Andy Montoya
Chicken Parmesan is an Italian-American classic that's simple, comforting, and perfect for impressing guests. The dish consists of breaded chicken layered with marinara sauce, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese. The chicken is typically pan-fried and then baked, but it can also be cooked in the oven to use less oil and be healthier. The key to this recipe is not to drown the chicken in sauce and cheese, as this will make it soggy. Instead, use just enough sauce and cheese to create a crispy, cheesy, and saucy dish.
Characteristics and Values Table for Chicken Parmesan with Marinara and Cheese
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Chicken | Boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced into cutlets |
| Chicken Preparation | Tenderize by pounding to an even thickness, season with salt and pepper, coat with flour, dip in egg mixture, coat with bread crumbs and parmesan cheese, pan-fry until golden |
| Marinara Sauce | Homemade or store-bought, made with crushed tomatoes, garlic, oregano, basil, and salt |
| Cheese | Parmesan, Mozzarella, shredded and/or sliced |
| Baking | Place chicken in a casserole or baking dish, add marinara sauce, sprinkle cheese, and bake at 425-450˚F for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly |
| Serving | Serve over spaghetti or buttered pasta, with extra sauce and garnished with basil |
| Storage | Refrigerate covered for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2-3 months |
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What You'll Learn
Prepare the ingredients
To prepare the ingredients for Chicken Parmesan, you will need the following:
- Chicken breasts: Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, and slice each breast in half lengthwise to create two cutlets. You can also use pre-cut breasts, also known as chicken cutlets.
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour or white whole wheat flour for dredging the chicken. This will help to create a golden crust on the chicken.
- Eggs: Beat the eggs in a shallow bowl and set them aside. They will be used as a coating to help the breadcrumbs stick to the chicken.
- Breadcrumbs: You can use store-bought Panko breadcrumbs or make your own homemade breadcrumbs. Adding Parmesan cheese to the breadcrumbs adds extra flavor and crunch.
- Marinara sauce: While you can use store-bought marinara sauce, making your own is recommended for a more flavorful dish. To make the sauce, heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat, add garlic and cook until golden. Use crushed tomatoes for a slightly sweet and chunky base, or tomato purée for a smoother sauce. Add the tomatoes and oregano to the pot, bring to a simmer, and cook for 10-15 minutes until thickened. Finally, add basil to taste and season with salt.
- Cheese: Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese for the crust and shredded mozzarella for topping. You can use whole milk or low-moisture part-skim mozzarella. Adding a slice of fresh mozzarella on top will make the dish even cheesier.
- Seasonings: Season the chicken and flour generously with salt and pepper. You can also add garlic powder to the flour mixture for extra flavor.
Once you have gathered and prepared all the ingredients, you can start assembling and cooking your Chicken Parmesan.
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Cook the chicken
First, prepare your chicken breasts. If they are not thick enough, place them between two pieces of plastic wrap and use a meat mallet or rolling pin to gently pound them evenly to 1/2 inch thick. This will help the chicken cook evenly and quickly.
Next, season the chicken thoroughly with salt and pepper. Using a sifter or strainer, sprinkle flour over the chicken breasts, evenly coating both sides. In a shallow bowl, beat some eggs and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix breadcrumbs with grated Parmesan cheese and garlic powder. Dip each flour-coated chicken breast in the egg mixture, then press into the breadcrumb mixture, coating both sides.
Now you're ready to cook the chicken. You can either pan-fry or bake the chicken, depending on your preference. For pan-frying, add oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the breaded chicken and cook for about 2 minutes on each side, until golden but not fully cooked. If baking, coat the breaded chicken with cooking spray on all sides and bake on a baking sheet at 400˚F for 15 minutes or until the center reaches an internal temperature of 165˚F.
Once your chicken is cooked, you can assemble your Chicken Parmesan. Spoon a thin layer of marinara sauce into a baking pan, add the chicken, and top with more sauce and cheese. Bake at 450˚F for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the chicken is cooked through.
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Make the sauce
Making the sauce for chicken parmesan is straightforward, but it does require some preparation. The sauce can be made a day ahead of time or even frozen for later use. It is best to use crushed tomatoes as the base, creating a smooth and slightly sweet sauce with some tomato chunks. Add the tomatoes and their juices to a bowl and use your hands to tear each tomato in half, crushing them.
To make the sauce, heat some oil in a medium-sized heavy pot over medium heat. Add garlic and salt to the pot and cook until the garlic turns a light golden brown. Then, add the crushed tomatoes and oregano, stirring occasionally. Simmer the sauce for 10 to 15 minutes until it thickens and reduces by about half. Turn off the heat and add the basil to the pot. Taste the sauce and add more salt if needed.
While some recipes suggest using store-bought marinara sauce, making your own sauce from scratch will elevate the dish. The homemade sauce is full of flavor, with the sweetness of the tomatoes balanced by the garlic and oregano, and the basil adding a fresh herbal note. It is worth noting that the sauce can be made and enjoyed on its own as a pasta sauce, so consider making a larger batch.
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Assemble the dish
To assemble the dish, start by pouring a layer of marinara sauce into a baking dish. You can use a store-bought marinara sauce or make your own by heating oil in a pot, adding garlic and salt, and cooking until the garlic turns golden brown. Then, add crushed tomatoes with their juice, oregano, and basil, and simmer until the sauce thickens.
Next, arrange the chicken pieces over the marinara sauce in a single layer. You can choose to pan-fry the chicken before assembling, which involves adding oil to a skillet over medium-high heat and cooking the breaded chicken for about 2 minutes on each side until golden. Alternatively, you can coat the breaded chicken with cooking spray and bake it at 400˚F for 15 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165˚F.
Once the chicken is in the baking dish, add a spoonful of marinara sauce over each piece of chicken. Follow this by sprinkling a mixture of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese on top. You can also add fresh mozzarella slices for extra cheese.
Finally, bake the dish in the oven at 425˚F to 450˚F for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly, and the chicken is cooked through. You can also broil the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden brown.
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Bake and serve
Once you've prepared the chicken, sauce, and cheese, it's time to assemble and bake your Chicken Parmesan. Pour some of your marinara sauce into a baking dish, adding a thin layer of sauce to the bottom of the pan. You can also pour half of the sauce into a casserole dish if you prefer. Place your chicken pieces over the sauce, and add a spoonful of marinara sauce over each chicken piece.
Next, sprinkle your desired cheese over the chicken and sauce. You can use a combination of mozzarella and parmesan, shredded or freshly grated, or a mixture of mozzarella, parmesan, and garlic powder. If you're using pre-shredded mozzarella, you can add a slice of fresh mozzarella for extra moisture.
Bake your Chicken Parmesan in the oven at 425˚F for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbling, and slightly browned, and the sauce is bubbling. The chicken should be cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165˚F. If you're using a broiler, this should take about 2 minutes.
Chicken Parmesan is best served hot. You can serve it over cooked spaghetti noodles, with extra marinara sauce on the side, and garnished with fresh basil. If you're making this dish ahead of time, it can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking. Simply add 5 minutes to the bake time to ensure it's heated through.
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Frequently asked questions
You will need chicken breasts, flour, eggs, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, mozzarella, marinara sauce, oil, salt, and pepper.
Slice each chicken breast in half lengthwise to create two cutlets. Place the chicken between two sheets of plastic wrap and use a meat mallet to pound them to an even thickness of about 1/2 inch. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour, dip in beaten eggs, and coat with breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese.
You can pan-fry or bake the chicken. For pan-frying, heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook the chicken for about 2 minutes on each side until golden. For baking, coat the chicken with cooking spray and bake at 400-450˚F for 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165˚F.
Spread marinara sauce in a baking dish, add the chicken pieces, and top with more marinara sauce and cheese. Bake at 425-450˚F for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Garnish with fresh basil and serve over spaghetti noodles with extra marinara sauce on the side.
