This easy chicken Parmesan recipe is savory, crispy, cheesy, and so delicious. I’ll show you how to create a homemade tomato sauce and achieve perfectly breaded chicken with ease. Finished with plenty of melted cheese, this classic Italian American dish will become your new favorite meal!
Baked chicken parmesan, or chicken parmigiana, has been one of my favorite meals for years, maybe even decades. With crispy breaded chicken, rich tomato sauce, and gooey cheese, what’s not to love? Especially when you pair it with freshly cooked pasta, a side salad, and garlic bread.
Admittedly, it can be a bit of a labor-intensive dish, but I’ll show you how to simplify the steps and keep your kitchen relatively clean during the entire process. Trust me. It’s worth the effort. One bite of the homemade version, and you’ll never go back to restaurant options again.
Ingredients and Notes
See the recipe card below for the complete ingredients list and instructions.
Tomato Sauce
You can use a store-bought sauce, but if I’m going to make chicken parm, I’m going to do it right, which means preparing the sauce from scratch.
- Oil – I prefer to use olive oil for a stronger, slightly peppery taste.
- Onion and Garlic – These form the base of the sauce, adding a pungent, slightly sweet taste. For the best flavor, make sure to use whole garlic cloves and mince them yourself. It may make your hands smell like garlic, but pre-minced cloves just aren’t the same.
- Herbs and Spices – Fennel seeds, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, fresh basil, salt, and pepper enhance the savory, herbaceous flavors. I like to chop my fennel seeds to prevent them from being too crunchy.
- Tomato Paste and Tomatoes – This forms the base of the sauce and is key to creating the acidic, savory flavor and chunky consistency we want.
- Sugar – Include granulated sugar as needed to balance the acidity of your tomatoes.
Chicken
- Chicken Breasts – You can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs, if preferred. Just adjust the cooking time as needed.
- Flour – All-purpose flour acts as the base of the breading.
- Eggs – These add richness and help the breadcrumbs cling to the chicken, creating a golden, crispy coating.
- Breadcrumbs – I like to use a combination of panko breadcrumbs and Italian breadcrumbs for a light, crispy breading with lots of savory flavor.
- Cheese – Layer your chicken parmesan with freshly sliced mozzarella cheese and freshly grated Parmesan cheese for a classic taste. Whatever you do, don’t buy pre-shredded options! They contain anti-caking agents, which impact their flavor and prevent them from melting as easily.
- Garlic – I like to add freshly minced garlic to the breading for more depth and an elevated, sweet, pungent taste.
- Lemon – Fresh lemon zest adds a bright, acidic taste to the chicken, balancing some of the heavier ingredients.
- Oil – Use plenty of olive oil to fry the chicken to create the crisp exterior we look for in Parmesan chicken.
How to Make Chicken Parmesan
1. Prepare the Tomato Sauce
2. Bread the Chicken
3. Cook and Serve
Nick’s Tips for Success
- Prevent the sauce from burning. Keep a close eye on your sauce as it cooks, stirring the ingredients frequently as they cook to prevent burning.
- Use your hands. I prefer to use whole peeled tomatoes for the sauce, and use what I call the Italian grandma method to break the tomatoes. This involves using my hands to squeeze the tomatoes and break them into different-sized chunks, giving the dish a little extra texture.
- Use plenty of oil. When cooking the chicken, add enough oil so that it covers the pieces about halfway. This ensures they fry evenly and quickly, becoming nice and golden all the way around.
- Avoid overcrowding. Work in batches, cooking just two chicken pieces at a time, and allowing a bit of space between each piece. Otherwise, the chicken won’t fry properly.
- Use a meat thermometer. To ensure your chicken is fully cooked, use an instant-read thermometer to ensure it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Easy Chicken Parmesan Recipe
One of my favorite comfort foods, this easy chicken Parmesan recipe features crisp breaded chicken topped with a chunky homemade tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella cheese, and plenty of Parmesan. Pan-fried and finished in the oven, it's simple to prepare and always a crowd-pleasing dish!
Equipment
- 1 Large Dutch Oven
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Boning Knife
- 1 Meat Mallet (or Sturdy Pot)
- 3 Wide, Shallow Bowls
- 2 Sheet Trays
- 2 Wire Racks
Ingredients
For the Tomato Sauce
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 (50 gram) small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 (20 gram) garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
- pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon (2 gram) fennel seeds, crushed
- 1 teaspoon (2 gram) dried oregano
- 2 tablespoon (28 gram) double concentrated tomato paste
- 2 (28 ounce / 794 gram) cans whole peeled tomatoes
- 1 small bunch basil
- kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- sugar, if needed
For the Chicken
- 2 (400 gram) large chicken breasts
- ½ cup (65 gram) flour
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup (28 gram) panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup (60 gram) Italian breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup (25 gram) Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 1 lemon, zested
- ½ cup (113 gram) olive oil
- 8 ounce (225 gram) whole milk mozzarella, thinly sliced
For Serving
- 1 pound (454 gram) spaghetti, cooked
- Parmesan cheese , freshly grated (to taste)
- fresh basil, to taste
Instructions
For the Tomato Sauce
- In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, add the olive oil and onion. Cook for four to five minutes, or until the onions turn translucent in the middle and lightly golden brown along the edges.2 tablespoon olive oil, 1 small yellow onion
- Add the garlic cloves, season with a pinch of salt, and cook for one to two minutes, or until the edges of the garlic just begin to turn light brown.4 garlic cloves
- Add the crushed red pepper flakes, fennel seed, and oregano, and cook for 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and stir to combine. Cook, stirring frequently, for two to three minutes, or until the tomato paste has darkened in color.pinch crushed red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 2 tablespoon double concentrated tomato paste
- Add the whole peeled tomatoes, crushing them with your hands as you add them to the pot, and stir to combine.2 cans whole peeled tomatoes
- Add the basil, then season with salt and pepper, and sugar, if the sauce is too acidic. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer for one hour, or until the flavors have married.1 small bunch basil, kosher salt and black pepper, sugar
For the Chicken
- Preheat the oven to broil.
- Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board. Using a boning knife, or other thin flexible knife, slice the breasts in half horizontally.2 large chicken breasts
- Add each chicken breast to the middle of a large piece of plastic wrap and pull the bottom part of the plastic wrap over the chicken to cover it. Using a meat mallet or a sturdy pot, pound the chicken out to 1/3 inch thick. Repeat with the remaining chicken until all have been pounded thin. Set aside.
- Add the flour to a wide, shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.½ cup flour, kosher salt and black pepper
- In a second wide, shallow bowl, add the eggs and a pinch of salt. Whisk until the eggs are homogeneous then set aside.2 large eggs
- In a third wide, shallow bowl, add the panko, Italian breadcrumbs, cheese, garlic, and lemon zest together. Whisk to combine and set aside.½ cup panko breadcrumbs, ½ cup Italian breadcrumbs, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, 1 lemon
- Add the olive oil to a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Prepare two sheet trays with wire racks and set aside.½ cup olive oil
- Working with one chicken piece at a time, add the chicken to the flour and coat both sides. Shake off any excess, then transfer to the eggs. Coat in the eggs, allowing any excess to drip off, then move it to the breadcrumb mixture. Press firmly to adhere the breadcrumbs to the chicken, then transfer to one of the racked sheet trays. Repeat with remaining chicken.
- Once the oil is shimmering, slowly add two chicken breasts to the pan. Gently shake the pan to prevent the chicken breasts from sticking to the bottom. Cook for four to five minutes, or until the chicken is deeply golden brown. Flip and repeat on the other side.
- Transfer to the other racked sheet tray and season with salt. Repeat with remaining chicken.
- Once all the chicken is cooked, spoon several tablespoons of sauce over each chicken breast. Top each with mozzarella cheese and broil for two to four minutes, or until the mozzarella is melted and has browned in a few spots.8 ounce whole milk mozzarella
- Remove from the oven and serve with spaghetti, additional sauce, Parmesan cheese, and basil.1 pound spaghetti, Parmesan cheese, fresh basil
Video
Notes
- *Nutrition information does not include spaghetti.
- Storage: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to two days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 879kcal, Carbohydrates: 50g, Protein: 48g, Fat: 55g, Saturated Fat: 15g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 31g, Trans Fat: 0.02g, Cholesterol: 206mg, Sodium: 1191mg, Potassium: 1254mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 12g, Vitamin A: 1291IU, Vitamin C: 26mg, Calcium: 528mg, Iron: 6mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make chicken Parmesan ahead of time?
This easy chicken parmesan recipe is best served right away while the chicken is warm and crisp. However, you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.
How should I reheat leftovers?
To reheat, warm leftovers in a skillet over medium heat or in the oven at 350°F (177°C).
It is great but there wasn’t onion or garlic on the ingredient list
dear nick digiovanni I love your recipes and I love your cooking videos from your best friend stephen weitzman.
This was insane thanks Nick.