Try our classic chicken parmesan recipe and see what all the fuss is about! Tender chicken wrapped in a crispy coating of seasoned bread crumbs and shredded parmesan, then topped with tangy marinara sauce and freshly grated mozzarella cheese!
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About this Recipe
Chicken Parmesan is one of our favorites! When we first started dating, we used to frequent a little sports bar/restaurant after work. One of their specialties was chicken parmesan, and boy was it good. Tender chicken breast wrapped in a crunchy, golden brown crust and topped with hearty marinara...brings back memories!
That little restaurant has long since closed, but in honor of their amazing chicken parm, we give your our classic chicken parmesan recipe. We hope you'll love that tender chicken crispy crust and rich marinara as much as we do.
Prep the Chicken
The first step in this recipe is pounding the chicken breasts until they're approximately ½ an inch thick. We use the flat side of a meat tenderizer, but you can use almost anything that's both heavy and flat. Some ideas are rolling pins, skillets and even wine bottles.
Place each chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap and hammer away using moderate pressure. This can be very therapeutic after a long day, but don't get carried away! Too much flattening can tear the chicken and ruin your perfect parm.
Next, you'll want to prepare the breading station. For this step, you'll want three medium sized bowls. One for the flour, one for the egg wash and one for the bread crumb mixture. Place each bowl in a line next to the previous, so you can quickly move the chicken from one bowl to the next.
One by one, dip each chicken breast first in the flower, then in the egg wash, and finally in the bread crumb mixture. Press down firmly in each bowl to ensure the ingredients stick to the chicken well.
Cooking
Preheat a skillet over medium heat and add a couple tablespoons of olive oil. When the pan is hot, add each chicken breast. Since the chicken breasts are nice and thin they cook quickly! Each side only takes 3-4 minutes to form a delicious golden brown crust.
While the chicken breasts cook in the skillet, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. When the chicken breasts are fully cooked, transfer them to a baking dish and top generously with your favorite marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese, then place in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted to your preference.
What to Serve with Classic Chicken Parmesan
This classic chicken parmesan recipe pairs perfectly with your favorite pasta, but also works great with garlic mashed potatoes, risotto, grilled vegetables and bread.
What we like about this Recipe!
Nicole - This recipe truly tastes like it took hours to prepare, but in reality, only takes about 40 minutes. I love to serve our classic chicken parmesan over spaghetti noodles with extra marinara sauce and cheese.
Mike - Texture is huge for me when cooking. I absolutely love the crunchy, crispy crust wrapped around the tender, juicy chicken, served over perfectly al dente pasta. It's a texture trifecta! (I know, dad jokes.)
Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup marinara sauce
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- Fresh basil leaves, chopped, for garnish (optional)
- Spaghetti or pasta of your choice, cooked, for serving (optional)
Tips and Tricks
- If you don't have a meat tenderizer to pound the chicken, try using something heavy and flat like a skillet, rolling pin or even a wine bottle.
- Make sure to pound the chicken to approximately ½ an inch thick so it cooks evenly.
- When preparing chicken, make sure to cook to an internal temperature of 165 degrees. According to the USDA, this will eliminate foodborne bacteria.
- Instead of pounding a regular chicken breast to ½ an inch, you can ask your butcher to make chicken cutlets, which are basically thinly sliced chicken breasts.
FAQ
The popular choice is pasta...any kind. But you can serve this dish with mashed potatoes, risotto, veggies or with baguettes.
For those of you that really like a crunch, try using panko. They're larger than regular bread crumbs and cook up much crispier.
Chicken parm was made popular in the United States in the 1950's by Italian immigrants. So, the honest answer is no, it wasn't invented in Italy, but yes, it was invented by Italians.
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with classic chicken parmesan:
Classic Chicken Parmesan Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup marinara sauce
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- Fresh basil leaves chopped, for garnish (optional)
- Spaghetti or pasta of your choice cooked, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Place chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound them to an even thickness, about ½ inch (1.3 cm) thick. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Coat the Chicken: Place the flour in a shallow dish, beaten eggs in another, and a mixture of breadcrumbs and Parmesan in a third. Dredge each chicken breast in the flour, shaking off the excess, then dip in the egg, and finally coat with the breadcrumb mixture, pressing down to ensure it sticks.
- Cook the Chicken: In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden brown and crispy. Transfer the cooked chicken to a baking dish.
- Bake with Sauce and Cheese: Spoon marinara sauce over each chicken breast, then sprinkle shredded mozzarella on top. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly, and the chicken is cooked through.
- Serve: Garnish with fresh basil if desired and serve hot. For a complete meal, serve over pasta, mashed potatoes, veggies or with bread.
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