Description
Classic Italian Chicken Parmesan featuring juicy, tender pan-fried breaded chicken breasts topped with marinara sauce, melted mozzarella, and parmesan cheese, baked to golden perfection. A comforting family favorite perfect served over pasta with fresh basil garnish.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half horizontally to make 8 pieces
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup Italian-style or regular breadcrumbs
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil for frying
Toppings
- 24 ounces marinara sauce (1 jar)
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F to prepare for baking the assembled chicken parmesan later.
- Prepare breading ingredients: Place the flour in a shallow dish. In a second dish, beat the eggs with salt and pepper.
- Mix breadcrumb coating: In a third shallow dish, combine the panko breadcrumbs, Italian-style or regular breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, fresh parsley, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Prepare chicken: Dip each piece of chicken first into the flour, shaking off excess, then into the beaten eggs, and finally press into the breadcrumb mixture to coat evenly.
- Fry chicken: Heat vegetable oil in a large pan over medium heat. Fry each chicken piece about 4 minutes per side, until golden brown on the outside but not fully cooked through. Alternatively, air fry at 380°F for 7 minutes flipping halfway.
- Assemble chicken parmesan: Spread 1 ½ cups marinara sauce on the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Arrange fried chicken pieces on top, then spoon additional marinara sauce over each piece. Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheese evenly over the chicken.
- Bake: Bake in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden and chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle chopped fresh basil over the baked chicken parmesan and serve hot over pasta.
Notes
- Serve over spaghetti or your favorite pasta for a classic meal.
- Great side dishes include Italian green beans, steamed broccoli, garlic bread, or a tossed salad.
- For a green vegetable side, sauté spinach, kale, or other greens with garlic and olive oil.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for 3-5 days. To keep breading crispy, store sauce separately and add before reheating.
- If reheating leftovers with sauce, expect breading to become soggy.
