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This Easy Chicken Parmesanย recipe is your next date night at home meal! Crispy chicken breasts topped with tangy tomato sauce and cheese baked until golden and bubbly. Itโs your favorite restaurant dish, made at home in simple steps. Use the how to video below to help you!
Easy Chicken Parm
Hello, Friday date night! Iโm a big proponent of the at-home date night.ย You can spend a ridiculous amount of time on the first bottle of wine while leisurely cooking for each other.ย I love to divide and conquer the chopping of vegetables or the steps of a recipe. ย Easy chicken parmesan is a great meal to cook together with your partner.
I donโt know a single person that doesnโt love chicken Parmesan.ย Crispy chicken topped with a tangy tomato sauce and creamy cheese is just something that canโt be beat.
What is Chicken Parmesan?
Chicken Parmesan is an Italian-American dish that consists of a thin chicken cutlet coated in breadcrumbs and fried until golden brown. It is typically served over spaghetti with a marinara sauce and a few slices of fresh mozzarella cheese.
Easy Chicken Parmesan method:
Iโve made a lot of chicken Parmesan in my day.ย Iโve tried all sorts of coatings (fresh bread crumbs, stale/toasted bread crumbs, onion focaccia), and Iโve opened a jar of store-bought marinara more times than Iโve made a sauce from scratch.ย Itโs one of those dishes that almost doesnโt require a recipe once you know the method.ย But, when you follow a recipe that works, youโll get great results every time.
This easy chicken parmesan recipe below is meant to be a starting place if youโve never made the dish before. Once youโve nailed it, feel free to make substitutions. You can double or triple this recipe to feed a crowd.
Whatever you do, do not skip the step of adding Parmesan cheese to the bread crumbs! This gives the chicken crust a crisp, cheesy flavor that makes this recipe better than any other recipe!
Ingredients for Chicken Parmesan
For the quick tomato sauce:
- Canned Tomatoes. One 28-ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes, preferably San Marzano tomatoes. Alternatively, you can buy crushed tomatoes.
- Olive Oil. Extra virgin olive oil isnโt necessary here because weโre cooking with itโsave the extra virigin for salad dressings.
- Garlic. Two cloves of fresh garlic, minced. You can use 1 teaspoon of dried garlic granules if you donโt have fresh.
- Basil. Two tablespoons of chopped fresh basil brings so much anise-like green freshness to the sauce. Dried basil just isnโt the same, but you can use 1/2 teaspoon in place of the fresh, if you need to.
- Sugar. The smallest amount of sugar can balance the acidity in a tomato sauce, especially one made with San Marzano tomatoes, which are known for their bright acidity. This is optionalโtaste your sauce and decide if it needs sweetness.
For the chicken and pasta:
- Flour. Regular all-purpose flour.
- Egg. One large egg is enough for this recipe because weโre only making two thin chicken cutlets, but you can scale up as needed.
- Breadcrumbs. Instead of traditional Italian breadcrumbs which are very finely ground, reach for Panko breadcrumbs. They are much larger, and their coarse texture makes a superior crunchy crust.
- Parmesan Cheese. For an extra golden brown crust, I always stir some grated Parmesan cheese into the breadcrumbs.
- Chicken. Two 8-ounce boneless skinless chicken breasts trimmed of fat and pounded mostly flat.
- Oil. Neutral oil for frying the chickenโregular olive oil or vegetable oil are both fine. Use any oil that doesnโt have a strong flavor so that it doesnโt contribute to the overall flavor of the final dish.
- Mozzarella. The best Chicken Parmesan is made with fresh mozzarella because it is so creamy! But, I definitely grew up on the sliced regular mozzarella from the dairy section. Use whatever you prefer, but try it with fresh just once.
- Basil. Fresh basil is optional but so delicious here.
- Spaghetti. I like to serve my chicken over spaghetti noodles mixed with the rest of the tomato sauce.
How to make Chicken Parmesan:
First, make a simple tomato sauce: pulse the tomatoes in a food processor until coarsely ground, about 6 pulses. You can also skip this and use a jar of your favorite pasta sauce instead!
Next, saute the garlic in the 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium skille before stirring in the tomatoe. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, until slightly thickened. Off heat, stir in the basil, sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Cover to keep warm.
Now, make the chicken: turn the broiler to high and place the rack 4-inches from the heating element. Spread the flour in a shallow dish. Beat the egg in a second shallow dish. Combine the bread crumbs and Parmesan in a third shallow dish.
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Dredge each chicken breaset in the flour, then egg, then bread crumbs.
Heat the oil in a 10โณ large skillet over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers. Gently lay the chicken in the oil, and cook until golden brown on each side and the chicken registers 160 degrees (about 4-6 minutes per side).
Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Divide the cheese over the chicken, and broil until the cheese melts.
While the chicken is cooking, cook the pasta in boiling water, and toss with tomato sauce.
Serve each chicken parmesan cutlet with extra tomato sauce on top and the pasta on the side.
Best Chicken Parmesan Recipe Tips
- Chickenย โ You can use one large chicken breast that you cut butterfly into two cutlets, or you can buy chicken cutlets already sliced at the grocery store.
- Breadcrumbs โ I think we all grew up on finely ground Italian breadcrumbs that were seasoned with Italian herbs. Not to knock them too much, but Panko is just so much better if you want a big crunch in your crust.
- Parmesanย โ While Parmesan isnโt traditional in the breadcrumb coating, it makes the best crust on the chicken when it browns in the pan!
What goes good with Chicken Parmesan?
I serve this over pasta mixed with the rest of the tomato sauce and a side salad.
How to Store this Chicken Parmesan Recipe
Store the chicken separately from the pasta in food storage containers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
How to reheat Easy Chicken Parmesan
Reheat the pasta in the microwave until warm, and reheat the chicken in the air fryer or oven to maintain its crisp crust.
Best Chicken Parmesan Recipe FAQs
How do you get breading to stick to chicken parmesan?
The best way to get crust to stick to chicken is to coat the chicken in flour first. Then, dip in beaten egg to give the chicken enough moisture to make the breading stick to chicken parmesan.
How to flatten chicken breast for chicken parmesan?
If your chicken breasts are an uneven thickness, it is best to make them even before cooking, so that they cook evenly. Place the chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap on a cutting board, and use a meat mallet to gently flatten it.
What can I use if I donโt have breadcrumbs for chicken parmesan?
You can use Panko breadcrumbs, or you can toast a few slices of bread in the toaster or air fryer. Grind the bread into crumbs and proceed.
Why is my chicken parmesan tough?
Chicken is always tough when it is overcooked. Lower the heat and use a meat thermometer to remove it when it is perfectly cooked, keeping in mind that food temperature continues to rise a bit when it is removed from the pan.
More like this Easy Chicken Parmesan Recipe:
Easy Chicken Parm
Easy chicken parmesan recipe for two with an extra cheesy crust.
Ingredients
Quick tomato sauce:
- 1 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes, drained
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- salt to taste
For the chicken and spaghetti:
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 8-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 ounces whole-milk fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil leaves
- 4 ounces uncooked spaghetti
Instructions
- First, make the sauce: pulse the tomatoes in a food processor until coarsely ground, 6-8 pulses. Next, saute the garlic in the 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium skillet until fragrant but not burned, about 2 minutes over medium heat. Stir in the tomatoes, then bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, until slightly thickened. Off heat, stir in the basil, sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Cover to keep warm.
- For the chicken and spaghetti: adjust an oven rack to be 4 inches from the broiling element. Turn the broiler to high.
- Spread the flour in a shallow dish. Beat the egg in a second shallow dish. Combine the bread crumbs and Parmesan in a third shallow dish. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Dredge each chicken breaset in the flour, then egg, then bread crumbs.
- Heat the oil in a 10" large skillet over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers. Gently lay the chicken in the oil, and cook until golden brown on each side and the chicken registers 160 degrees (about 4-6 minutes per side). Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet.
- Divide the cheese over the chicken, and broil until the cheese melts. Serve with the tomato sauce.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta in ample boiling water, and toss with tomato sauce before serving on the side.
Notes
You can skip the quick tomato sauce and use a jar of your favorite pasta sauce instead!
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1509Total Fat: 76gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 58gCholesterol: 311mgSodium: 1290mgCarbohydrates: 104gFiber: 9gSugar: 17gProtein: 99g
Pasta is such a fabulous choice for at-home date night! I definitely agree that at home dates beat going out dates :) This chicken parmesan looks very tasty too.
Donโt be hasty with the one cookbook in/one out rule. I did it for a while and I still mourn the loss of my Green and Blacks Chocolate recipe book, the lemon tart with dark chocolate crust comes to mind every time I need a dinner party dessert, I might scour the charity shops and re-buy it. I know what you mean though, I recently went to the book store and flicked through some of the recipe books Iโd been lusting after only to see the recipes were for 6-8 people or too difficult/wasteful to get down to two servings. I think Iโll have to resort to mexican/lebanese/arabian being food we eat out only, or have lots of dinner parties!
So happy to find another dinner recipe that serves too, my boyfriend is going to be over the moon when I make this and even more happy when he realises he doesnโt have to reheat the leftovers at work the next day.
The question is, when is your โfor twoโ cookbook coming out ;) Iโll adapt the British edition for you ;)
Stephanie x
Thanks for the advice, Stephanie. There are some cookbooks that I just like to look at, even though I donโt cook a lot from them. Theyโll have to pry them from my cold dead fingers :) I think you should buy back that Green&Blacks cookbook. If I come across it, Iโll let you know :)
Thanks so much for all the kind words. My cookbook comes out Feb 2015 :)
Happy baking,
Christina
I Googled and it is available at different online sites for both new and used. Good luck.
Love how classic this recipe is! Totally perfect for date night!
Chicken Parm is always a favorite in our house! Hmmm, might be dinner tonight! Pinned.
I love ATK, and that book looks good! I will put this on the to make list for next week! Thanks for sharing
Youโre making me wish I still ate chicken! Chicken Parmesan has always been one of my favorites. I think I ate it every day on our honeymoon!
Made this last night and it was delicious! My husband devoured it! Thanks for your great recipes!
Whenever I use to go to Houlihanโs, I would order their Chicken Parm. Itโs so delish. So thank you for sharing a classic dish for oneโฆoops. I mean two :)
Hi Christina!
Iโm planning on making this for my boyfriend. He always does the cooking, so I thought Iโd give him a break even though Iโm more of a baker.
I donโt have a food processor on hand โ is there a different way you recommend making the sauce or should I just use sauce from a jar? Thank you; I canโt wait to make this!
Use it from a jar ;) Easy peasy! :) Best of luck!
Hello Christina
Maybe a silly question, but Iโm going to ask anyway :) Would there be enough of the tomato sauce for three chicken breasts and 6 ounces of pasta to serve three people ??
Or would you suggest doing one and half of all ingredients ie: a 28 can plus a 14 ounce can of tomatoes etc.
Thank you for this recipe, and any advice you can share. Looking forward to making it soon !!
Yes, absolutely, because I just made it like this last night :) I did 3 thin cutlets and had plenty of sauce and noodles for 3 :)