This unique stove to oven method creates the best Crispy Chicken Parmesan with marinara and melted mozzarella cheese. No more soggy breading! This Italian classic is easy to make at home and is even better than some restaurant versions.
Love chicken parm? You’ll want to try my Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan and Baked Chicken Pesto Parmesan.
I’ve you’ve ever struggled with preventing chicken parmesan from getting soggy, this recipe is for you!
To create the BEST Crispy Chicken Parmesan, breaded chicken cutlets are lightly pan-fried and finished in the oven before being set on a bed of warmed marinara. It’s truly the best of both worlds. You get the quick browning and savoriness that only pan-frying can bring. And, allowing the browned cutlets to finish the cooking process on a baking sheet in the oven ensures they are crisp enough to hold up to the sauce.
Table of contents
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken: Slice boneless skinless chicken breasts through the middle, lengthwise, to create two thin cutlets. This is a vital step to ensure quick, even cooking.
- Seasoning: Salt, freshly ground black pepper, granulated garlic (or garlic powder), and dried crushed rosemary.
- Eggs: A couple of large eggs.
- Garlic: Minced or pressed garlic cloves. I give you permission to use jarred minced garlic in this recipe to save time!
- Bread crumbs: Start your breading with seasoned panko bread crumbs for more flavor.
- Cheese: Grated Parmesan cheese and shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese.
- Oil: Olive oil for browning the breaded chicken.
- Marinara sauce: Your favorite brand of jarred marinara. I’ve been using and LOVING Mutti pasta sauce. They have one flavored with parmigiano reggiano which is spot-on perfect for this recipe. All of their flavors are fabulous but any brand will do.
- Garnish: I like to finish this dish off with some fresh basil.
How to Make Crispy Chicken Parmesan
- In a shallow dish, whisk the eggs with the minced garlic.
- Place the bread crumbs in a separate shallow dish and add toss with grated Parmesan, granulated garlic and rosemary.
- Season your thin-sliced chicken with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Bread each piece of chicken by dipping it in the egg miture and then coating it in the bread crumbs. Transfer the breaded chicken to a sheet of foil and repeat this process to bread the remaining chicken.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over MEDIUM-HIGH heat. Add as many pieces of chicken as possible without overcrowding the skillet. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, per side, or until well browned and crisp (you aren’t cooking it through at this point). Transfer the browned chicken to a greased or foil lined baking sheet and repeat this process with remaining oil and breaded chicken.
- Add a spoonful of the pasta sauce to each piece of chicken and neatly sprinkle each piece with shredded mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
- Transfer the baking sheet to a preheated 400 degree F oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the internal temperature of the thickest piece of chicken reads at least 165 degrees F when tested with a meat thermometer.
- While the chicken bakes, warm the remaining marinara sauce in the skillet you used to pan-fry the chicken. Remove the chicken from the oven and use a spatula to transfer the chicken parmesan to the skillet on top of the warmed sauce. Garnish with fresh basil and serve with your favorite cooked pasta!
FAQ and Valerie’s Tips
If you’ve ever tried using the finest grate on your box grater, you’ve probably experienced how difficult it can be to clean once it’s clogged up with Parmesan. Instead, try using the medium grate to grate your Parmesan, then use your fingers to work the grated cheese until it is a fine, more granular consistency. It works like a charm!
Start with chicken that’s been blotted dry with paper towels. The slimy exterior can work against you once it’s breaded. Once dry, the egg will lightly coat the exterior and should help the breading cling well. It’s also important to be sure to use enough oil and to be sure your oil is hot enough before adding the breaded chicken to the pan.
An air fryer is probably your best bet. Preheat it to 350 degrees F and cook the chicken for about 5 minutes, or until warmed through. If you want to reheat leftovers in the microwave, just cook the chicken long enough so it’s warmed through. Then, transfer it to a baking sheet and pop it under the broiler for a minute or two to crisp it up.
Once leftovers have cooled, transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 3 to 4 days. For longer storage, chicken parmesan can be frozen for up to 2 to 3 months.
Serving Suggestions
Pasta: It makes sense to serve this Crispy Chicken Parmesan with cooked pasta because there is plenty of marinara in the skillet to spoon over the top. Long pasta like spaghetti or linquine are great but short pasta like penne or rigatoni are great too! Kick it up a notch and boil up some gnocchi or tortellini instead.
Sides: Balance this warm, savory dish with a cool refreshing salad. A Simple Italian Salad or Lemon Parmesan Salad are the perfect choice. A cooked vegetable, like my Pesto Green Beans and a batch of Cheater Garlic Bread, would round this meal out in a delicious way. Check out my entire collection of salad recipes and side dish recipes for more ideas!
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Crispy Chicken Parmesan
Ingredients
- 2 to 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 1½ pounds
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ¾ cup seasoned panko bread crumbs
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 24 ounce jar marinara sauce
- 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
- Chopped or torn fresh basil, for garnish
Instructions
- Slice each chicken breast through the middle to create two thin cutlets. If any pieces are thicker than ¼- to ½-inch thick, cover them with a sheet of plastic wrap and lightly pound them with the flat side of a meat mallet to an even thickness. Season one side of each piece with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside
- In a shallow dish, whisk the eggs with the minced garlic. Place the bread crumbs in a separate shallow dish and add ¼ cup grated Parmesan, granulated garlic and rosemary. Toss to combine.
- Place a sheet of oil near your work space. Coat a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Place one piece of chicken in the egg mixture, turning to coat both sides. Transfer to the bread crumb mixture and coat both sides well, transfer the breaded chicken to the foil and repeat this process to bread the remaining chicken.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over MEDIUM-HIGH heat. Add as many pieces of chicken as possible without overcrowding the skillet. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, per side, or until well browned and crisp (you aren’t cooking it through at this point). Transfer the browned chicken to the greased baking sheet and repeat this process with remaining oil and breaded chicken.
- Add a spoonful of the pasta sauce to each piece of chicken on the baking sheet, spreading it out neatly over the top with the back of the spoon. Reserve the remaining sauce in the jar for later. Sprinkle the mozzarella neatly over the top of each piece then the remaining ¼ cup Parmesan.
- Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the internal temperature of the thickest piece of chicken reads at least 165 degrees F when tested with a meat thermometer.
- Meanwhile, scrape or wipe any browned bits of breading out of the skillet. Pour the remaining sauce from the jar into the empty skillet.
- A few minutes before the end of the cooking time, set the skillet with the sauce over LOW heat. Remove the chicken from the oven and use a spatula to transfer the chicken parmesan to the skillet on top of the warmed sauce. Remove the skillet from the heat.
- Garnish with fresh basil and serve with pasta, if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
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