This easy Oven Baked Chicken Parmesan recipe is the ultimate comfort food. Perfectly crispy chicken baked in the oven and topped with a hearty sauce and melty mozzarella. The best Sunday dinner!
My whole family loves chicken parm. My children are constantly asking for it. What’s not to love, right? Breaded chicken cutlets, tangy tomato sauce, and melty mozzarella combined to make the perfect comfort food recipe.
Sometimes though, I can do without all the frying and the mess that comes with it. That’s why I love this oven-baked chicken parmigiana recipe. All of those classic delicious flavors, will less oil!
Serve them as chicken parm sandwiches or the classic way over a bed of pasta and cheesy garlic bread.
Jump to:
- โค๏ธ Why you'll love baked chicken parmesan
- ๐ Ingredient notes
- ๐ Substitutions and variations
- ๐ช Step by step instructions
- ๐ Glossary
- โญ Expert tips
- ๐ฅ Alternative cooking methods
- โฒ๏ธ Make ahead instructions
- ๐ฝ How to serve chicken parmesan
- ๐ฅก Storage suggestions
- ๐ญ Frequently asked questions
- ๐ฎ๐น More Italian chicken recipe
- ๐ฑ #ScarlatiFamilyKitchen
- ๐ Recipe
- ๐ฌ Comments
❤️ Why you'll love baked chicken parmesan
- It’s a classic Italian-American comfort food recipe everyone loves.
- Great for a delicious family Sunday meal or weeknight dinner.
- Leftovers make easy and delicious sandwiches.
- The whole family always enjoys it, from the kids to the adults!
- Same great taste without the mess of frying in hot oil!
🍅 Ingredient notes
- Chicken - Slice boneless skinless chicken breasts into thinner pieces and pound them out. You can buy pre-sliced chicken, but it’s more expensive. A large piece of chicken can usually be cut into two and sometimes three slices. Plan for about 6 ounces of meat per serving.
- Bread Crumbs - I recommend using panko bread crumbs for a lighter and crispier texture. Regular bread crumbs can be used instead, but the result will be slightly different. If you are using pre-seasoned Italian bread crumbs, make sure to omit the dried parsley, garlic powder, and oregano.
- Sauce - Use either my Old School Italian Gravy or 30-Minute Marinara for this recipe. Store-bought marinara will also work.
- Mozzarella - I highly recommend a ball of fresh mozzarella, cut into slices. Fresh mozzarella is an Italian cheese that has a high water content and melts better. Block or packaged mozzarella shreds will not melt as well.
📋 Substitutions and variations
- Sauce - For a different flavor vibe, substitute the tomato-based sauce with fresh homemade basil pesto.
- Dairy-Free - Omit the parmesan and mozzarella or substitute them both with a dairy-free alternative.
- Gluten-Free - Use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs.
🔪 Step by step instructions
Slice the chicken horizontally so you have six thinner pieces. Working two pieces of chicken at a time, place them in a large ziptop bag and pound them to a half-inch thick with a meat mallet or rolling pin.
Repeat with the remaining chicken and then season them on both sides with kosher salt and black pepper.
In a shallow dish or shallow bowl, scramble the eggs with the water and set aside. Stir together the bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, oregano, and parsley in another.
Dip chicken into the egg mixture first, and then into the bread crumbs, making sure to coat completely on both sides.
Place the breaded chicken on a well-oiled baking sheet and then drizzle the top of the chicken with olive oil as well. Bake the chicken for about 10-15 minutes until the bread crumbs are lightly browned and the chicken is fully cooked.
Top each chicken breast with some of the sauce and a slice of the mozzarella cheese.
Place the chicken back in the oven under the broiler for 3-5 minutes until the bread crumbs are deep golden brown and the cheese is nicely melted.
📘 Glossary
If you don't recognize a tool or skill I mentioned, you can look it up in my Glossary of Cooking Terms and Definitions for more information!
⭐ Expert tips
- Slice the chicken evenly and pound it out to a similar thickness so all cook evenly.
- To help contain the mess, use freezer ziptop bags instead of plastic wrap to pound out the chicken.
- Make sure to let excess egg drip off the chicken before adding it to the bread crumbs or the coating will be too thick.
- Press the bread crumbs into the chicken so it coats it well. Sprinkle extra bread crumbs on top after breading and then gently press them in.
- An olive oil sprayer (affiliate link) will help to coat both the sheet pan and chicken evenly and completely. Regular olive oil can be drizzled on as well.
- Always cook chicken to 165° to prevent food-borne illness. Check the temperature with a kitchen thermometer (affiliate link) for accuracy and not to overcook.
- Keep a close eye on the chicken under the broiler so that it doesn't burn.
🥘 Alternative cooking methods
Deep-Fried - Instead of baking, this chicken parm recipe can be fried. In a deep-sided pot or pan, heat vegetable or canola oil to 350°. Fry the breaded chicken pieces for 3-5 minutes until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°. Transfer the cooked chicken to paper towels to drain, then place on a wire rack over a sheet pan. Top with sauce and cheese and then broil as directed.
⏲️ Make ahead instructions
This easy chicken parmesan can be made up to 12 hours ahead of time. Bread the chicken and place them on a clean plate or sheet pan in a single layer. Wrap the plate or pan in plastic wrap and then store them in the refrigerator. Take the chicken out of the refrigerator 1 hour before cooking to let them warm up. Transfer them to the oiled sheet pan and then bake as directed.
🍽 How to serve chicken parmesan
This recipe is classically paired with spaghetti or other pasta. But this dish also goes great with any of the following options!
Italian Cheese Bread - This easy Italian cheese bread uses simple, fresh ingredients, takes less than 10 minutes to make, and is a delicious side dish or appetizer!
Roasted Artichokes - These crispy roasted artichokes with parmesan are one of the best side dishes or snacks.
Stuffed Calamari - Made in just a few simple steps, this Italian stuffed calamari recipe is baked in a rich tomato sauce with a savory Italian sausage breadcrumb stuffing.
Garlic Butter Pasta - This easy pasta recipe is made in just 15 minutes with a simple garlic butter sauce that is the best side dish for chicken parmesan.
🥡 Storage suggestions
Store leftover baked chicken parmesan in an airtight container for 3-5 days in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave at 80% power or in the oven at 400° until heated through.
💭 Frequently asked questions
Chicken parm is actually an Italian-American recipe. The recipe is believed to have been created in the late 1930s or early 1940s by Italian immigrants living in the Northeast United States - think New York, New Jersey, and lower New England. By the 1950s it had quickly gained tremendous popularity all over the US. Probably because it’s just so amazingly delicious.
Chicken should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165° F to ensure it is fully cooked and safe to eat.
No, it is not safe to eat undercooked chicken. Chicken should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165° F before serving or eating.
🇮🇹 More Italian chicken recipe
If you enjoyed this oven-baked chicken parmesan recipe, check out these other Italian chicken recipes I know you’re going to love too!
๐ Recipe
Oven Baked Chicken Parmesan Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil, divided use
- 3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, approximately 2-2 ½ pounds
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 large eggs
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 2 cups panko bread crumbs, plain
- 3 ounces parmesan cheese, finely grated (approximately 1 ½ cups)
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 ½ cups Italian gravy (affiliate link), or store-bought marinara
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut in 6 slices
- fresh basil, optional garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400˚ and drizzle 2-3 Tablespoons of the olive oil over a large baking sheet. Use a pastry brush to spread the oil around so it completely coats the pan. Olive oil spray can be used as well to generously grease the baking sheet.
- Slice each chicken breast horizontally so there is a total of 6 pieces.
- Place two pieces of chicken in a large zip top bag. Using a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound the chicken to half inch thickness.
- Repeat with the remaining pieces of chicken and then season them on both sides with the salt and pepper.
- In a shallow dish or bowl, scramble the eggs with the water and set aside.
- In another shallow dish, combine the bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, dried oregano and dried parsley and stir to combine.
- Dip one of the pieces of chicken into the egg mixture, flipping it over to coat on each side. Remove it from the egg mixture, letting any excess drip off before adding it to the bread crumb mixture.
- Spoon the bread crumb mixture on top of the chicken and gently press it in to secure the bread crumbs on both sides. Place breaded chicken on the prepared baking sheet and repeat with the remaining pieces of chicken. Leftover bread crumbs can be sprinkled on top of the chicken and pressed in to make sure they stay put.
- Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the breaded chicken to lightly coat it over the entire surface. An olive oil spray can be used instead to coat the bread crumbs well without them getting too drenched.
- Bake the chicken in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes until the bread crumbs are lightly browned and the chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165˚.
- Top each chicken breast with ¼ cup of the sauce as well as a slice of the mozzarella cheese.
- Place the chicken back in the oven under the broiler for 3-5 minutes until the bread crumbs are deep golden brown and the cheese is melted. Keep a close eye on the chicken to prevent burning.
- Garnish with fresh basil, if desired and serve.
Notes
- Bread Crumbs - Panko bread crumbs give the best light, crispy texture. Plain bread crumbs can be used but will change the texture. If seasoned bread crumbs are used, omit the garlic powder, oregano, and parsley.
- Cheese - Fresh mozzarella has a higher water content and will melt the best. Block or shredded mozzarella can be used as an alternative if needed.
- Sauce - Try using basil pesto instead of marinara for a different flavor variation.
- Dairy-Free - Omit the parmesan and mozzarella or substitute with a dairy-free alternative.
- Gluten-Free - Substitute the bread crumbs with gluten-free panko bread crumbs.
- Make Ahead - The chicken can be breaded up to 12 hours ahead of time and stored on a baking sheet wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator.
- Leftovers - Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Reheat in the microwave or the oven at 325˚ until heated through.
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