Patty made me chicken Parmesan on our fourth date on a cold January night, almost three years ago. It was the first meal she ever cooked for me. EVER. Wild right? Now, I know what you’re thinking. Bold move making Shawn, the world-famous food blogger, chicken parm on date number four. If only she knew. If only I KNEW. Kitchen Swagger wasn’t even a thought at that point. Dinner was delicious, she won me over.
Chicken Parmesan or Chicken Parmigiana is one of those recipes that’s tricky to make because everyone knows how good chicken Parmesan should taste. Just like the national anthem. You’ve heard it 10,000,000 times and when someone butchers it? Ouch.
Every time I go to the North End in Boston (Italian food paradise), I have the same internal struggle. I tell myself I’m going to branch out and not get chicken parm because I always get it. Then I cave and end up ordering it because nothing compares. So, after all these years I’ve paid very close attention to what makes the perfect, yet easy chicken Parmesan recipe.
Tips For Making the Best Chicken Parmesan
Chicken Parmesan should be simple, and this recipe is no exception. You just need to follow the right techniques for success.
- Chicken Parmesan should be made with thinly sliced chicken. You’ll notice nice Italian restaurants always serve large, thinly sliced servings of chicken Parmesan. If your chicken is thicker than half an inch, the crispy crust is lost, it’s too chewy, and there’s too much chicken in each bite.
- Always mix Parmesan cheese in with the breadcrumbs. They don’t call it chicken Parmesan for nothing. Top with extra parmesan cheese and plenty of fresh mozzarella cheese before baking. You want a solid layer of melted cheese to nearly cover each piece of crispy chicken.
- Always sauté/crisp the chicken in olive oil. No substitutes here. Olive oil will add tremendous flavor to the crust and will help give your chicken parm that much desired crispy crunch. Nothing compares. This goes hand and hand with thin chicken.
- Use a nice marinara sauce. There are plenty of good ones out there, just keep it simple and don’t go too heavy on the sauce.
How to Make Easy Chicken Parmesan
Good chicken parm is made in three basic steps.
- Chicken dredged in flour, beaten egg, and Italian breadcrumbs.
- Quickly pan-fried in olive oil in a cast-iron skillet to crisp.
- Baked topped with marinara and mozzarella cheese until chicken is cooked through and cheese is melted.
I managed to make this recipe (of four servings) in one 12 inch cast iron skillet. First, I sauté the breaded chicken in olive oil and then use the same cast iron skillet for baking. One less dish to clean up in an already dish-heavy recipe. Cast iron wins again!
Thin chicken will cook quickly on the stove/oven. As soon as the exterior is golden and crispy from frying, we can bake it in the oven with extra marinara and plenty of mozzarella cheese. It’s as easy as those two steps. Thicker chicken will, of course, take longer.
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Classic, crispy chicken Parmesan made in a cast iron skillet with fresh melted mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts, halved lengthwise (to make 4 slices)
- 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
- 1 cup, plus 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon water
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce
- 8 ounce fresh mozzarella ball, sliced (or shredded if you prefer)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F.
- Cut each piece of chicken in half lengthwise to form 4 thin slices. Using a rolling pin, flatten chicken to under half an inch by firmly hitting.
- Combine bread crumbs, 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, and fresh herbs on a plate and set aside. In a shallow bowl, whisk water and eggs and set aside. Spread the flour on a plate and set aside.
- Coat the chicken in the flour and shake off the excess. Dip in egg mixture and then coat in bread crumbs, making sure the crumbs adhere and chicken is fully coated. Set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken slices two at time and sauté until golden and crispy, 2-3 minutes per side. Remove all 4 slices and set on a plate.
- Add 1/2 a cup of tomato sauce to the bottom of the cast iron skillet. Return all four pieces of chicken to the cast iron skillet and arrange with the least amount of overlap possible.
- Cover with remaining sauce, remaining Parmesan cheese, and top each piece of chicken with two slices of fresh mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with basil and bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Note: Thinner chicken will cook quicker. Serve Immediately with a side of pasta if desired.
Keywords: chicken parmesan, easy chicken parmesan, chicken parmigiana
Do you use “real” parmesan cheese & grate it, or use the grated cheese in the green bottle ?
I usually buy shaved Parmesan cheese. I think the green bottle tends to be too fine. Grating your own is always best option if you have time.
Chicken parm is one of my favorites. This did not disappoint!! Thanks for sharing!
Can I use a non-stick skillet instead of cast iron? Thanks!
Hi Jenn – you can’t put non stick in the oven I believe so best to use something that is oven and stove top safe. I would double check.
This recipe is AMAZING! I received my first ever cast iron skillet for Christmas(!) and this was the first recipe I used to break it in the for the first time and it did not disappoint!! My hubby said it tasted better than Olive Garden’s chicken parmesan 🙂 Two thumbs up!!
One pointer from a new cast iron skillet owner, let the skillet cool down a bit before adding the tomato sauce! I had sauce/oil spritzing EVERYWHERE from the contact of room temperature sauce to a hot skillet. Lesson learned 🙂
★★★★★
Thanks Daphne – I love my cast iron skillet…I use it almost exclusively now. Good point on the sauce, I will make a note of this. Glad it worked out well for you!
I look forward to trying this recipe!
Does ‘tomato sauce’ mean a can of plain tomato sauce?
Any canned or homemade pasta sauce should do. Sorry I should specify.
Made this twice now. First time I forgot the mozzarella. ? Didn’t even know until I put things back into the fridge and the cheese was staring right at me. It was still great but I wanted to cook it like the recipe read. So I made it again yesterday. Best ever!!!!! Family loved it.
★★★★★
AH! I know that feeling far too well. I would have had to make it again too. Glad everyone liked it!
I used Newmans Own Sockarooni sauce, added dried minced onion, rosemary, and garlic to the bread crumbs. I didn’t have eggs so I just used milk. Added parsley as a garnish. Hubby said it was one of my best dishes!! Score one for me! Thanks!
That’s some serious swag. Like the rosemary addition – sounds delicious ??
Thanks!! I can’t wait to make it again. I’ll have to warn the family before using the roller tho! Lol
Made this recipe over the weekend and oh man it was delicious! I have never come across an easier recipe for chicken parm than this. Great suggestions including using the rolling pin and cast iron pans. The only thing I did differently was use shredded cheese instead of slicing the ball. This one is going in my frequently used recipe book now ama will be made quite often!
★★★★★
Thanks Mike – glad you liked it. I go back and fourth on the cheese. I actually used both in this picture. Try the fresh next time and see what you think!
jai hate desseiller vos recettes
★★★★★
Made this for dinner tonight it was a hit with my family,mthey loved it.
Made this tonight, turned out great. Next time I would add a bit of garlic and parsley. Substituted italian seasoning and oregano for the basil. Will definately make again.
★★★★★