dish.
    Spoon a thin layer of marinara into a 9×13-inch baking pan. Nestle the browned chicken on top. Add a spoonful of marinara over each cutlet, then sprinkle with mozzarella and the remaining parmesan.
  6. Bake and finish.
    Bake 10–15 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly and the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C). Garnish with fresh chopped basil. Serve over hot cooked spaghetti with extra sauce, if desired.

Notes From the Original (Unchanged)

  • Chicken Breasts: If they’re not thick enough to split, place between plastic wrap and gently pound to 1/2 inch thickness.
  • Make Ahead: Marinara can be made several days in advance. Butterfly and bread the chicken; store covered in the fridge a few hours ahead.
  • To Freeze: Follow the recipe up to dredging (through step 5 of your original prep), place breaded chicken in a greased, freezer-safe foil pan, cover tightly, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw completely, then brown in a skillet and bake as directed.

Recipe Variations (From the Original)

  • Skip the breading: Go unbreaded or choose whole wheat breadcrumbs.
  • Add vegetables: Serve with roasted vegetables alongside or instead of pasta.
  • Cut the cheese: Reduce or omit cheese; let the marinara shine.
  • Low-carb: Serve over zoodles instead of spaghetti.
  • Chicken Parm Sandwiches: Tuck cutlets into toasted rolls with extra sauce and cheese.

Pro Tips for Guaranteed Success

  • Season at every step. Light salt on the cutlets before breading, then taste your marinara to ensure it’s well-seasoned.
  • Crust that clings. Pat chicken dry before dredging; firmly press breadcrumbs on so they stick through browning and baking.
  • Golden, not dark. The skillet stage is for color and crunch—2 minutes per side is enough. The oven finishes the cook.
  • High heat = bubbly cheese. Baking at 450°F melts and browns cheese quickly without drying the chicken (which is already partially cooked).
  • Let it rest a minute. Give cutlets a 2–3 minute breather so the cheese sets slightly and the coating stays crisp when serving.

Serving Ideas That Always Work

  • Classic: Over spaghetti with extra marinara and basil.
  • Fresh & crunchy: Add a wedge salad or quick arugula–parmesan salad with lemon.
  • Cozy sides: Roasted broccoli, garlic green beans, or roasted carrots balance the richness.
  • Bread basket: Warm homemade breadsticks or a crusty loaf for saucy swipes.
  • Sweet finish: Keep the Italian-American vibe with tiramisu or a scoop of gelato.

Make-Ahead & Freezer Guide (Quick Reference)

  • Marinara: Make 2–3 days ahead; reheat gently.
  • Breaded cutlets (unbaked): Refrigerate up to a few hours before browning; or freeze up to 3 months (then thaw, brown, and bake).
  • Leftovers: Cool completely, refrigerate airtight up to 3 days. Reheat covered at 325°F until warmed through (add a spoon of sauce to keep moist).

Troubleshooting & FAQs

My breading doesn’t stick—what went wrong?

Cutlets may have been wet or the oil wasn’t hot. Pat dry before dipping, press crumbs on, and ensure the pan is hot and lightly oiled before adding chicken.

Can I bake without pan-browning?

You can, but you’ll lose that signature crust. If skipping the skillet, drizzle the breaded cutlets lightly with oil and bake on a preheated sheet for color before saucing and cheesing.

Best cheeses for melt and flavor?

Your recipe’s combo mozzarella for melt + parmesan for nutty savoriness—is the gold standard. Fresh basil wakes everything up at the end.

Can I use all panko?

Yes. Your recipe already allows Italian style breadcrumbs or panko. A 50/50 blend delivers great crunch and structure.

Does the sauce go under or over?

Both. A thin layer in the pan keeps the coating from sticking, and a spoonful over each cutlet adds moisture and flavor without sogginess.

Nutrition (From Your Source)

Approximate per serving: Calories 378, Carbs 28g, Protein 26g, Fat 18g, Saturated Fat 5g, Sodium 1092mg. Values vary by brands, oil absorbed, and portion size.