Skillet Chicken Parmesan Recipe

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4.94 from 45 votes

Skillet Chicken Parmesan Recipe

Classic, crispy chicken Parmesan made in a cast iron skillet with fresh melted mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

Prep Time20

Cook Time35

Total Time55

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Author: Shawn Williams

Ingredients

2 large chicken breasts (or thin cutlets) halved lengthwise and thinned (to make 4 slices)
1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
1 cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
2 large eggs whisked
1 teaspoon water for egg mixture
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups marinara/tomato sauce
8 ounce fresh mozzarella ball
1 cup low-moisture shredded mozzarella cheese optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Cut each piece of chicken in half lengthwise to form 4 thin slices. Flatten the chicken to under half an inch using a meat mallet or rolling pin by firmly hitting it with the rolling pin/mallet. This will both tenderize and make the chicken thinner. Covering it with plastic wrap will prevent the chicken from splattering.
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 third 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 the chicken is fully coated. Set aside on a plate. Repeat with all chicken.
Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken slices two at a time and sauté until golden and crispy, about 2 minutes per side. Remove chicken and set aside on a plate.
Let the skillet cool slightly and wipe up excess oil if any. 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 them with the least amount of overlap possible.
Cover with remaining tomato sauce and remaining parmesan cheese. Top each piece of chicken with sliced fresh mozzarella cheese and optional shredded mozzarella.
Bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and cheese is fully melted and golden. Note: Thinly sliced chicken will cook very quickly and will likely be 90% cooked prior to baking. Serve immediately topped with fresh basil, extra grated parmesan and a side of pasta if desired.

Notes

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. 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 jarred ones out there. Making your own from scratch is really easy if you follow Marcella Hazan's recipe. It makes a huge difference in authentic flavor and I swear by it!

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